Culture

CItyLab Daily: What Fare Is Fair?

Also: Manhattan’s opulent new mini-city, and how density can deter growth.
Richard Drew/AP

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The price is fright: When mass transit systems experience a decline in ridership, they face a dilemma: If they don’t raise revenue, how can they fund fixes for deteriorating service? And in an age of ubiquitous ride-sharing and cheap gas, what is a bus or subway ride really worth? That’s what New York’s MTA had to grapple with last month when it raised fares amid a potential death spiral for ridership.