Transportation Costs

You Can't Have Good TOD Without the T

Philip Langdon argues that if the U.S. is going to shift toward compact, less resource-consuming patterns of development, Americans will have to rely increasingly on mass transit - so it better work.

September 3, 2010 - New Urban Network

Popular Cycling Cities See Pedal Prices Rise

A Freakonomics blogger has trouble finding an affordable bike in Portland, and looks into the reasons why.

August 21, 2009 - The New York Times: Freakonomics Blog

Smart Growth And Housing Affordability

In a recent blog I emphasized the value of using smart growth policies to increase household affordability and support regional economic development. In his blog, “Planning Foreclosures,” Samuel Staley reaches a very different conclusion.

March 23, 2009 - Todd Litman

Aging Canada to Strain Transit, Infrastructure

A new report warns that an aging Canadian population will drive up infrastructure costs in public transit, water management, and roads and sidewalks.

February 17, 2009 - Canada.com

Driving Versus Public Transit Costs

I often hear debates over the costs of different modes of transportation, particularly between driving and public transit travel. Rising fuel prices have made public transit more attractive for some trips, boosting ridership, but critics point out that for most trips, transit fares are still comparable with fuel costs (for example, at $4 a gallon, fuel costs about $2 for a typical 10-mile trip, comparable to a bus fare in a typical city), and generally take longer. It is therefore legitimate to ask whether public transit really saves money.

September 15, 2008 - Todd Litman

Moscow Tops List of World's Most Expensive Cities

Moscow tops an annual ranking of the world's most expensive cities. The survey examines housing, transportation, food, clothing, household goods and entertainment for corporations and government agencies determining living costs for expats.

July 25, 2008 - Forbes

A Billion Dollars in Injuries Makes Transit Pricey

Riders of the New York MTA hit the transit agency with $1.2 billion in injury and damaged property claims, seriously impacting the affordability of transit.

June 13, 2008 - Reuters

Comprehensive Evaluation of Congestion Costs and Solutions

The newest Texas Transportation Institute Urban Mobility Report was recently released, stimulating discussion of congestion costs and potential solutions. Here are some things you should know when evaluating these issues.

September 27, 2007 - Todd Litman

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.