Active Transportation

Ciclavia

Active Transport (Walking and Cycling) Planning for Equity

A new FHWA report, "Pursuing Equity in Pedestrian and Bicycle Planning" identifies practical ways to achieve social equity by better responding to the active travel needs of currently underserved populations.

August 2, 2016 - Pursuing Equity in Pedestrian and Bicycle Planning

waterfront road in Paris transformed into pedestrian and lounging space

New Report Highlights the Many Benefits of Urban Walkability

"Cities Alive," an attractive new report by Arup, one of the world's largest engineering firm, highlights the significant social, economic, environmental and political benefits of walking.

July 30, 2016 - Cities Alive: Towards a Walking World

Barcelona's Answer to a Car-Centric City: Superblocks

Barcelona wants to be the world’s best city for people. To reclaim the public space and community living that residents lost to cars over the last century, the city is transforming mobility and access to public space by introducing the superblock.

July 21, 2016 - Cities of the Future

Cambridge Bike Lane

Researchers Develop 7 Metrics to Evaluate Bike And Pedestrian Projects

New research lays the groundwork for a universal standard by which to measure effectiveness of bike and pedestrian infrastructure projects.

June 2, 2016 - Next City

TOD: The 'T' Stands for 'Trail'

Planning for active transportation is the new trend in urban development, according to the Urban Land Institute—and it pays off.

April 16, 2016 - The Architects Newspaper

Cars Traffic

How Schools Can Address Idling Cars

Schools can do more to reduce the environmental threat posed by idling cars during drop-off or pick-up. School districts could also improve their buses with that aim in mind.

February 29, 2016 - Streetsblog USA

Both Ways

Transportation Planners and Reformers: Rethink Your Terms

Remember the term "transportation alternatives," as in alternatives to motor vehicle transportation? It's not used much anymore, and for good reason. But more modern terms, e.g. road diet, need to be rethought as well, posits Nate Holmes for Medium.

December 2, 2015 - Medium

Feds Release New 'Transportation and Health Tool'

A new tool from the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Centers for Disease Control allows comparisons between state or metropolitan area on transportation and public health indicators.

November 13, 2015 - Metro Magazine

Ocean Grove Sidewalk

Sidewalk Cafes—Silver Bullets of Walkable Places

No single tool builds "walk appeal" as powerfully as sidewalk cafes, which are both a cause and an effect of places we love to walk.

September 29, 2015 - The Original Green Blog

Google Mobility

Transportation Apps Designed to Ease the Commute

We all travel, so it's great when a handy new mobile app makes it easier to move around. Whether it is navigating the city, parking, or making our ride safer, there is likely a transportation app for that.

August 18, 2015 - Jennifer Evans-Cowley

Salt Lake City Trax and Bike

This Transit Authority is a Model of Bike-Friendliness

The Utah Transit Authority wants riders to try biking rather than driving to rail and transit stations, so they are offering $60 in giveaways to people that choose not to do so. Some stations come equipped with air pumps and repair stands.

July 17, 2015 - Deseret News

La City Hall Cycling

Reorienting a DOT Around Livable Streets

A city famous for its intransigent car culture is bringing in an active transportation expert to run its Department of Transportation.

August 7, 2014 - The Planning Report

Upgrades to Los Angeles' Historic Union Station to Create a Dynamic Transit Hub

As Los Angeles ambitiously builds public transit infrastructure, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority is working on plans to update Union Station so that it will better serve the Los Angeles of the future.

July 2, 2014 - The Planning Report

Rainy Biker

Which States Best Prioritize Walking and Biking?

The most recent coverage of the Alliance for Biking and Walking’s 2014 Benchmark report compares each of the states for how much federal transportation funding they devote to active transportation.

April 21, 2014 - Streetsblog USA

Report: New Techniques and Technology for Monitoring Active Transportation

The growing popularity of active transportation requires planners and advocates to better survey how, where, and when people are biking and walking. A new study by the Transportation Research Board shares the cutting edge of survey techniques.

March 25, 2014 - Transportation Research Board

Researchers Link Density, Destinations to Active Transportation Habits

What, exactly, makes a neighborhood walkable? A new study published in the science journal PLOS-ONE begins to answer that question.

February 8, 2014 - Streetsblog USA

Transit, Biking and Walking are Big Winners in Pennsylvania Gas Tax Increase

Gas tax increases can mean more road funding, period, particularly where constitutional restrictions prohibit spending gas tax revenues on other modes, as exists in Pa.; yet all modes will benefit from the 28-cent gas tax increase legislation.

November 29, 2013 - Streetsblog

Louisville, KY Confronts Obesity From All Angles

A grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has Louisville thinking differently. "...it's not just about smart growth, it’s not just about transportation, it's not just about parks or better nutrition, it’s about all of those things and more."

June 14, 2011 - The New York Times

New Yorkers Get Daily Exercise Just By Getting Around

New Yorkers get most of their physical activity from walking to the subway or running errands, not jogging or going to the gym, says a new report from the New York Dept. of Health.

May 21, 2011 - Streetsblog

The Transportation Prescription

A new report identifies ways to incorporate health objectives into transportation and land use planning.

July 27, 2009 - The Convergence Partnership

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.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.