Franklin Tang
@27a01.bsky.social
📤 164
📥 750
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reposted by
Franklin Tang
Yonah Freemark
6 days ago
Transit construction costs in the US keep rising, and projects keep taking longer and longer to build. One possible explanation? Ineffective, inefficient community engagement processes, we argue
@urbaninstitute.bsky.social
⏬
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The US Spends More Time and Money Building Transit Than Most Countries. Inefficient Community Engagement May Help Explain Why.
Public participation remains essential, and policymakers can take steps to ensure engagement processes reflect the entire community’s needs without increasin…
https://www.urban.org/urban-wire/us-spends-more-time-and-money-building-transit-most-countries-inefficient-community
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The event is accessible by subway from the W 4th St-Wash Sq station. Come chat and enjoy some cookies : D
add a skeleton here at some point
18 days ago
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Franklin Tang
Rachel Cole
18 days ago
I'm beyond thrilled to see Watermelon Truck in the
@chicagotribune.com
. Thanks
@ninametz.bsky.social
for highlighting this really special part of our collection.
www.chicagotribune.com/2026/04/08/t...
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At Northwestern, a flashback to a time when government reports were works of art
The Transportation Library at Northwestern is a repository of old state and federal reports with creative graphic art on their covers.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/04/08/transportation-library-northwestern/?share=iaw8rc2hrcw6hcwbrest
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“...Reinvent Albany, the Partnership for New York, the Regional Plan Association, the Citizens Budget Commission, the Effective Transit Alliance and NYU’s Marron Institute voiced their opposition to a pair of bills working their way through Albany."
www.nydailynews.com/2026/04/01/g...
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Groups urge Albany to reject NYC transit union’s 2-person subway crew push
An alliance of business groups, government watchdogs and transit advocates is calling on state lawmakers to reject the Transport Workers Union’s renewed push to enshrine two-person subway crews in sta...
https://www.nydailynews.com/2026/04/01/groups-urge-albany-reject-nyc-transit-unions-2-person-subway-crew-push/
25 days ago
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Franklin Tang
QueensLink
about 1 month ago
Happy Open Data Week! Our latest report was built on Open Data, and the data says NYC has WAYYY too much to lose if QueensWay is built. Tell Mayor Mamdani, Listen to the Data: NO WAY to QueensWAY!
actionnetwork.org/letters/it-a...
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Franklin Tang
QueensLink
about 1 month ago
Thank you, Janno, for the recognition of QueensLink's Initial Business Case and Ridership Report! We look forward to the MTA's review of our findings on this transformative project.
#BuildtheQueensLink
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Franklin Tang
Transportation Alternatives
about 1 month ago
QueensWay should not come at the expense of QueensLink. For those who haven't been following this years-long debate, a translation: A linear park is great — but not if it blocks future public transit on a rare existing right-of-way. Queens needs both rails and trails!
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reposted by
Franklin Tang
QueensLink
about 1 month ago
QueensLink Fast Facts 🚈💨 - 75,000 daily riders, or nearly double the ridership-per-mile of IBX - 50% more service on Queens Boulevard and 165% more through-service to the Rockaways - 60-70% faster travel through Queens and into Brooklyn resulting in $4.9 billion in time savings for New Yorkers
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Franklin Tang
City Limits News
about 1 month ago
"Since the goal is to deliver housing as soon as possible, the city should start with something smaller, faster, and more achievable, built literally on more solid ground."
citylimits.org/opinion-turn...
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Opinion: Turning Headlines Into Housing at Sunnyside Yard - City Limits
"By focusing on two key areas within the Yard, a significant part of the benefit can be achieved without the same level of complication and cost."
https://citylimits.org/opinion-turning-headlines-into-housing-at-sunnyside-yard/
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Reposting for the weekend crowds :7
add a skeleton here at some point
about 1 month ago
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reposted by
Franklin Tang
Nolan Hicks
about 1 month ago
This is not serious stuff. We haven’t had an infrastructure bill with a pay-for in ~50 years.
