Transportation Planning

Pop Up Protected Bike Lanes

NACTO Guide Aids Bike Safety in the Intersection

Despite massive progress in building out new protected bike lanes, many communities are still coming up short with safety improvements at intersections, the location of most vehicle-bike conflicts.

May 22, 2019 - Smart Cities Dive

Geno's Steaks

Streets in Dense Urban Areas Safer Than Suburban 'Stroads,' Study Finds

A new study considers urban form, roadway characteristics, traffic collisions, and fatalities in the Philadelphia region, to show that the densest parts of regions are the safest places to drive and walk.

May 22, 2019 - PlanPhilly

Colorado Multi-Modlaism

NACTO to Help Five Cities Design and Build Low-Carbon Transportation Infrastructure

Five cities will help the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) prove that urban streets can provide the location for a drastic shift in the carbon emissions status quo.

May 16, 2019 - National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO)

High Speed Rail California

The Consultants Behind the CA High-Speed Rail Debacle

The state's high-speed rail project is billions of dollars over budget and years behind schedule. A major problem is that consultants have been running the show from the start, say critics.

May 6, 2019 - Los Angeles Times

Tilikum Crossing

How Much for Roads and Highways in a Proposed Portland-Area Transportation Funding Measure?

A regional transportation tax could be on the 2020 ballot in Portland and surrounding communities in Oregon. How much of that money created by the new tax, should it pass, will go to transit and how much will go to cars is an open question.

May 5, 2019 - Willamette Week

San Diego Trolley

The Regional Planning Agency Wanted to Evolve on Transportation. The County Said No.

A kerfuffle in San Diego, as San Diego County and the San Diego Association of Governments find themselves at odds over the future of transportation in the region.

May 3, 2019 - NBC San Diego

Broadway Bike Lane

If You Build It, They Will Ride (400% More)

A more than 400 percent increase in bike ridership following the opening of a protected bike lane on Second Avenue proves that Seattleites are more inclined to ride with safe facilities.

May 1, 2019 - Streetsblog USA

Vancouver Skytrain near Chinatown

Scenario Planning Can Help Prepare for a Hard-to-Predict Future

Questions about the variables that could significantly alter the future of transportation, and the configuration of the public realm to accommodate those futuristic forms of transportation, illustrate the potential power of scenario planning.

April 26, 2019 - The Boston Globe

Ohio River

More of the Same From Ohio's Post-Gas Tax Funding Decisions

Just days after the state approved a significant increase on its gas tax, and the state legislature is focusing much more on road projects than public transit.

April 11, 2019 - WCPO

Protected Bike Lane

New Bike Infrastructure Standard Set in Cambridge

Cambridge, Massachusetts has made a thorough commitment to building robust bike infrastructure with every street repair project.

April 9, 2019 - Streetsblug USA

Columbia River Bridge

Reviving the Failed Columbia River Crossing to Connect Oregon, Washington

A project is back from the dead in the Pacific Northwest, at least in the eyes of the governors of Oregon and Washington.

April 7, 2019 - The Oregonian

405 Traffic

Congestion Pricing Marks the End of an Era

A New York Times article marks the historic significance of congestion pricing—gone are the days of treating roads like they're free while ignoring their costs.

April 5, 2019 - The New York Times

New Orleans Freeway

Ten 'Freeways Without Futures'

The Congress for New Urbanism has once again released on if its signature efforts: the Freeways Without Futures report that assumes urban freeways were a mistake of 20th century planning and engineering and advocates for a new approach.

April 3, 2019 - Congress for the New Urbanism

Chicago Street

Report Identifies Priorities for Chicago's Mobility Future

A new mobility task force report looks to guide the city toward a more multimodal transportation system that addresses accessibility and congestion.

March 22, 2019 - Chicago Tribune

Dallas Area Rapid Transt

Dallas DOT Brings New Mobility Vision to the Region

The agency’s director wants to change the city’s transportation priorities and provide more mobility options to residents.

March 20, 2019 - Next City

Over-the-Rhine, Cincinnati, Ohio

On-Street Parking a Sticking Point for Cincinnati's Road Diet Plan

Liberty Street was once a narrow, urban street. Now it's seven lanes of unsafe speeds and pedestrian risks. The city has a plan to greatly reduce the number of traffic lanes on the street, or another plan that won't.

March 18, 2019 - WCPO

Austin Traffic

Austin Strategic Mobility Plan Final Draft Released

The first priority of the draft Austin Strategic Mobility Plan is to reduce single-occupant vehicle trips.

March 7, 2019 - Smart Cities Dive

New York Bike Lane

Car-Free Streets, City Control of Transit: New York City Council Speaker's New Platform

New York City Council Speaker Corey Johnson had a busy week, releasing an ambitious plan to "break" the "car culture" of New York.

March 7, 2019 - StreetsBlog NYC

Chesapeake Bay Bridge

14 Potential Locations for a New Bridge Across the Chesapeake Bay

A long term plan to add an additional bridge connection across the Chesapeake Bay is underway in Maryland.

February 16, 2019 - WTOP

Lombard Street San Francisco

*Video: Explaining Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT)

Conventional planning evaluates transport system performance car-centric indicators such as roadway Level-of-Service (LOS). Many jurisdictions are shifting to Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT), which supports multimodal planning and Smart Growth policies.

January 31, 2019 - Fehr and Peers via YouTube

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.

Senior Manager Operations, Urban Planning

New York City School Construction Authority

Building Inspector

Village of Glen Ellyn

Manager of Model Development

Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO

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.