Economy
CityLab Daily: More Transit, Fewer Riders
Also today: Density’s next frontier, and why tech companies shouldn’t plan our cities.
Easy rider: Public transit ridership has declined in most American cities, but the typical death-spiral narrative doesn’t quite fit Los Angeles. What seems to be happening there is that once-loyal lower-income riders, especially immigrants, have switched to cars as the demands of jobs and housing make it more difficult to get by in the famously sprawling city. CityLab’s Laura Bliss has the story.
Shipping and handling: While Amazon HQ2 promises to bring a wave of new jobs to one winning city, the company has long said the same thing would happen in cities that host its fulfillment centers. But according to a new study, the economic benefit from those warehouses—measured by net jobs or raised wages—has yet to be seen.