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reposted by
Franklin Tang
Second Ave. Sagas
about 1 month ago
LMAO The Portal Bridge going out as a total dumpster fire. You gotta salute it. 🫡
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If you are interested in learning more about the technics and behind the scenes on how we have produced our transit housing expansion report, A Better Billion, then I have an event that might interest you very soon. 1/🧵
about 2 months ago
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Franklin Tang
Christof Spieler
about 2 months ago
The proofs are in and the publication date is set! “Transportation and the Shape of Cities” will be available this August from
@islandpress.bsky.social
, an imprint of .
@princetonupress.bsky.social
.
press.princeton.edu/books/paperb...
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reposted by
Franklin Tang
Marco Chitti
about 2 months ago
US-based researcher: does a study, use some obscure US place as a study case, generalizes the finding as universally relevant. Reviewers: ✅️ -- Non US researcher: does a study, use non US place as a study case, present findings as context-bound. Reviewers: HoW iS tHis RelEVaNT for tHE DeBATe?
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reposted by
Franklin Tang
Matt Elliott
about 2 months ago
50+ TTC streetcars sitting unused in a yard each day seems like a huge missed opportunity. (And should probably really annoy the federal and provincial govs who helped pay for them?)
stevemunro.ca/2026/03/06/t...
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reposted by
Franklin Tang
Andrew Lynch | vanshnookenraggen
about 2 months ago
"When this is built, I want New Yorkers to take it for granted” Thank you to
@thecity.nyc
@amysohn.bsky.social
and Harry Siegel for having my on the podcast to discuss QueensLink!
www.thecity.nyc/2026/03/07/q...
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LISTEN: Reviving the Missing Link in Queens
https://www.thecity.nyc/2026/03/07/queenslink-m-train-andrew-lynch-litnyc-podcast/
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reposted by
Franklin Tang
Nolan Hicks
about 2 months ago
We've posted the slides and a printer-friendly version of our subway expansion report, A Better Billion! Slides:
transitcosts.com/ABB_Presenta...
Printer-friendly PDF:
transitcosts.com/A_Better_Bil...
NYT write-up:
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/30/n...
The OG interactive:
transitcosts.com/a-better-bil...
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https://transitcosts.com/A_Better_Billion.pdf
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We at the Transit Cost Project are hosting an event on our most recent report, "A Better Billion", at 370 Jay St in Brooklyn on March 4th. If you are interested in hearing about the planning proposal in person and ask your burning questions on the report, RSVP on Luma here:
luma.com/ub7q20a6
2 months ago
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Now I want a (12) train shirt to go with this.
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2 months ago
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Franklin Tang
Greg Shill
2 months ago
✨ introducing… ✨ 🌇 Transportation for the Abundant Society 🚅 "Abundance" says our problem is artificial scarcity—especially housing. But you can’t build your way out if transportation policy still treats traffic flow as sacred. Transportation is the binding constraint.
ssrn.com/abstract=538...
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reposted by
Franklin Tang
Christof Spieler
3 months ago
Some questions I ask whenever I see a crayon like this:
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I don't think we wrote it to be synergistic in the first place.
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3 months ago
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Hi Zohran, we at the Transit Cost Project just published a report planning for how the New York City can build affordable housing and good transit together - all year long, for 40 years. Let's plan a city that plans for the future, together.
transitcosts.com/a-better-bil...
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3 months ago
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No notes. Love the header image
@davecolon.bsky.social
nyc.streetsblog.org/2026/02/02/f...
3 months ago
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Franklin Tang
Nolan Hicks
3 months ago
I am now off the clock, so I am officially, formally, incredibly thrilled that 'A Better Billion' is now in the world. And it's absolutely surreal to help with something that ends up with a feature in The New York Times. --
transitcosts.com/a-better-bil...
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A Better Billion
https://transitcosts.com/a-better-billion.html
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It has been fun working on the A Better Billion project over the last couple of months. You can check out the full StoryMap here:
transitcosts.com/a-better-bil...
Also the gift article link to the NYT coverage of our plan;
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/30/n...
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Free Buses? How About Expanding the Subway by 41 Miles Instead?
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/30/nyregion/mamdani-free-buses-subway.html?unlocked_article_code=1.IVA.SBU4.z65Ba8_f_83I
3 months ago
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This "beigeness"accompanied me through high school 🙃
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3 months ago
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Line 5 and 6 can be the prime examples of Jumping-out-hole-we-dug-for-oursevles-ism. I still remember the time when I saw the TTC getting award for best transit system in NA (2017-ish). H(C)opium: maybe Line 3 can avoid these pitfalls and try to build a REM-esque service in Toronto.
add a skeleton here at some point
4 months ago
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reposted by
Franklin Tang
Marco Chitti
5 months ago
I wrote a thing. Build trams, but build them well. Understanding what tramways are, what they do best and how to employ them.
open.substack.com/pub/marcochi...
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Build trams. But build them well.
Understanding what tramways are, what they do best and how to employ them.
https://open.substack.com/pub/marcochitti/p/build-trams-but-build-them-well?r=1rjrgo&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
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Bill C-15 for Toronto-Quebec City High-Speed Rail (TQHSR) has been tabled for first reading in the Canadian Parliament.
www.parl.ca/DocumentView...
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Government Bill (House of Commons) C-15 (45-1) - First Reading - Budget 2025 Implementation Act, No. 1 - Parliament of Canada
Government Bill (House of Commons) C-15 (45-1) - First Reading - Budget 2025 Implementation Act, No. 1 - Parliament of Canada
https://www.parl.ca/DocumentViewer/en/45-1/bill/C-15/first-reading
5 months ago
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reposted by
Franklin Tang
lexande
5 months ago
An update:
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Franklin Tang
Andrew Lynch | vanshnookenraggen
5 months ago
It's an honor and pleasure to be named to City & State's "2025" Unsung Heroes" list. I have to also shout out the amazing volunteers at QueensLink who make it look easy when it's not.
www.cityandstateny.com/power-lists/...
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The 2025 Unsung Heroes
Notable New Yorkers achieving success behind the scenes
https://www.cityandstateny.com/power-lists/2025/11/2025-unsung-heroes/409354/?oref=csny-skybox-hp#andrew-lynch
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reposted by
Franklin Tang
Nolan Hicks
5 months ago
New Marron survey of 400+ subway lines across the world from London to Paris to Shanghai finds just 6% still use two-person train operation, which would be required by a TWU-backed bill. “It doesn’t really matter to us what the data shows,” says TWU boss Samuelsen
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/13/n...
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Does the Subway Still Need Train Conductors?
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/13/nyregion/subway-train-conductors-hochul.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare
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reposted by
Franklin Tang
Eric Goldwyn
5 months ago
We dropped a new report re: train operations, everyone’s favorite topic. There’s some backstory that we will get too. But, the basic takeaway is modern train systems have moved away from two-person train ops. New York should, too!
transitcosts.com/Train_Operat...
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https://transitcosts.com/Train_Operations.pdf
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↓Mood for the rest of the day
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6 months ago
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@ndhapple.bsky.social
Hey look they are looking to make the descendant of the traincar in our acceleration curves tables
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6 months ago
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If only we have some land-based alternative that can move a lot more people on a dedicated alignment... You know, to compensate for the loss in flying capacity...especially for this route, too.
add a skeleton here at some point
6 months ago
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Franklin Tang
Jon Worth
6 months ago
Scared about kill switches in buses Norway bought from China? How about trains in Poland with something similar but even more malevolent 👇
jonworth.eu/newags-digit...
Ah no, not China, so doesn't generate the same fuss 🤷♂️
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NEWAG's digital sabotage of Koleje Dolnośląskie (Dolny Śląsk) trains - what were they thinking? - Jon Worth
In the past couple of days, my Mastodon feed has been full of astonishment about how three Polish IT specialists discovered digital sabotage attempts in trains built by manufacturer NEWAG. The origina...
https://jonworth.eu/newags-digital-sabotage-of-dolny-slasks-trains-what-were-they-thinking/
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reposted by
Franklin Tang
Marco Chitti
6 months ago
I've done something that I don't do very often. I wrote a short, quick polemic post. It was prompted by a discussion in here. It's about why I'm still skeptical about ALTO's HSR project and why there is no way around transparency in public projects.
open.substack.com/pub/marcochi...
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Why I’m still skeptical about ALTO’s HSR project
A reality check and a plea for transparency.
https://open.substack.com/pub/marcochitti/p/why-im-still-skeptical-about-altos?r=1rjrgo&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
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The Canadian 2025 budget tabled by the Carney administration, describes the Alto HSR project in a very specific, defined goal. The full budget can be found here
budget.canada.ca/2025/home-ac...
1/thread
6 months ago
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reposted by
Franklin Tang
Cooper Lund
6 months ago
You know what? A better city is possible.
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reposted by
Franklin Tang
Marco Chitti
6 months ago
I finally completed my second long form post dedicated to the problem of High Speed Rail and the city, or "who goes with whom in the puzzle of traffic separation around large urban areas?" I hope you enjoy.
open.substack.com/pub/marcochi...
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The High Speed Rail and the city - part 2
More tracks, but for whom? The case of the Bologna-Castel Bolognese fast quad-tracking and the problem of disentangling mixed traffic.
https://open.substack.com/pub/marcochitti/p/the-high-speed-rail-and-the-city-12b?r=1rjrgo&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
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The NEW, interactive website for our NEC report (by
@alonlevy.bsky.social
) is ready!
nec.transitcosts.com
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How to Build High-Speed Rail on the Northeast Corridor
An interactive site presenting the North East Corridor proposal by Marron Institute's Transportation and Land Use Group, authored by Alon Levy.
https://nec.transitcosts.com
6 months ago
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Franklin Tang
Eric Goldwyn
6 months ago
We will discuss free buses for at least the next year! Free buses are okay. Faster, more frequent buses and a more expansive fair fares is better. Let’s translate
@zohrankmamdani.bsky.social
’s enthusiasm for buses into real change in the next administration:
www.npr.org/2025/10/16/n...
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Should the bus be free? Transit advocates are divided
"Free buses" is one of the big ideas that helped Zohran Mamdani win the Democratic mayoral primary in New York City. But the track record in cities that have stopped collecting fares is mixed.
https://www.npr.org/2025/10/16/nx-s1-5535831/new-york-free-buses-advocates-divided
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Franklin Tang
Nolan Hicks
6 months ago
“Massive NY tunnel and subway projects still alive,“ “DOT has no plans to end the multibillion-dollar Gateway tunnel and Second Ave Subway projects, an administration official told POLITICO a day after the president said they had been ‘terminated.’”
subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2025...
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POLITICO Pro: Massive NY tunnel and subway projects still alive, despite Trump's claims
DOT has no plans to end the multibillion-dollar Gateway tunnel and Second Avenue Subway projects, an administration official told POLITICO a day after the president said they had been "terminated."
https://subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2025/10/massive-ny-tunnel-and-subway-projects-still-alive-despite-trumps-claims-00611371
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Meanwhile in New York City...
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6 months ago
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Franklin Tang
Ryan Packer
7 months ago
I just can't get over the differences in scale between Ballard Link's Westlake Station as proposed and the original Westlake Station, off to the left.
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reposted by
Franklin Tang
Marco Chitti
7 months ago
What's the incentive for politicians when they get reflected even if Metrolinx's leadership set money on fire in Dundas Square. Ontarians deserve that because they voted for that.
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reposted by
Franklin Tang
David Soto
7 months ago
🚌 Strategies used to turnaround Akron’s bus system: 1. CEO used to be a bus driver, now rides the bus with customers 2. Run buses every 15 minutes, 7 days a week 3. Concentrate on most needed services 4. Reduce job requirements “If we’re not using our product, why should anybody else use it?”
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