Infrastructure

Wouldn't It be Nice if Legislators Were Rewarded for Voting to Increase the Gas Tax?
Surprisingly, legislators are rewarded for supporting new gas taxes: they get reelected, according to a new analysis by the American Road and Transportation Builders Association. What's more, they overwhelmingly hail from red states.

How Community Engagement Can Restore Trust in Government
Trust between the public and government agencies is low, and democracies are paralyzed without it. How can community engagement help restore trust? This post outlines the challenge and a process for solving it.

Three Proposals to End Late Night Rail Service on D.C. Metro
Three proposals, that is, save one. David Alpert wants to know why the public isn't considering another option for delivering necessary repairs to the D.C. Metro system.

Questioning the de Blasio Administration's Commitment to Vision Zero
Results showing progress in the fight to end traffic fatalities have disappeared, just like some of the safety projects installed under the banner of Vision Zero.

Study: Time to Prepare for the Worst for Lake Powell's Water
The reservoir on the Colorado located above the Grand Canyon is dropping fast. A new study proposes a contingency plan to reduce the risk of catastrophe.
How U.S Road Safety Compares to Other Countries
That is, not very well.

Developments Surrounding Houston's Distressed Dams
The Houston Chronicle continues a series of feature articles about the persistent flooding of the region. The latest installment examines the tenuous position of the Addicks and Barker dams.

Meet Canada's 'Great Trail'—20,770 Kilometers of Car-Free Trail
It doesn't matter what country you're from, if you like to ride your bike in beautiful places away from cars, you'll be envious of Canada's Great Trail.

Minnesota's Southwest Light Rail Back From the Dead
Regional and county agencies figured out a way to move forward with the Southwest light rail plan without the help of the politically divided state. That could mean the state has time to climb on board by next year's legislative session.

Planetizen Week in Review: September 3, 2016
Books! Maps! Data! Renderings! What more could you want from one week?

More Study Needed: How to Make Green Streets Work
A review of the current research into the effectiveness of green streets and green infrastructure finds gaps in our understanding of what works, and where.

Serenity Now! BART Finds a Solution to Its Screeching Trains
BART trains have always made a lot of noise—impacting riders and the people who live along the regional system's routes. Now there's hope that the racket could be a thing of the past.

A New Road to Relieve Congestion on Denver's Southern Periphery
Castle Rock Parkway, which connects US 85 and I-25 south of Denver (or north of Colorado Springs, depending on your perspective), opened service to the public this week.

Texas Would Need $24 Billion to End Highway Tolls
Texas politicians are wondering how much it would cost to remove tolls from hundreds of miles of roads around the state. Though the political cost of tolling is high, the actual cost, it turns out, is higher.

Maryland Spending $5 Million to Study Another Span for the Bay Bridge
Maryland Governor Larry Hogan has thrown support behind a study to add a third span to the Bay Bridge that spans the Chesapeake Bay.

A New Financing Tool for California: Enhanced Infrastructure Finance Districts
Enhanced infrastructure finance districts allow regional cooperation on infrastructure investment and economic development.

Lessons from Louisiana
We should have seen the historic flooding in the Florida Parishes region of Louisiana coming—both in preparation and in response—says a pair of recent articles.

Pasadena Eases Into Bikeshare, Complete Streets
Located northeast of downtown Los Angeles, Pasadena is a "destination city" of its own. A recent push to make its streets more bike-friendly coincides with the upcoming arrival of bikeshare.

This November, Four Major Transportation Measures at Stake
If you live in Detroit, Atlanta, Seattle, or Los Angeles, you have more to look forward to in November than choosing Donald or Hillary. Major decisions concerning regional transportation are on the line.

Photo Series: St. Louis Highway Blues
Photographer Michael DeFilippo captures the striking, ironic, and often depressing ways in which highways cut apart the urban fabric of St. Louis.
Pagination
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie