A pilot program will provide free rides to help rural and elderly residents reach more destinations.

An 18-month pilot program will bring five autonomous shuttles to Grand Rapids, Minnesota as part of the state’s Autonomous Rural Transit Initiative (goMARTI), reports Mary Balstad for LPTV.
“One major reason for bringing these shuttles northbound is to decrease isolation and increase mobility for those with disabilities,” Balstad explains. “Other considerations toward implementing these shuttles in the area include understanding the economic impact of self-driving shuttles in a rural community, engaging and educating the local population about autonomous vehicles, and advancing this technology through more difficult circumstances, such as through winter months.”
According to the article, “Passengers can access the shuttles by using the VIA app or through First Call 211. Three of the vehicles are also ADA compliant.” During the program, the shuttles will have operators present to ensure proper functioning and manually control the vehicles if needed.
FULL STORY: Self-Driving Shuttles to Share the Streets of Grand Rapids

Red Cities, Blue Cities, and Crime
Homicides rose across the nation in 2020 and 2021. But did they rise equally in all cities, or was the situation worse in some than in others?

The Shifting Boomer Bulge: More Bad News for America’s Housing Crisis?
In the first of a two-part series, PlaceMakers’ Ben Brown interviews housing guru Arthur C. Nelson on the sweeping demographic changes complicating the housing market.

A Serious Critique of Congestion Costs and Induced Vehicle Travel Impacts
Some highway advocates continue to claim that roadway expansions are justified to reduce traffic congestion. That's not what the research shows. It's time to stop obsessing over congestion and instead strive for efficient accessibility.

IPCC Report: The World Is Running Out of Time on Climate Change
The planet is not doing enough to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, according to a recent report published by the United Nations’ International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

Skyline-Defining High-Rise Potentially Coming to Boise
A rendering making the rounds in Boise depicts a 40-story apartment building that would be taller than all other buildings in one of the fastest growing cities in the United States.

Buttigieg: Tesla ‘Autopilot’ Marketing ‘A Concern’
The USDOT secretary says marketing doesn’t fall under his department’s investigative authority, but expressed disapproval of language that implies autonomous operation.
Resource Assistance for Rural Environments (RARE) AmeriCorps Program
Cornell University
Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact: Mobility, Community, Possibility
City of Spearfish
City of Lomita
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.