Northern California planner and lawyer Joel Ellinwood has committed himself to riding trains and public transit whenever possible. He's learning a lot along the way.
Need to transfer from one transit operator to another? Good luck, says Ellinwood. Can't find the right station? Join the club. In a hurry? Don't be.
"My own experience demonstrates the danger in minimizing the difficulties of relying on transit for newbies like me and the work we as planners face to make transit a real option that a less committed person would try more than once."
But there is good news, and it involves no less than Fresno and Amtrak.
FULL STORY: A Transit Reality Check
Op-Ed: Why an Effective Passenger Rail Network Needs Government Involvement
An outdated rail network that privileges freight won’t be fixed by privatizing Amtrak.
How to Make US Trains Faster
Changes to boarding platforms and a switch to electric trains could improve U.S. passenger rail service without the added cost of high-speed rail.
NYC-to-Scranton Train Advocates Confident About Project’s Future
State transportation officials say the effort to restore passenger rail service between Scranton and New York City is moving full steam ahead despite remaining challenges.
Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Walmart Announces Nationwide EV Charging Network
The company plans to install electric car chargers at most of its stores by 2030.
Seattle’s Pike Place Market Leans Into Pedestrian Infrastructure
After decades of debate, the market is testing a car ban in one of its busiest areas and adding walking links to the surrounding neighborhood.
The World’s Longest Light Rail Line is in… Los Angeles?
In a city not known for its public transit, the 48.5-mile A Line is the longest of its kind on the planet.
Quantifying Social Infrastructure
New developments have clear rules for ensuring surrounding roads, water, and sewers can handle new users. Why not do the same for community amenities?
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
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