Public Transit
What Would it Take to Ditch Your Car?
A conversation series from the National Trust for Historic Preservation asks what it would take for people to ditch their cars and rely solely on walking, cycling and public transportation.
Lack of Transit Intensifies Suburban Poverty
In the last ten years, more than two thirds of poverty growth has happened in suburban areas of American cities. According to Brookings', social services such as transit have failed to keep up in the face of decreasing tax revenue.
Multi-Modal Level-Of-Service Goes Mainstream: Chickens Can Finally Cross Roads
Why didn’t the chicken cross the road? Because pedestrian Level-Of-Service was below “C”.
Snow, Cars and Growth
A couple of years ago, I was listening to a friend explain why she left Rochester for Jacksonville. "I was tired of digging my car out of the snow." It occurred to me that the nexus between driving and winter weather may at least partially explain the decline of America’s northern Rust Belt. Here’s why: car care and storage makes snow a bigger bother than might otherwise be the case: if you don’t have a heated garage, you have to dig your car out of the snow every day, and if you park on the street you may have to constantly move your car to accommodate municipal snow removal.
Changing Travel Demands: Implications for Planning
The graph below shows the most recent USDOT vehicle-travel data covering the last 25 years. Although vehicle-miles of travel (VMT) grew steadily during most of the Twentieth Century, in recent years the growth rate stopped and even declined a little. It is now about 10% below where it would have been had past trends continued.
Residents Who Live Near Public Transportation Live Healthier, Longer Lives
Study indicates that public transit improvements and more transit oriented development can provide large but often overlooked health benefits.
Better Transportation Options to Relieve Inequality in Latin America
Safe, reliable, affordable and sustainable public transport options could be integral in addressing inequality in Latin America.
Bus Advocates Argue Rail Focused Planning Reduces Overall Transit Ridership in L.A.
Dan Weikel of the L.A. Times suggests that the focus on rail transit at the expense of buses has pushed general transit ridership down in general.
NYC Kids are Safer Because They Ride Public Transit More
A recent study shows that traffic fatality rates are lower for children in areas where public transit is widely used.
Free Rides on Bangkok's New Bus Rapid Transit System
All summer long the newly installed BRT in Bangkok will offer free rides to passengers as the kinks are worked out of the system.
Jews and Transit: "Like a Bagel and Schmeer"
Joel Epstein at the Jewish Journal argues that Jews should support mass transit measures, and the 30/10 plan in particular. "Without 30/10, I fear my kids may be sitting shiva for me before I ride the Subway to the Sea," he writes.
Tapping the Crowd to Solve America's Transportation Problem
Slate is soliciting ideas from its readers to improve the nation's transportation system.
L.A.'s Bold Transit Moves
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's plan to cram 30 years of transit projects into one decade is gathering steam in Washington -- and other cities are watching closely.
Valuing The Precious Hours Of Our Lives
Time is a limited and valuable resource. As much as possible, people should spend the precious hours of their lives in the most satisfying and productive possible ways. This has important implications for transportation planning, since most people spend a significant amount of time in transport, and travel time savings are often the greatest projected benefits of transport projects such as roadway and transit service improvements.
L.A.'s '30/10' Plan Moves Ahead
At first considered a long-shot, the idea being pushed by Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to fast-track 30 years worth of transit projects into 10 is gaining support at the highest levels.
World Cup's Impact on Transit in South Africa
This post from The City Fix looks at some of the new public transit systems that have been built in South Africa ahead of this year's World Cup.
Is A Mass Transit Bailout the Right Move?
National Journal asks its panel of transportation experts whether mass transit agencies really deserve $2 billion in emergency operating aid.
Beijing to Build 21 New Rail Lines by 2020
Officials in Beijing are planning to build 21 more rail and subways lines by the year 2020.
The Uncomfortable Relationship Between Race and Public Transit in L.A.
As part of his series about walking across Los Angeles, writer Ryan Bradley delves into the complicated and controversial relationship between race and transit in the city.
Johannesburg's Auto-Orientation and the Persecution of the Pedestrian Majority
You really need to almost get hit by a car to feel like a true Johannesburg pedestrian. That's the way it goes here. A huge, sprawling greater metropolitan area of about 10 million people covering more than 600 square miles, the city is built for the car. And if you're not in one, good luck.
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 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
