After overseeing a major system redesign and plans for its largest-ever expansion, the head of Capital Metro will take over Washington, D.C.’s transit agency.
The CEO of Austin’s Capital Metro (CapMetro) is leaving the Texas capital to take over the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), reports Nathan Bernier for KUT. “During his four years at CapMetro, Clarke oversaw the transit agency's biggest overhaul to the city's bus route system. He presided over the agency as Austin voters in November 2020 authorized the single-largest expansion of transit in the city's history.” The bus system redesign implemented in 2019 boosted ridership prior to the pandemic.
Clarke’s exit leaves two major agencies without permanent heads. “The Austin Transit Partnership — a local government agency created to oversee Project Connect — voted last month to remove Clarke as CEO after a consultant's report recommended a change in governance structure. An interim director was named during the search for a permanent replacement.” The article continues, “And now Capital Metro, which has been struggling to keep routes running on time amid a driver shortage, will be without an executive.”
FULL STORY: CapMetro CEO departs, leaving two Austin transit organizations leaderless
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Chicago to Turn High-Rise Offices into Housing
Four commercial buildings in the Chicago Loop have been approved for redevelopment into housing in a bid to revitalize the city’s downtown post-pandemic.
How California Transit Agencies are Addressing Rider Harassment
Safety and harassment are commonly cited reasons passengers, particularly women and girls, avoid public transit.
Significant Investments Needed to Protect LA County Residents From Climate Hazards
A new study estimates that LA County must invest billions of dollars before 2040 to protect residents from extreme heat, increasing precipitation, worsening wildfires, rising sea levels, and climate-induced public health threats.
Federal Rule Raises Cost for Oil and Gas Extraction on Public Lands
An update to federal regulations raises minimum bonding to limit orphaned wells and ensure cleanup costs are covered — but it still may not be enough to mitigate the damages caused by oil and gas drilling.
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