Infrastructure
Southern California First: Freeway Teardown Project Coming to Long Beach
Funded by a grant from the California Department of Transportation, Long Beach released an RFP for conceptual and design services for a plan to transform the Terminal Island Freeway into a "regional serving greenbelt and local serving road."
Senate Passes Transportation Bill; House Not Likely to Play Ball
Three days before Congress goes on recess and with the Highway Trust Fund approaching insolvency, the Senate passed a transportation bill notably different than the House version passed July 15, setting up a showdown between the two branches.
First Net-Zero Energy Apartments Planned in South Sacramento
Housing 120 units, the first net-zero energy transit-oriented development complex in South Sacramento will feature a rooftop farm and resident-run onsite bicycle repair.
How Toronto is Making its Commuter Rail More Like Rapid Transit
Fifteen years in the making, Toronto is finally seeing increased ridership of its main commuter rail system, GO Transit, by changing its model from primarily serving suburban commuters to providing "all-day regional transit service."
Oil Industry Dumping in Healthy Aquifers Amid California's Drought
Inadequate state enforcement of protected underground aquifers led to a group of emergency cease and desist orders. The failure of regulators is "especially disturbing" in a state stricken by a historic, economy- and life-threatening drought.
On the Importance of Denver's Union Station: Then and Now
The reopening of Denver's Union Station last weekend provides an opportunity to reflect on the importance of rail, with its hub at Union Station, in establishing Denver, as well as the city's multi-modal future, again with its hub as Union Station.
Baltimore Water Wheel Takes out the Trash—40 Tons since May
Part innovative urban design solution, part historic and simple design solution, the city of Baltimore's trash-collecting water wheel has been an unmitigated success at mitigating the trash in the Jones Fall River.
Applying Moses to Modern-Day Green Space Projects
Could the Los Angeles River use its own 'power broker'?
Place Mobility: Sometimes Good Transportation Is Slow
Streetcars are expensive and slow, and that drives Matthew Yglesias crazy. He fails to grasp Place Mobility, which can be an excellent transportation investment for a city.
Senate Showdown Expected on House Highway Funding Bill
The Senate will hear four amendments to the House bill, passed July 15, in the last week of July. Sens. Boxer, Carper, and Corker want the funding extension to terminate on December 19 rather than May 31. On August 1, DOT reduces payments to states.
New from the U.S. Department of Agriculture: $10 Billion Rural Investment Fund
As pension funds and institutional investors, faced with low interest rates, are searching for non-traditional investments, the U.S. Department of Agriculture will play matchmaker for a new $10 billion rural investment fund.
Denver's Historic Union Station Gets Grand Opening Today
Called one of the most complex public works projects in Denver's history, Denver's new Union Station will lie at the center of a rapidly growing rail and transit network.
D.C. Metro's Silver Line Launches Passenger Service
After no small amount of debate, delay, and controversy, the first phase of D.C. Metro's Silver Line will launch passenger service today. The line will connect Washington D.C. to northwestern Virginia, including four stops in Tysons Corner.
California Water Districts Might Skirt Prop 13 to Fund $25 Billion Canal Plan
Californians who take low property taxes and high quality drinking water for granted might have reason to rethink both those realities if the state's water districts figure out a way to raise property taxes—the same might be true if they don't.
Meet Dallas' New 'Bike Czar'
In an article for the Dallas Morning News, Tom Benning introduces Ashley Haire as the city of Dallas' new bike coordinator. Haire comes to the job of delivering more bicycle infrastructure to Dallas by way of Portland and TxDOT.
Oil and Rail Industries Agree to Phase Out Oldest Rail Oil Tank Cars
A deal may be near between energy and rail industries and the Department of Transportation to phase out the DOT-111 tank car—the same kind implicated in the horrific explosions of oil trains, particularly those carry Bakken crude from North Dakota.
U.S. Traffic Engineering Manual Closer to Adopting Bike Design Features
Bicycle facilities, such as contraflow lanes, extensions of bike lanes through intersections, and bike boxes, inched toward official approval from the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices.
Study Finds Benefit in Proximity to Bike Lanes: 45 Minutes of Exercise a Week
Researchers in the United Kingdom have found that people who live near bike lanes are more likely to exercise—45 minutes more exercise per week, in fact.
Cleveland Planning 'Iconic' Bridge to Connect Downtown and Lakefront
Cleveland and Cuyahoga County are pushing ahead with an ambitious plan for a pedestrian and bike connection between downtown Cleveland and the lakefront.
Google Maps Methane Leaks in Three U.S. Cities
Google, partnering with the Environmental Defense Fund, has created a series of maps locating methane leaks around three cities in the United States. The question of just how much methane is leaking in a given city comes down to infrastructure.
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.
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
Tyler Technologies
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
