Transportation

White microbus with yellow stripe on rural road with empty road and blue sky in background.

Minnesota, Vermont Experiment With Rural Trip Planning Websites

Pilot programs in the two states aimed to make transit information more accessible for riders in rural areas, where on-demand and microtransit services make trip planning more complex.

March 13, 2024 - The Daily Yonder

Close-up of row of electric car charging stations in a covered garage structure

Study: How EVs Perpetuate the Harms of Car Culture

While they emit less pollution, electric cars don’t solve many urgent issues like sprawl and fine particulate pollution.

March 12, 2024 - Bloomberg CityLab

A sign for SMART Bus on a pole.

Website Streamlines Michigan Transit Information

The tool is designed to help people with disabilities navigate the state’s complex public transit network.

March 12, 2024 - Second Wave Michigan

Red and yellow vintage streetcar in front of San Francisco Ferry Building.

Poll: Bay Area Voters on Transit Funding Sources

Voters in Northern California indicated support for higher taxes on the wealthy and big companies, rejecting increased property or sales taxes to support transportation projects.

March 11, 2024 - The Mercury News

Two cars crashed head-on into each other on wet asphalt road.

The Geography of Fatal Car Crashes

Where do the most traffic deaths happen?

March 11, 2024 - Arizona's Family

Nighttime view of downtown Louisville, Kentucky.

Louisville High Injury Network To Help Guide Transportation Decisions

The new tool highlights the streets that pose the biggest risk to pedestrians and other road users.

March 11, 2024 - Louisville Public Media

Aerial view of elevated freeways in New Jersey at dusk.

New Jersey Bill Would Raise Gas Tax, Create EV Registration Fee

The bill’s supporters argue that increased revenue is needed to keep up with the state’s infrastructure and transportation needs.

March 11, 2024 - New Jersey Monitor

Blue Atlanta streetcar on street on sunny day in Atlanta, Georgia.

Atlanta’s Transit Past, Present, and Future

The city once had an extensive streetcar system. Can it revive public transit once again?

March 10, 2024 - Atlanta Magazine

Red hand lit up as "don't walk" pedestrian signal.

Washington State’s Unhoused Residents Receive Close to Half of Jaywalking Tickets

Homeless people make up 0.4 percent of the state’s population but receive over 40 percent of jaywalking tickets.

March 8, 2024 - The Seattle Times

One cyclist on yellow bike crossing vintage concrete bridge in East Hollywood, Los Angeles, California.

Los Angeles Approves Road Safety Measure

Voters expressed strong support for road safety improvements.

March 8, 2024 - Streetsblog LA

Yellow pedestrian caution sign next to a zebra crosswalk.

FHWA Proposes Changes to Highway Safety Requirements

The proposed rule change would require states to include vulnerable road users in their road safety plans.

March 7, 2024 - Smart Cities Dive

Overhead view of multilane elevated highway with multiple levels.

The Harms of a Car-Centric World

While most of the world’s population doesn’t drive, cars have an outsized negative impact on public health, the environment, and land use.

March 7, 2024 - Streetsblog USA

Trolley bus in San Francisco, California.

Federal Funding Takes Aim at Public Transit

Close to $10 billion in federal funding will help local transit agencies with maintenance, operations, and equipment costs.

March 7, 2024 - Bloomberg CityLab

Blurred view of cyclists riding in protected bike lane

NYC Bike Deaths Hit 23-Year High

In 2023, 30 people on bikes died on New York City roads.

March 7, 2024 - Spectrum News 1

Close-up of back of white self-driving Waymo car on San Francisco street.

California Approves Waymo Driverless Taxis

Waymo’s autonomous vehicles can begin picking up passengers in Los Angeles and San Francisco in spite of opposition from local officials.

March 6, 2024 - Smart Cities Dive

People ride bikes past outdoor restaurant patio with misters in Culdesac car-free development, Tempe, Arizona.

Car-Free Arizona Suburb Gains Residents

The project, dubbed Culdesac, offers EV rentals, free light rail passes, and other perks instead of private parking.

March 6, 2024 - Fast Company

Two-lane highway with solid yellow center line and one car driving away against backdrop of red rock formations in Nevada.

Traffic Deaths Rise Sharply on Western Roads

The region is seeing higher rates of road deaths in part due to larger vehicles, high speed limits, and inadequate pedestrian infrastructure.

March 5, 2024 - High Country News

Grey concrete curb ramp with small bumps for the visually impaired.

Understanding Accessibility in the Public Right-of-Way

A ‘best practices’ manual guides accessibility on streets and sidewalks, but remains legally unenforceable.

March 5, 2024 - Streetsblog USA

Close-up of front side of blue and white bus with accessibility sticker and people wearing backpacks waiting outside of bus.

Responding to Public Transit Criticism

Public transit plays a unique and important role in an efficient and equitable transportation system. Planners must communicate the benefits that public transit provides and respond to ill-informed critics.

March 5, 2024 - Todd Litman

Blue and white Pittsburgh bike share bikes lined up at a station with a red city bus on street in background.

Micromobility Operators Call for Better Links to Transit

For shared mobility to succeed, systems must tap into the connectivity and funding potential offered by closer collaboration with public transit.

March 4, 2024 - GovTech

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.

Professor of Urban Planning

Harvard University Graduate School of Design

Transportation Planner I

KFH Group Inc.

Director, Strategy and Research

Greater Baltimore Committee

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.