Imbalances between the amount of cars being added to the roadways in China's cities and the amount of roads for them to drive on is brewing a major traffic problem.
"'The number of cars is going up much faster in China than the length of the roads in the cities,' Schipper said. 'The greatest ‘communist' society ever invented doesn't know what to do. That's what worries me. Cars are not something any kind of government can easily control if they're cheap to buy and cheap to drive.'
In Shanghai, a city of more than 20 million where new car registrations are restricted to 6,000 monthly, commuter traffic has slowed to 6 to 10 miles per hour, well under the speed of a bicycle. The traffic's a mess, even though only 20 percent of all daily trips in Shanghai are by car, compared to 80 percent in U.S. cities. For the majority of Shanghaians, who are walking or biking or waiting at the bus stops, it means breathing in a lot of bad air."
But some researchers say it's not too late for China to avoid crippling car traffic problems.
FULL STORY: Can China Avoid Getting Stuck in Traffic?

The California High-Speed Rail Project Illustrates America’s Transit Issues
Slow progress and a bloated budget have plagued the High-Speed Rail project linking San Francisco to Los Angeles, exposing deeper issues with American transit projects.

New White House Housing Initiative Includes Zoning Reform Incentives
The Biden administration this morning released a new program of actions intended to spur housing construction around the United States.

‘Mega-Landlords’ Threaten Housing Stability for Renters
As institutional investors buy up a larger share of single-family homes, the families renting them are increasingly vulnerable to rent increases and eviction.

Europe's New Energy Infrastructure Begins to Emerge
When Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin hoped to quickly redraw national boundary lines in Eastern Europe. The region's energy infrastructure, particularly pipelines carrying natural gas, may change sooner.

Making the Case for E-Bikes
A new white paper lays the groundwork for better e-bike incentive programs.

How To Slow the Wave of Commercial Vacancies
Empty storefronts depress property values and suppress small business growth. What can cities do to fill these vacancies?
County of Napa
Clarion Associates
Urban Planning Partners
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Redwood City
City of Rohnert Park
City of Hot Springs
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.
Hand Drawing Master Plans
This course aims to provide an introduction into Urban Design Sketching focused on how to hand draw master plans using a mix of colored markers.