N. American transit expansions (right) • Sherrill taps Kolluri for NJT & NJ TPK • DART parking lot → TOD • Congestion pricing works • Population drop, rural rail at risk (Japan) (left top-to-bottom)
Article of the Week
Transit Expansion in North America: A Look Ahead to 2026, and a 2025 Roadmap
Yonah Freemark, The Transport Politic | January 1, 2026
New transit lines will open across North America in 2026, including the KC Streetcar Waterfront Extension, Sound Transit’s Link 2 Line, and Mexico City’s El Insurgente regional rail. The article catalogs all rail and BRT lines expected to open in 2026 and summarizes lines that opened in 2025.
NJ TOD News
JERSEY CITY—A Housing Boom Transformed This City. Mamdani Is Taking Notes.
Tim Balk, The New York Times | January 8, 2026
NYC Mayor Mamdani plans to model housing policy on Jersey City’s approach, including rezoning for higher density, eliminating parking requirements, and incentivizing development in low-income areas. From 2010 to 2022, Jersey City produced housing at three times the rate of the broader New York metro area, supporting economic growth and stabilizing rents, though concerns about displacement persist.
Kolluri Tapped to Lead Both NJ TRANSIT and the Turnpike Authority in Rare Dual Role
Larry Higgs, NJ.com | January 8, 2026
Mikie Sherrill nominated Kris Kolluri to continue his role as CEO of NJ TRANSIT while also serving as Executive Director of the NJ Turnpike Authority. The dual appointment would position Kolluri to coordinate statewide transportation priorities, reduce institutional silos, and oversee major efforts such as planning for the 2026 World Cup.
MORRISTOWN—Apartment Complex at North Jersey Train Station Gets $40 Million Construction Loan
Linda Moss, CoStar | January 7, 2026
An 89-unit transit-oriented apartment project next to Morristown’s NJ TRANSIT station secured a $40 million construction loan, clearing a key hurdle toward development. The project will deliver 76 market-rate homes, 13 affordable homes, and 5,111 sq. ft. of ground-floor retail space to meet growing local demand.
BAYONNE—Ground Broken on New Ferry Terminal in Bayonne
Chris Fry, Jersey Digs | January 5, 2026
Bayonne and Port Authority officials broke ground on the new Bayonne Ferry Terminal, which will give the city’s growing population a new commuting option to New York City. Mayor Jimmy Davis said the terminal will reshape Bayonne’s economic future as it joins Jersey City, Hoboken, and Weehawken in offering direct ferry service to Manhattan.
Governor Murphy, New Jersey Turnpike Authority Board Chair O’Connor Announce Changes to the Newark Bay-Hudson County Extension Improvements Program
Press Release, State of New Jersey | December 19, 2025
Governor Phil Murphy and the NJ Turnpike Authority announced revisions to the Newark Bay-Hudson County Extension Improvements Program, eliminating two planned travel lanes near Interchanges 14A and 14C. The changes are expected to save approximately $500 million, which the Authority will redirect to critical bridge infrastructure in Hudson County and a new ramp connecting Interchange 14A to the ports.
Transit and Equity News
MARYLAND—Big Changes Ahead for Capitol Heights Metro Station After New Redevelopment Plan Announced
Shirin Rajaee, Fox 5 Washington DC | January 7, 2026
Gov. Wes Moore, WMATA officials, and Atlantic Pacific Companies unveiled plans for a new transit-oriented development on a former parking lot at the Capitol Heights Metro Station along the Blue Line. The project will include 320 affordable housing units and 10,000 sq. ft. of retail space. A groundbreaking date has yet to be announced.
The ‘Affordability Crisis’ Conversation Can’t Leave Out the Cost of Cars
Kea Wilson, Streetsblog USA | January 7, 2026
As affordability moves to the center of the national conversation, advocates must include the cost of car ownership alongside housing, childcare, and utilities, particularly as vehicle prices rise. Transportation accounts for 17 percent of the average household budget—second only to housing. Restructuring land use policies and redeveloping roadways and parking lots into housing could also help address housing affordability.
TEXAS—Trammell Crow Subsidiary Breaks Ground on Mockingbird Station Apartments
Audrey Henvey, D Magazine | January 6, 2026
High Street Residential began construction on an $80 million mixed-use development that will replace a DART-owned parking lot at Mockingbird Station with 394 housing units, 20 percent reserved as affordable housing. The residential portion marks the first phase of a $123 million transit-oriented development that will also include an office tower, a hotel, and a public plaza.
CALIFORNIA—Opinion: Denser Housing Near Transit Routes Will Help People Like Me Stay in San Diego
Diego Sandoval, Voice of San Diego | January 5, 2026
San Diego high school student Diego Sandoval argues that higher density housing near transit can improve affordability and help young people remain in the city. He writes that rising housing costs limit opportunities for his generation, while car-centric development worsens climate change, which will most affect young people. Transit-oriented development, he suggests, can increase housing supply while reducing car trips and emissions.
Regional and National TOD News
NEW YORK—Commentary: This Is the Hudson Valley’s Best Chance to Invest in Public Transit
Gabrielle Hill, Times Union | January 9, 2026
Gov. Kathy Hochul’s cancellation of the $1B Route 17 expansion in the Hudson Valley creates an opportunity to invest in public transit. While lane expansions would eventually induce additional demand, new bus routes could offer a more effective solution. Expanding bus access to Metro-North or NJ TRANSIT rail lines could also give commuters car-free access to the broader region.
ILLINOIS—North Lawndale Housing Development Breaks Ground as Part of Chicago’s Missing Middle Initiative
Abby Miller, Chicago Sun Times | January 6, 2026
Chicago broke ground on the first seven of 115 planned two-flats on the South and West Sides as part of an effort to address its shortage of missing middle housing. The homes are part of the Missing Middle Infill Housing Initiative, launched in 2024 to redevelop vacant city-owned lots into housing for working- and middle-class families in neighborhoods long affected by disinvestment.
NEW YORK—27 Million Fewer Car Trips: Life After a Year of Congestion Pricing
Emily Badger, Larry Buchanan, Stefanos Chen, Asmaa Elkeurti, Winnie Hu, The New York Times | January 5, 2026
One year after congestion pricing began, the MTA reports gains in transit ridership and reduced congestion in Manhattan. Daily subway ridership has increased by 300,000, while 73,000 fewer vehicles enter the congestion zone each day. Despite claims that the toll discourages travel to Manhattan, downtown businesses report higher foot traffic, along with declines in noise complaints and traffic crashes.
International TOD News
CANADA—Project Profiles: Integrating Market-Rate and Affordable Housing at Canary Landing’s Maple House
Ron Nyren, Urban Land Institute | January 8, 2026
Ontario’s Affordable Housing Lands Program launched a 2,500-unit mixed-use community called Maple House at a TTC Streetcar Loop Station to boost housing affordability. The project relies on a public-private partnership across three levels of government and integrates affordable housing throughout. The first phase completed construction in 2024, with future phases underway, including a new school.
JAPAN—JR Companies and Local Governments to Continue Talks on Loss-Making Railway Lines
Staff, The Japan Times | January 3, 2026
Japan Railways Group (JRG) will continue talks with rural communities over the future of loss-making rail lines facing low ridership due to the country’s aging and shrinking rural population. JRG argues the lines cannot function effectively as mass transit, while local communities counter that revenue from profitable lines should be used to preserve rail access for children and seniors who rely on it for access to schools and medical care.