#43: Pirate Transit, Tiny Parks, and Pay-As-You-Go Solar Systems

Welcome to the 43rd issue of Urbanism Now, our weekly newsletter curated with brief and insightful urban ideas from around the world to inspire action where you (c)are.

This newsletter is curated by Maria Paula Moreno Vivas and Ray Berger. Learn more on our About page.

Thank you for your interest and support. If you find this newsletter useful, please forward it to a friend!

Let’s get started:

• Unregulated “pirate” transportation services in San Salvador are filling a critical mobility gap for workers commuting from the periphery but also deep. This informal system, however, worsens congestion, increases household transportation costs, and deepens urban inequality.

• A Canadian study found that converting a 1.2-acre parking lot into a park in Peterborough, Ontario, resulted in over CAD 4 million in annual well-being benefits.

• Startups are electrifying Sub-Saharan Africa with pay-as-you-go solar systems, creating a new, distributed infrastructure model that leapfrogs traditional grids.

• Glasgow will be the first city in Scotland to pilot free public transit for 1,000 residents. The six-week pilot program is scheduled to begin in early 2026.

• A new paper by Federico Savini argues that the circular economy has failed, not leading to decreased resource use in the EU and creating low-quality jobs far from cities.

Videos, podcasts, books, and socials:

• I (Ray) recently wrote the Wikipedia article for the recently signed California’s Senate Bill 63, which authorizes a five-county sales tax measure for the November 2026 ballot to address SF Bay area transit agency deficits. If approved by voters, the Connect Bay Area Act is projected to raise $980 million annually to fund day-to-day operations and improve regional coordination.

• State-level legislation is a more effective strategy for solving the housing shortage than the local-first approach favored by Strong Towns, according to a California YIMBY advocate Max Dubler. The success of California’s prescriptive accessory dwelling unit laws demonstrates the need for state intervention to overcome structural NIMBYism in local government.

Jobs:

• Utrecht University is hiring a postdoc for the ACTIVATE project to study children’s active mobility and urban environments.

• Applications for the NYC Urban Fellows Program are now open. The program offers a nine-month fellowship combining hands-on work in mayoral offices and city agencies with seminars led by public and private sector leaders. $36,184 stipend. Apply by January 12.

Events and deadlines:

• Transportation advocate Carter Lavin will share practical tools and strategies for effective advocacy from his

...