A brief outage of traffic lights at one Toronto intersection inadvertently gave area streetcars more priority, speeding up service for transit users.

A temporary glitch in the traffic lights at Queen and Spadina streets in Toronto revealed how improved signal priority could enhance service on local streetcars.
As Jack Landau explains in blogTO, “The malfunctioning traffic signals forced motorists to treat the intersection as a four-way stop. While this was in no way beneficial to the flow of vehicle traffic, it actually made for a head-scratching improvement for streetcars passing through the chaos.” The change in traffic flow “made it easier for Spadina streetcars to cross without needing to wait for left-turning and cross traffic,” explained Derek Ellis on social media.
Transit advocates say the unplanned experiment shows that the city can do more to prioritize transit by using signal timing and dedicated lanes to improve transit speed and reliability. As transit writer Steve Munro put it, “This should be required reading for everyone at City Hall who likes to talk about ‘transit priority.’”
FULL STORY: Broken traffic signals somehow improved Toronto intersection

The Right to Mobility
As we consider how to decarbonize transportation, preserving mobility, especially for lower- and middle-income people, must be a priority.

Early Sharrow Booster: ‘I Was Wrong’
The lane marking was meant to raise awareness and instill shared respect among drivers and cyclists. But their inefficiency has led supporters to denounce sharrows, pushing instead for more robust bike infrastructure that truly protects riders.

Push and Pull: The Link Between Walkability and Affordability
The increased demand for walkable urban spaces could make them more and more exclusionary if cities don’t pursue policies to limit displacement and boost affordability.

Tacoma Developing New Housing Policy
The city’s Home in Tacoma plan is designed to address the region’s growth and rising housing prices, but faces local backlash over density and affordability concerns.

Green Alleys: A New Paradigm for Stormwater Management
Rather than shuttling stormwater away from the city and into the ocean as quickly as possible, Los Angeles is now—slowly—moving toward a ‘city-as-sponge’ approach that would capture and reclaim more water to recharge crucial reservoirs.

Orange County Project Could Go Forward Under ‘Builder’s Remedy’
The nation’s largest home builder could receive approval for a 530-unit development under an obscure state law as the city of La Habra’s zoning laws hang in limbo after the state rejected its proposed housing plan.
Town of Palm Beach
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension
York County Government
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Harvard GSD Executive Education
City of Fitchburg, WI
City of Culver City
Sonoma County Transportation Authority
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.