Walking
The Value of Transportation Enhancements; Or, Are Walking and Cycling Really Transportation?
An important current policy debate concerns whether the next U.S. federal surface transportation reauthorization should require spending on “enhancements,” which finance projects such as walkways, bike paths, highway landscaping and historic preservation. This issue receives considerable attention, despite the fact that enhancements represent less than 2% of total federal surface transportation expenditures, because it raises questions about future transport priorities, particularly the role of walking and cycling. In other words, should non-motorized modes be considered real transportation.
Cyclists, Pedestrians, and Drivers Clash
With over 8 million people sharing the streets and sidewalks of New York City, there is bound to be a clash between transportation modes. Who's to blame? Lyndsey Scofield says that there is bad behavior on all sides.
Would People Drive Less if Cities Were Built Differently?
Dr. Marlon Boarnet, a professor in UC Irvine's Dept. of Planning, Policy and Design, has based his research around that question and has some answers.
A Neighborhood of Stairs
The La Independencia neighborhood in Medellin, Colombia sprawls up a hillside, leaving the inhabitants to walk up to 10 flights of stairs every day. An ambitious development program is considering building an outdoor network of escalators.
Urban Development Shifts Reduce Driving
The patterns of urban development over the past few decades have pushed more and more people into cars by necessity. But as design priorities change, so are people's walking and driving habits.
U.S. Builds Roads That Kill Pedestrians
A new report from Transportation for America says that more than half of pedestrian fatalities happen on arterial roads that lack ped-friendly design - and therefore are preventable.
The Most Walkable Cities In U.S., And Why
Cities of all population sizes were ranked by the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center. Key to top-rated Seattle was its management of parking. 19 cities were cited from throughout the country.
Best World Cities for Walkers
This slideshow from Grist takes a tour of the top ten cities in the world for walking.
Road Rage for Pedestrians
Some researchers say that crowded sidewalks in cities like New York are contributing to "sidewalk rage".
A Very Thorough Understanding of a City's Streets
One woman in Lansing, Michigan has started a walking mission to explore and document every stretch of street in her city -- a total of more than 400 miles.
Reasons to be Nice to Pedestrians
Anthony Flint offers this list of the top ten reasons to be nice to pedestrians in 2011.
The Web of Walkability
Steve Mouzon visually documents his walkable day-to-day life, and all the places he can get to regularly on foot from his house.
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.
Why Kids Can't and Won't Walk to School in Laguna Beach
Getting kids to walk to school has been a nationwide campaign for years. But some places say it's just not safe. Some urban forms -- like that of Laguna Beach, California -- prove it.
If You Build It, They Won't Walk
Trails and walking paths are commonly built in suburban areas. But their mere presence doesn't automatically mean they'll be used, according to a new study.
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”.
Pedestrianism a World Cup Legacy in Cape Town
Pedestrianism is on the rise in Cape Town, South Africa, where the recent World Cup has inspired more citizens to get out of their cars and put their feet on the street.
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.
All-Ages Design in Toronto
Designing cities for all age groups means designing places where everyone from kids to seniors can feel safe walking, according to this column. Groups in Toronto are calling on mayoral candidates to get behind that idea.
Bikes and Peds A Threat to the Car?
National Journal asks its panel of transportation experts whether the car is really threatened by the rise in policy focus on pedestrians and cyclists.
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.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie
