This episode of public radio program 99% Invisible looks at oil, and how the way people move from work to home has been seemingly designed to waste fuel.
Author Lisa Margonelli discusses how much of our transportation system is designed to waste fuel, the subject of her new book, "Oil on The Brain".
"Almost everything in modern life is designed to waste energy. The biggest culprit is how we get to and from work. Our houses are too far from our job, so we have to drive a lot. All those cars on the road cause traffic jams that waste fuel. Then there are the traffic lights, toll booths, and other obstacles that waste the inertia you build up while driving. It's all possible because the whole system evolved on a false premise that petroleum is cheap and plentiful and will be that way forever."
Read the full story: Episode 11- 99% Undesigned (but still evil)
Feds want to stop notifying landowners about drilling under their land
The proposal also asks to reduce the public comment period for the BLM’s leasing decisions from 90 days to 10.
US workers spend nearly an hour a day commuting
High housing costs and return-to-office policies are forcing more American workers to live farther from work, pushing the average daily commute time to nearly an hour.
US Traffic Deaths Fell by 12% in One Year. How Did it Happen?
Biden-era investment in safe streets, shifts in travel patterns brought on by the pandemic, and increased traffic enforcement are all possible reasons why traffic deaths dropped significantly between 2024 and 2025.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Amtrak, CN end decades-long dispute with eight-year agreement
The new operating agreement establishes an updated framework for the companies to work together, including processes to resolve disputes.
Judges permit Denver to divert 77,000 acre feet from the Colorado River for reservoir expansion
Overuse and climate change have caused the Colorado River’s water levels to plummet.
Maryland local governments examine if they should have more power to raise property taxes
Maryland’s housing market is out of reach for the majority of moderate-income residents.
Northwest rail fans eager for Sept. 30 debut of Amtrak’s Airo fleet
Get ready for that new train smell and more seats. But they won’t go faster or run more frequently on the Cascades route in Washington and Oregon.
NYC DOT wants faster, more permanent street upgrades
The city is examining ways to build more concrete infrastructure without getting entangled in 'decades-long' projects.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
KFH Group Inc.
Greater Baltimore Committee
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello