Traffic

Beer

Friday Happy Hour: A Beer Pipeline in Belgium

What was once a "pipe dream" will soon be reality.

May 6, 2016 - The Wall Street Journal

Experts Weigh in on Decision to Move California to VMT as Metric for Impacts

In a significant effort to shift from sprawl toward incentivizing low-carbon transportation options, California is revising the way it measures traffic impacts of development projects under its Environmental Quality Act.

April 29, 2016 - The Planning Report

Traffic Light

Slot-Based Design Could Eliminate Traffic Lights

An MIT study determined that traffic lights, and their inefficiencies, could be eliminated if all vehicles were equipped to regulate their speed and "batch" together as they approach intersections.

April 12, 2016 - Fast Co. Design

How Not to Measure Traffic Congestion, Redux

The 2015 Inrix Traffic Scorecard provides less useful information about traffic problems than previous editions, as discussed in this City Observatory Commentary.

March 18, 2016 - City Observatory

New Orleans Fire Truck

Why So Big? Rethinking Fire Truck Design

When they're not extinguishing actual flames, fire trucks can seem comically over-sized on city streets. Replacing portions of the fleet with smaller response vehicles might save money without sacrificing capability.

February 7, 2016 - CityLab

Satirical Ad Campaign Pitches Belgian Traffic Jams as World Heritage Sites

The "war on cars" and its pushback has a achieved a singular pitch in Belgium, where the national rail service has canvassed the country with a satirical ad campaign excoriating the country's horrible congestion.

January 23, 2016 - The Wall Street Journal

'Bridge-Gate' Attorneys Make Their Case: You Can't Sue Over Traffic

Attorneys representing the state of New Jersey responded to the allegations of a class action lawsuit rising from the "bridge-gate" scandal.

January 3, 2016 - The Record

Las Vegas The Strip at night

Las Vegas Transit Plan Includes Light Rail

To alleviate tourist traffic and serve residents, the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada has unveiled a long-term plan to invest billions in transit improvements including light rail and an expanded monorail.

January 2, 2016 - Las Vegas Sun

Uber Car

Uber's Impact on the New York Rush Hour

Researchers found a small uptick in Manhattan traffic during rush hour, as Uber gains more riders from 4 to 7 p.m. than taxis lose. Uber also holds general sway over the other boroughs when it comes to for-hire vehicles.

December 23, 2015 - FiveThirtyEight

Traffic Jam in Bangkok

Why it's Unfair to Only Plan for Rush Hour

Determining whether to widen a street solely based on rush hour traffic ignores how the street is used and who uses it the rest of the day.

December 21, 2015 - Streets.MN

Delay Sign

Friday Funny: A Comedian's Guide to Coping With Traffic

Not recommended reading for those currently operating a motor vehicle.

December 11, 2015 - Medium

Famous Mexico City traffic

Gondola Monorail Could Ease Mexico City Traffic

Mexico City is considering a novel transit idea: two-person gondolas gliding along an aerial track. The costs of such a system may be far lower than extending the subway system.

December 5, 2015 - Quartz

DC Pope Visit

How the Pope's Visit Reduced Traffic in Washington, D.C.

Pope Francis' much-publicized visit to the capital in late September saw reductions in congestion and better travel times. Event-specific telecommuting policies and transit route changes appear responsible for the minor miracle.

November 12, 2015 - The Washington Post

Madrid Street 2

Madrid Takes Drastic Action to Curb Pollution

With a growing reputation for heavy local pollution, the city of Madrid will impose reduced speed limits and driving restrictions in its central core. On bad days, transit will be free to ride.

November 12, 2015 - CityLab

Traffic Light

Good Congestion and Bad

The phrase "traffic congestion" can be misleading; some reductions in traffic speed are less harmful than others.

October 13, 2015 - Michael Lewyn

Congestion as an Economic—Not an Engineering—Problem

Thinking about congestion as an economic problem generates new solutions for the problem as well as a response to accusations of social engineering.

September 29, 2015 - Urban Kchoze

Chapultepec Fountain

Reinventing a Storied Thoroughfare in Mexico City

A team of designers will convert one Mexico City's most dangerous highways into an urban oasis.

September 10, 2015 - ASLA's The Dirt blog

Rail Crossings Exacerbating Traffic Concerns

As the city of Houston is growing, car traffic and rail traffic are also growing. The conflict between the two will be very expensive to resolve.

September 10, 2015 - The Houston Chronicle

Bikeway

Using Technology to Create Better Traffic Counts

Tired of standing on a street corner to count traffic? Technology is automating traffic counts and providing more detailed and accurate data to support planning.

September 2, 2015 - Jennifer Evans-Cowley

Bay Bridge Toll Traffic

When a Freeway Goes Bad

At some point, in places all over the country, freeways stopped working as they were intended. What can be done to improve one of the great frustrations of life with a car?

August 23, 2015 - Pacific Standard

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.

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.