Light Rail
The Reviews Are In: Denver's West Rail Line
After a year of operation, Denver's 12.1-mile West Rail Line has provoked an ambivalent public response.
Will Tampa Bay Solve its Transit Equation?
Robert Trigaux wonders if the Tampa Bay metro area will be wake up to the country’s changing demands of transportation and end “the parochial arm wrestling over what kind (if any) of mass transit lies in its future.”
How Well Does Light Rail Attract New Transit Riders?
The answer to the question in the headline is “not very.” Thirty years into the initial experiment, however, light rail has not been the game changer it was hoped to be.
Seeking Funding: Light Rail Route from Miami to Miami Beach
Local officials agree that a light rail system from Miami to Miami Beach would work, and they have embarked on a partnership to win the funding to commence a study of a potential $532 million route.
County Income Taxes for Transit? Hoosiers to Decide
When it comes to allowing voters to decide whether to increase local or state taxes for transportation, the most common option by far is the local or state sales tax. But what about income taxes; has it been tried before? And for public transit only?
Light Rail Extension Requires State Support in Virginia Beach
In a recent speech, Virginia Beach Mayor Will Sessoms announced that Virginia Governor Terry McAullife and Transportation Secretary Aubrey Layne have pledged financial support for a $1.3 billion light rail extension.
How Would the Movie Speed Look in Today's Los Angeles?
Twenty years after the movie Speed, which took place on the Big Blue Bus, Metro rail system, and other transit facilities, Keanu Reeves and crew might not recognize L.A.'s current transit system. L.A. County planner Clement Lau surveys the changes.
Regional Connector Transit Project in High Gear for Los Angeles
The Regional Connector, a light rail improvement project in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles, is one of the closest watched transit projects in the country. The federal government recently allocated a $670 million grant for the project.
The Road to Prosperity: Real-Time Approaches to Economic Improvement
People have been driving about 1% less per year for the last 9 years. What can public-private partnerships for transportation alternatives do to stoke this fire?
L.A. Breaks Ground on New Light Rail Line as Pols Debate Airport Connection
Tuesday was a day of celebration in South L.A. as officials broke ground on the 8.5-mile Crenshaw Line, the newest addition to the region's expanding transit network. But just two days later, politicians resumed bickering over how to connect to LAX.
North America Will Invest More Than $80 Billion in New Transit in 2014
Yonah Freemark assembles his annual review of the year ahead in transit expansion by analyzing the dozens of projects that will start, continue, or complete construction this year in North America. Nearly every metro region is investing in transit.
Houston Celebrates Opening of METRORail North
Houston's METRORail will triple in size next year, going from 7 to 22 miles. METRO Chairman Gilbert Garcia enthusiastically describes the new 5.3-mile North Line extension and last week's celebration to open it. Two new lines will open next year.
Denver Faces Light Rail vs. Bus Decision
The financial data is clear: BRT costs much less to go further and serve far more riders. Case closed, or is it? The Denver Post editors look at HNTB's cost and ridership estimates for the Northwest Rail Line and offer a recommendation, sort of.
BRT Delivers More Bang for Your Development Buck
A study due out this month from the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy captures for the first time the relative benefits of investment in bus rapid transit in spurring development. BRT outperforms both light rail and streetcars.
Want Happiness? Live Near Transit
According to a study by U. of Minn's Jason Cao published in the journal, Transportation, there is a positive correlation between living near light rail transit and satisfaction with life. He based it on the Hiawatha light rail line in Minneapolis.
Baltimore Red Line Gets Green Light in $1.5 Billion Transportation Spending Plan
A new 14.1-mile light rail project through downtown Baltimore is among the 17 projects to be funded by Maryland's recent gas tax increase, Governor Martin O'Malley announced this week.
Pittsburgh's Mayoral Candidate Pitches Light Rail Expansion
The University of Pittsburgh's student newspaper reports on mayoral candidate Bill Peduto's proposal to extend the city's light rail system to connect to Oakland, where three of the city's largest employers (including Pitt) reside.
Utah Rail System Finishes Ahead of Schedule and $300 Million Under Budget
DOT Secretary Anthony Foxx and U.S. Senator Orin Hatch (R-Utah) attended the grand opening of the fifth and final rail line of Utah Transit Authority's (UTA) Frontlines 2015 Program, two years ahead of schedule and $300 million under budget.
30 Years Later, Debate Still Rages Over Impact of America's Largest Light Rail System
30 years ago, voters in North Texas approved a sales tax to fund the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) system based on promises of reducing congestion, spurring development and sustainable funding. Has the system met its goals? Depends who you ask.
Maryland Seeks Private Investor for Transformative Transit Project
Flush with revenue from higher gas taxes, Maryland is moving ahead with plans for a 16-mile light rail line connecting the state's dense D.C. suburbs. It's seeking a private partner to help it construct and operate the planned Purple Line.
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.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)
