Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Brian F. Kelcey @stateofthecity.bsky.social · 1m

Transit, in Chicago

Thomas Bamonte @thomasbamonte.bsky.social · 14m

Op-ed by Erin Aleman, the executive director of the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning: "We cannot afford a strategy that only helps our system scrape by. We must fund a transit system that thrives — not just survives." www.chicagobusiness.com/opinion/what...

Opinion: This fall is Illinois' chance to ensure transit not only survives — but thrives

We must go beyond survival and work toward building a strong, truly regional transit system, writes Erin Aleman of CMAP.

www.chicagobusiness.com

Brian F. Kelcey @stateofthecity.bsky.social · 23m

I just want to give one (1) example of an easy start to dial things down: what if the US govt stopped - and I mean, noisily and ruthlessly stopped - pandering to Alberta separatists and granting them high-level meetings? Seems like an easy enough step to take.

nationalpost.com/news/alberta...

Alberta separatists boast cabinet-level meeting with Trump administration

The Alberta Prosperity Project says they met with U.S. cabinet-level officials in Washington to seek support for an independent Alberta.

nationalpost.com

5

Brian F. Kelcey @stateofthecity.bsky.social · 40m

No need! What George shared was insight; I was just doing the high level "hey, the history isn't as simple as it looked!" intervention. Much like my stock "Cheonggyecheon didn't just magically wipe out traffic without a lot of work & collateral investment" refrain. :)

1

Brian F. Kelcey @stateofthecity.bsky.social · 47m

If I hadn't been diverted by a domestic issue, that was gonna be my next point. :)

2

Brian F. Kelcey @stateofthecity.bsky.social · 47m

(Insofar as it means bikeshare is treated like a benefit rather than a platform)

2

Brian F. Kelcey @stateofthecity.bsky.social · 47m

Some criticism (short thread) of Toronto's bikeshare system that was on the back end of a Toronto thread talked on top of my Montreal thread. Seems worth reposting for anyone following all this. In general, issues like these are part of my issue w/ using the TPA to run the system...

George Bell @george.borkbork.ca · 1h

They lag almost all their peers. Without e-scooters they won’t hit 16m (it’s 40% of Chicago’s rides), and their ebike pricing is uncompetitive with transit…it’s good they are working towards presto and ttc integration, but it can’t be surface level, 2 hour transfer integration is needed…

1 3

Brian F. Kelcey @stateofthecity.bsky.social · 1h

The US trade war & annexationist push against Canada. H/t @sueinnovates.bsky.social. Apparently, Americans are the victims. Missing, except for a vague comment: 10 months in, there is zero acknowledgement of political agency or the possibility of change on the US side.

www.cnn.com/2025/10/13/b...

Canada’s boycott America movement is hurting innocent bystanders | CNN Business

Virginia Distillery CEO Gareth Moore was bullish on his company’s American single malt whisky sales north of the border when 2025 kicked off.

www.cnn.com

3 8 20

Brian F. Kelcey @stateofthecity.bsky.social · 1h

4/ Notably, there was fresh coverage on the (pretty good) state of the Toronto program just a few days ago:

globalnews.ca/news/1146954...

Toronto bike share program set for record year, ridership may hit 16M by 2030 | Globalnews.ca

Bike Share Toronto, the city's bike rental network, is on pace for a record year in ridership despite operating at a financial loss, a new report indicates.

globalnews.ca

1

Brian F. Kelcey @stateofthecity.bsky.social · 1h

/3 ...and letting it run a bikeshare program further muddies both its finances and those of the bikeshare program. That said, even as an arms-length "authority," the TPA was better suited than the City to accept sponsorships for the program than a line Dept would have been.

1

Brian F. Kelcey @stateofthecity.bsky.social · 1h

/2 Toronto's solution to the structural problem was to fold bikeshare into the Parking Authority, routing subsidies through/from it. Personally, I think Montreal's non-profit option was better. But then, I'm biased, since I don't think the TPA should exist at all...

1

Brian F. Kelcey @stateofthecity.bsky.social · 1h

Jocelyn adding some Toronto material to my thread on the history of bikeshare in Montreal from yesterday. IIRC, Toronto had to adjust to PBSC's disruption for a similar reason to Montreal: it wasn't just a customer; it also had to cover millions in debt owing to TO if it wanted to proceed. 1/4

Jocelyn Lambert Squires @jocelynsquires.bsky.social · 2h

The Toronto Star wrote up a history of TO Bike Share, an interesting complement to @stateofthecity.bsky.social's thread on saving Montréal's bike share. TO followed in making it a public system after PBSC went bankrupt. (Plus, adorable bike graphics!)

(Article accessible with library card)

2 2 11

Brian F. Kelcey @stateofthecity.bsky.social · 10h

Florida, and state-municipal $ relations

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

Doge-ish comes to Florida: a DeSantis loyalist is going after ‘waste’ in Democratic cities

Blaise Ingoglia was handpicked by the Republican Florida governor to lead an assault on municipal spending

www.theguardian.com

Brian F. Kelcey @stateofthecity.bsky.social · 10h

No

5

Brian F. Kelcey @stateofthecity.bsky.social · 13h

Same view: 8:35pm

youtu.be/EIgVCU19pjg?...

Billie Holiday - Stormy Weather (Clef Records 1952)

YouTube video by RoundMidnightTV

youtu.be

2

Brian F. Kelcey @stateofthecity.bsky.social · 13h

"Failure to avoid...?" Really?

Brian F. Kelcey @stateofthecity.bsky.social · 13h

Too soon to tell.

1

Brian F. Kelcey @stateofthecity.bsky.social · 14h

Same view, 7:40pm (sound on)

1

Brian F. Kelcey @stateofthecity.bsky.social · 14h

I've been saying that for months now. ;)

1

Brian F. Kelcey @stateofthecity.bsky.social · 14h

Osaka

The Japan Times @japantimes.co.jp · 14h

As the Osaka Expo comes to an end, academics and diplomats, as well as a petition a high schooler founded, are calling for its Grand Ring, the largest wooden structure in the world, to be fully preserved.

‘Save the Ring’ calls intensify as Osaka Expo’s end nears

The prefectural and city governments of Osaka have announced they will retain just a 200-meter portion of the world's largest wooden structure.

ebx.sh

1 2

Brian F. Kelcey @stateofthecity.bsky.social · 14h

Long my favorite holiday

1

Brian F. Kelcey @stateofthecity.bsky.social · 16h

Same view, 5:17pm. I guess the high winds finally showed up. 🤔

1 1

Brian F. Kelcey @stateofthecity.bsky.social · 16h

And ok I just caught that autocorrect changed "Mayor Plante" to "Planter" in an early post. OMG. 😂 Obviously that wasn't me, I was writing about her when she was still a candidate. An outrage. The autocorrect Gods will pay for this.

7

Brian F. Kelcey @stateofthecity.bsky.social · 17h

Same view, 3:47pm. Couldn't last forever. 😊

1 2

Brian F. Kelcey @stateofthecity.bsky.social · 17h

Rounds complete. Happy 🍁 Thanksgiving, and congratulations to everyone who - after a lot of pain and adjustment - made one of the world's biggest bikeshare networks a success in one of Canada's greatest cities!

3 4

Brian F. Kelcey @stateofthecity.bsky.social · 17h

24/ And stop pretending tech is a magic wand. Bixi had good bikes & tech, but they only became great with the right service model. Given relative risks v benefits, the City decided it was its job to *spawn* a bikeshare rather than to 'own' it. Given the limits of local govt, this choice mattered.

1 1 6