A survey of recent planning decisions demonstrates that cities are no longer necessarily looking to more and bigger highways to solve their traffic problems.
An op-ed in The New York Times by Justin Gillis and Hal Harvey posits that two recent events in transportation planning demonstrated that "[b]oth the public and a few of our bolder political leaders are waking up to the reality that we simply cannot keep jamming more cars into our cities."
The first event cited is the L.A. region's decision not to expand the 710 freeway, and the second is a German court’s decision that diesel cars could be banned in city centers, should a city wish to ban them. The article also mentions congestion pricing in London (and discussions of it elsewhere), license-plate lotteries in China, and two highway expansion projects in the United States that did not decrease traffic — as they never do.
"We are revealing no big secrets here," they write, "Urban planners have known all these things for decades."
“But the planners had little clout as their bosses — city and state politicians — cowered before the demands of drivers. What we might be seeing, at last, is a shift in the public mood, a rising awareness that simply building more lanes is not the answer.”
FULL STORY: Cars Are Ruining Our Cities
Report Criticizes El Paso Interstate Expansion Plan
An independent review of TxDOT's proposed expansion of I-10 through downtown El Paso highlights several flaws and a price tag close to $800 million.
L.A. Metro Denounces—but Doesn't Scrap—710 Freeway Expansion Plan
The agency's board members spoke out forcefully against air pollution and displacement, but stopped short of completely rejecting the project, looking instead to cleaner vehicles and regulations that mitigate community concerns.
If You Build It, Cars Will Come: the Common-Sense Logic of 'Induced Demand'
Highway expansion has been shown, time and again, to increase traffic and congestion. Cities are finally getting the message.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.
Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.
Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.
MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.
Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie