Infrastructure

7 Principles for Designing Safe Cities
A World Research Institute report offers seven prescriptions for designing safer cities. At the top of the list: avoid sprawl.
Selling the Nation's Strategic Assets to Fund Road Construction
What happened to the "strategic" in the nation's Strategic Petroleum Reserves? As Politico reveals, heretofore these oil reserves have only been sold when the nation's oil supply was threatened. Republicans leaders now view the SPR as a cash cow.
Three Days of Delays on Northeast Corridor for Amtrak and NJ Transit
Once again, chronic delays on New Jersey Transit's rail lines in and out of Manhattan serve as a reminder of Gov. Christie's ill fated decision to cancel replacement of the two aging Hudson River tunnels to Penn Station.

Friday Eye Candy: Freeway Interchanges From Far Above
High quality, high altitude images of that marvel of modern engineering: the freeway interchange.
Pyongyang, North Korea Makes Room for Bike Lanes
It's easier to install bike lanes when the country is run by a dictator.
Democrats Object to 'Bipartisan' Senate Transportation Reauthorization Bill
We look at what happened in the Senate on Tuesday when the six-year DRIVE Act, relying on a variety of non-user fee revenue mechanisms to finance the Highway Trust Fund shortfall for three years, failed a procedural vote, and where it goes next.
The Implications of Southeast Wisconsin's $7 Billion in Freeway Projects
Some people call it a road-building program. Others call it "an all out war on urbanism."
Michigan House Stops Short of Gas Tax Hike Plan
The legislature came very close to approving a plan this session to pay for crumbling roads, but the haul in the Republican-controlled House proved too difficult—they adjourned without voting on the Senate plan that passed 20-19 on July 1.
Frisco, Texas Struggles to Coordinate Water, Electricity, and Road Upgrades
An age-old of question of infrastructure is up for debate in Frisco, Texas: whether the utility can bear the cost of running electricity lines under the ground.
House and Senate Republicans Differ on Must-Pass Transportation Funding Bills
The House passed their patch bill on July 15—it's now the Senate's turn at bat on highway funding. Both houses are controlled by Republicans but they appear to be pitching for different teams. A bill must pass by July 31 or road funding ceases.

New Streetcar Line Set to Open August 1 in City by the Bay
As Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez of the San Francisco Examiner explains, the 'E' Line has only been over three decades in the making. Credit goes greatly to former mayor, now U.S. Senator Diane Feinstein, and the tireless work of committed advocates.
Proposed Developments Could Eliminate Oklahoma City's New Dedicated Bike Lane
A traffic study evaluating the impact of proposed developments in Downtown Oklahoma City recommends removing a newly opened dedicated bike lane and parking spots to make room for another traffic lane.
5 Resilience Plans for the 21st Century
Resilience is one of the hottest buzzwords in contemporary planning, and planners in communities around the country are only beginning to realize the multiple benefits of the attention and funding devoted to resilience plans.
Ranking All 50 of Washington, D.C.'s State Avenues
Route Fifty created a ranking system to judge the "gravitas" of each of the avenues in the nation's capital named after the 50 states in the Union.
Seattle's Alleys Getting a Face-Lift
Since 2010, planners, designers, and community members have been actively transforming Seattle's alleys into beloved places within the city's urban fabric.
Wind Turbines Likely Banned From Unincorporated Los Angeles County
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors acted against the recommendations of county planners in moving toward banning utility-scale wind energy production from unincorporated parts of the county.
Mayor Emanuel Would Freeze TIF Districts in Downtown Chicago
Mayor Rahm Emanuel proposed a plan that would save $250 million for schools and city operations at the cost of one of the city's most powerful funding mechanisms.
It's Patch Bill Time Again for Highway Funding
Though federal highway funding is set to terminate on July 31, the House has proposed an $8.1 billion, five-month extension instead of a six-year reauthorization bill.
Op-Ed: Infrastructure First, Redevelopment Second for Staten Island
With big plans come big responsibilities. Will a massive wave of development investment headed for Staten Island be met with a commensurate investment in infrastructure?
21,000 Miles Later: The History of Rails-to-Trails
CityLab presents a feature extravaganza about the nation's 21,000-mile-long network of trails converted from former rail lines.
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.
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie