Benjamin Schneider
@benschneider.bsky.social
Investigative and policy reporter at Remapping Debate. Previously at CityLab, SF Examiner. Author of "The Unfinished Metropolis": https://shorturl.at/PInVb
So many cities could learn from this. So many urban leaders could learn so much from @benschneider.bsky.social's excellent book.
Benjamin Schneider@benschneider.bsky.social · 2d agoThis is one of the wildest things I learned researching my book. Planners predicted that cities would be economically ruined unless they built freeways through the city center. In fact, the opposite happened: The cities with successful freeway revolts came out the strongest economically.
This is one of the wildest things I learned researching my book. Planners predicted that cities would be economically ruined unless they built freeways through the city center. In fact, the opposite happened: The cities with successful freeway revolts came out the strongest economically.
Edward Russell@byerussell.com · 3d agoOn freeways, this stuck out to me: “It increasingly looks like the cities and neighborhoods that successfully fought off freeways were the best off.” The US had so many walkable, compact downtowns then we tore most of them apart. What if keeping these was the norm, rather than the outlier?
I recently finished @benschneider.bsky.social's book, The Unfinished Metropolis, and very much enjoyed it. The book covers the range of urbanist issues from their roots, where US policy drove (pun intended) it in certain directions, and contemporary shifts to build more people-centric communities.
New podcast about The Unfinished Metropolis: We get into some of the things that have changed since the book was published, including the Road to Housing Act, the changing fortunes of downtowns, and questions about how far zoning reform should go. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
The Unfinished Metropolis
Podcast Episode · Booked on Planning · September 8 · 37m
podcasts.apple.com
Mayor Lurie's silence on the rental market craziness in SF was starting to look out of touch. There's not much CA mayors can do on rent regulation, and these are pretty modest proposals, but it's significant that he's finally taking the issue on. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/10/u...
San Francisco Mayor to Declare Rent Emergency Amid A.I. Housing Frenzy
Mayor Daniel Lurie wants to combat evictions in the city, which has the nation’s highest rent increases.
nytimes.com
so much good stuff out there. intro books would probably be arbitrary lines: @mnolangray.bsky.social the color of law the unfininshed metropolis: @benschneider.bsky.social stuck: @yappelbaum.bsky.social paved paradise: @henrygrabar.bsky.social the affordable city: @shanedphillips.bsky.social
Another important infrastructure colocation concept: Highways and intercity rail. That's how Brightline made it from South Florida to Orlando on the (relatively) cheap. Brightline West plans the same. And it's, arguably, how CAHSR should've traveled through the Central Valley.
Benjamin Schneider@benschneider.bsky.social · last wk.USDOT has announced a program called America's Great Corridors of Commerce to colocate utility infrastructure along highway and rail corridors. It follows the Biden admin's "Action Plan for Rail Energy and Emissions Innovation," which looked specifically at electrical transmission and rail.
USDOT has announced a program called America's Great Corridors of Commerce to colocate utility infrastructure along highway and rail corridors. It follows the Biden admin's "Action Plan for Rail Energy and Emissions Innovation," which looked specifically at electrical transmission and rail.
Really interesting tidbit in this article on LA DSA's endorsement of Raman for mayor: The 3 other DSA-supported LA City Council members have all endorsed Bass. www.latimes.com/california/s...
SF supervisor candidate Manny Yekutiel has made a "citywide subway" part of his policy platform. As someone who has written quite a bit about transit in SF, and transit development writ large, I have some thoughts: 1/X www.mannyforsf.com/citywide-su...
Cycling makes a lot of sense for short trips in urban areas. As @benschneider.bsky.social noted in his book, The Unfinished Metropolis, many urban trips are shorter by bike than driving (especially when including time spent finding parking). Cycling makes less sense in spread out suburban areas.
Here's a crayon of a BRT line reusing the 1.5 mile temporary BQE viaduct. Serving: — Red Hook Houses — Red Hook downtown — Cruise terminal + ferries — Brooklyn Marine Development — Brooklyn Bridge Park — BK Heights + short walk to Clark St. 2/3 train — Dumbo — Direct access to High St. A/C
Benjamin Schneider@benschneider.bsky.social · 3w agoIf this BQE replacement really happens, the most interesting question will be what to do with the temporary elevated structure. Seems like a waste to build it just to tear it down. Could it be an extension of the promenade? A BRT line to Brooklyn Marine Terminal and Red Hook?
If this BQE replacement really happens, the most interesting question will be what to do with the temporary elevated structure. Seems like a waste to build it just to tear it down. Could it be an extension of the promenade? A BRT line to Brooklyn Marine Terminal and Red Hook?
Benjamin Schneider@benschneider.bsky.social · 3w agoImportant context about the BQE: There's never been a freeway removal in the US (or anywhere) that serves so many vehicles (130K) and has no clear alternate routes. I get people's disappointment with Mamdani's lack of ambition but those are very difficult circumstances.
Important context about the BQE: There's never been a freeway removal in the US (or anywhere) that serves so many vehicles (130K) and has no clear alternate routes. I get people's disappointment with Mamdani's lack of ambition but those are very difficult circumstances.
Monday's Most Read # 1 - The triumph and tragedy of light rail in Charlotte link.theoverheadwire.com/pdv4n Planetizen
The triumph and tragedy of light rail in Charlotte
Like the iPhone, Charlotte's Blue Line represents a missed opportunity for the public to recoup the value it created.
link.theoverheadwire.com
This is a really important aspect of senior housing: Not only does it provide housing for seniors, it opens up family-sized homes for the next generation. And, in places like CA, it resets property tax assessments. www.sfchronicle.com/realestate/a...
Exclusive: Oakland housing proposal revised after Trader Joe’s backlash
After months of outrage in one Oakland neighborhood over the prospect of losing its popular Trader Joe’s store to a pair of housing towers, a developer has revised its redevelopment proposal.
sfchronicle.com
"With a few complementary transit projects, the mobility benefits of the IBX could extend to the Bronx and beyond, as envisioned by the RPA 30 years ago..." www.planetizen.com/features/138... :
Why should these loan programs focus on railroad electrification and transit automation? "There is a clear bankability logic: they improve service (and thus ridership and fare revenue) while reducing operational costs."
Chirag Lala@cthelala.bsky.social · last mo.New report from @jmooreotto.bsky.social on using RRIF and TIFIA to provide a stable source of capital funding for rail electrification and automation projects! Shifting off discretionary grants is one step towards helping agencies build long-term capacity. publicenterprise.org/report/the-t...
How can taxes be designed so they are linked to valued social policies? Can the universally popular slogan “tax the rich,” guide policy without the caveat, “but not me”? Here's how Democrats can escape the race to the bottom with the GOP on taxes: www.remappingdebate.org/node/2514
Making taxes great again
remappingdebate.org
How can Dems break out of race to bottom w GOP on taxes? Make feedback loop between taxes & govt services more visible; provide assurances that govt can deliver on promises; and instill trust that tax system is fair. Remapping's @benschneider.bsky.social reports. remappingdebate.org/node/2514.
Making taxes great again
remappingdebate.org
On the design front, these kinds of super-scaled traditional vernacular buildings are interesting. Somehow both AI-ish and genuinely whimsical. A lot will depend on the craft of the exterior finishes.
Benjamin Schneider@benschneider.bsky.social · last mo.Last month, an SF Superior Court judge ruled that this 7-unit project at 1736 Filbert St. in the Marina District must be approved. The ruling overturned the city's determination that the project was not eligible for the State Density Bonus. No word yet on the timing of groundbreaking.
Last month, an SF Superior Court judge ruled that this 7-unit project at 1736 Filbert St. in the Marina District must be approved. The ruling overturned the city's determination that the project was not eligible for the State Density Bonus. No word yet on the timing of groundbreaking.
Great piece on the first coordinated city, state and MTA plan to bring true BRT to NYC. Seems like the biggest outstanding variable is bus procurement. Can these routes be designed for level boarding buses, with doors on both sides?
Streetsblog NYC@nyc.streetsblog.org · last mo.It's time for BRT in NYC. nyc.streetsblog.org/2026/08/04/n...
Montgomery, AL perfectly illustrates this. In 1955, when Rosa Parks mounted her Bus Boycott, the transit system was **owned by a GM-affiliate** and ran several lines every 10 mins. In the 90s, fixed route bus service was eliminated. And now, no line runs more frequently than every 30 mins.
Benjamin Schneider@benschneider.bsky.social · last mo.Jake is right. I also wrote about this in my book, more from the political angle. I argue that the streetcar conspiracy was actually a convenient scapegoat for those who wanted to minimize government's role in transit's failure, and the racism of whites who abandoned integrated systems.
Jake is right. I also wrote about this in my book, more from the political angle. I argue that the streetcar conspiracy was actually a convenient scapegoat for those who wanted to minimize government's role in transit's failure, and the racism of whites who abandoned integrated systems.
Jake Berman@lostsubways.com · last mo.this is not true. there was no conspiracy. it didn't matter whether the streetcars were publicly owned (seattle, detroit) or private (los angeles, atlanta). a thread (because i wrote a whole-ass book on this): 1/?
Philadelphia Watch Case Company Building, Riverside, NJ
Progressive LA Mayoral Candidate Nithya Raman told Vanity Fair that her main difference with DSA is on housing. www.vanityfair.com/story/nithya...
Call it de-gentrification: A neighborhood economic development success story — or a searing symbol of growing urban inequality — whose fortunes have suddenly turned. In the long arc of urban history, neighborhoods experience many ups and downs. www.planetizen.com/features/138...
Is this the first wave of de-gentrification?
Valencia, Temescal, H Street and the fickle fortunes of the gentrified neighborhood.
planetizen.com