Transportation Funding
Cities Try New Approaches to Fund Streetcars
As federal transportation funding grows increasingly uncertain, cities across the country are trying new approaches to generate funds for their planned streetcar projects.
The Bus and The Train Are Friends
Bus rapid transit has seen a recent spike in interest, and with that interest has come the analysis that BRT takes away from light rail projects and vice versa. But as this post points out, they need each other and work better when both are around.
While Others Struggle, L.A. County Moves On Transportation Projects
While cities throughout California and the rest of the nation struggle to afford even their most basic services, L.A. County's moving ahead with more than $4 billion in transportation projects.
U.S. Lags Globally in Transportation, Infrastructure Investment
The U.S. is falling behind other nations in keeping up its transportation systems and infrastructure, according to a new report from the Urban Land Institute.
Bikes to Get Buck in New Portland Budget
Portland Mayor Sam Adams has pledged to increase the amount of money dedicated to bicycle planning and bicycle infrastructure from 4% to 17% in the city's next budget.
Funding Issues Keep American Tranposrtation Infrastructure Down
This article from The Economist explains why America's transportation system is failing, and how the federal government's infrastructure funding mechanisms are contributing to the decline.
Federal Lending Should Support Local Transit Funds
The federal government should play a larger role in lending money to local governments for transit projects, and not just spending money, according to this oped.
American Want Transportation Projects, But Not Their Costs
A new survey shows that the majority of Americans place high value on transportation projects, but even more of them say they're not willing to pay any more for it than they already do.
The Future of Transportation Funding in Uncertain Times
In this Q&A, urban planning professor Mitchell Moss explains how budget crises at the federal, state and local levels will affect transit funding in New York City and other places.
Republican Plan to Shortchange Rail May Be Shortsighted
Eric Jaffe pushes back on the Republican Study Committee's proposal to cut over $6 billion in rail funding over the next ten years.
Austin BRT Revived
Two bus rapid transit projects in Austin that have been delayed for years due to lack of funding have been revived.
D.C. Streetcars In the Works
The District Department of Transportation recently released detailed plans for the new system, which has been in the making for more than 14 years.
Small Counties on Edge Over Metro Atlanta Transit Debate
Suggestions of a county seceding from the Atlanta Regional Commission could threaten transportation funding in the region and hurt those towns looking to bow out, according to this column.
Replacing The Current Gas Tax With A Different Gas Tax
AASHTO is pitching a replacement of the current fed excise fuel taxes with sales taxes - initially revenue neutral, but would increase with inflation, unlike stagnant excise taxes last increased in 1993. In 6 years, might raise an extra $43 billion.
The Looming Era of VMT
The gas tax is becoming an increasingly outdated and unsustainable idea. This piece from Miller McCune looks at the prospect of replacing it with a tax based on vehicle miles traveled.
The Hidden Cost of Improved Fuel Efficiency
Increasing vehicle standards means decreasing gasoline usage--and tax revenues. A new report suggests that a wholesale rethinking of how we pay for transportation infrastructure may be in order.
Obama Calls For $50 Billion Transportation Stimulus
Calling it an investment plan in job growth in the transportation sector, the President in a Labor Day speech outlined a six-year plan for investment in road, rail, and airports to be paid for by eliminating tax breaks and subsidies from big oil.
Why is Transit So Expensive to Build?
Glen Bottoms at The American Conservative attempts to answer the question.
The Tangibility and Viability of L.A.'s 30/10 Plan
The Brookings Institution's Robert Puentes reports back on a recent discussion about Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's 30/10 plan -- the idea to cram 30 years worth of transit investments into 10.
Paying the Bill for High Speed Rail in California
The prospect of a high speed rail line connecting California's major cities has been appealing to many in the state. But with less than a quarter of the money needed for the project, the risks are hard to ignore.
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.
City of Thousand Oaks
City of Wisconsin Rapids
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
