Transportation

Rendering of wildlife crossing over 101 freeway in Los Angeles County.

World's Largest Wildlife Overpass In the Works in Los Angeles County

Caltrans will soon close half of the 101 Freeway in order to continue construction of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing near Agoura Hills in Los Angeles County.

April 15, 2024 - LAist

Rendering of busy concourse at Houston train station for Texas Central train.

US, Japan Governments Express Support for Texas HSR

A proposed high-speed rail project would link Houston and Dallas using Japanese Shinkansen technology.

April 15, 2024 - Smart Cities Dive

Aerial view of Anchorage, Alaska at sunrise or sunset.

Anchorage High-Speed Highway Project Met With Skepticism

The Alaska Department of Transportation and its consultants are working on a Planning and Environmental Linkages study of the Glenn-Seward Highway that bisects the middle of Anchorage, Alaska.

April 15, 2024 - Alaska Public Media

Aerial view of five-level freeway interchange in Houston, Texas with bridges spanning green bayou.

USDOT Issues Grants for Resilient Transportation Infrastructure

The department issued $830 million in grants for improving roads, bridges, and other infrastructure vulnerable to extreme weather and other climate impacts.

April 15, 2024 - Spectrum News 1

Walkways and escalator at crowded transit station, with one person walking a bike in foreground.

Best Practices for Outsourcing Transit Operations

Contracting with private sector vendors can help transit agencies improve efficiency and provide better service.

April 14, 2024 - Smart Cities Dive

Street scene in Greenwich Village, New York City with people walking through busy intersection and new WTC tower in background.

Planning for Accessibility: Proximity is More Important than Mobility

Accessibility-based planning minimizes the distance that people must travel to reach desired services and activities. Measured this way, increased density can provide more total benefits than increased speeds.

April 14, 2024 - Todd Litman

Rendering of promenade in Potomac Yard in Alexandria, Virginia with Virginia Tech logo on building in background.

Alexandria’s Hopes for Stadium Deal Dashed

The city hoped a stadium for DC-area teams would anchor a new, high-density development in a vacant lot.

April 12, 2024 - WTOP

Blue Metra train bike car.

Chicago Trains Make More Room for Bikes

Since Metro launched a new bike-friendly policy in February, the number of bikes on its trains rose by 70 percent.

April 11, 2024 - Streetsblog Chicago

two riders wearing masks during the covid-19 pandemic exit a blue city bus in the Bronx in New York City.

Transit Ridership Continues its Slow Recovery

Ridership grew by 16 percent between 2022 and 2023.

April 11, 2024 - Smart Cities Dive

Line drawing of busy streetcar on city street.

When Driving Isn't an Option: Steering Away From Car Dependency

Disability advocate Anna Zivarts' new book, “When Driving Isn't An Option: Steering Away from Car Dependency,” explores why and how transportation planning can better serve nondrivers to create a better quality of life for everyone.

April 11, 2024 - When Driving Is Not an Option: Steering Away from Car Dependency

New York City electronic parking meter.

NYC To Transition to Pay-by-Plate Parking Meters

The new meters eliminate paper receipts and provide real-time data to enforcement agents.

April 11, 2024 - New York City Department of Transportation

London 2012 Olympic Games

Los Angeles Receives $900M for Infrastructure Ahead of 2028 Olympics

The influx of federal dollars comes as LA has just four more years to complete ambitious transit improvement plans before it is due to host the Summer Olympic Games.

April 10, 2024 - Transportation Today News

Chicago fire department fire truck driving down street with blurred background indicating motion at nighttime.

Balancing Road Diets With Emergency Access

Examples from the Netherlands show how bike lanes and traffic calming can coexist with effective emergency response.

April 10, 2024 - Streetsblog USA

Close-up of electric car battery.

Industry Leaders: Automakers Must Cut EV Battery Weight in Half

Experts call for lighter batteries, diversification of fuels, and a shift away from private cars and towrad public transit.

April 10, 2024 - Transport Topics

WMATA train on elevated track passing by brick multistory buildings in Alexandria, Virginia.

Making TOD More Viable

Tying housing and land acquisition funding to transit projects could make dense, walkable development easier and more cost-effective.

April 9, 2024 - Smart Cities Dive

Kentucky state capitol dome in Frankfort, Kentucky.

Kentucky Governor Vetoes Autonomous Car Bill

The bill, passed by the state legislature, faced opposition from safety advocates and labor groups concerned about the loss of freight jobs.

April 9, 2024 - Governing

Stoplight with green light and "no right turn on red" pictograph on overhead signal

San Francisco Bans Right Turns on Red at 200 Intersections

More cities are reversing the 1970s policy due to its disproportionate involvement in pedestrian crashes.

April 8, 2024 - Axios

Yellow Cat heavy equipment working on light rail construction on road in Phoenix, Arizona.

Phoenix Grant Program Supports Small Businesses During Light Rail Work

Businesses impacted by light rail construction can still apply for grants to make up for lost revenue.

April 8, 2024 - KTAR

View of cars stuck in gridlocked traffic with traffic lights in background

Judge Declares Federal Emissions Rule ‘Arbitrary and Capricious’

Another judge already vacated the rule nationwide before the latest case was decided.

April 8, 2024 - Reuters

Red and silver MetroRail train in Austin, Texas.

Austin’s Project Connect Under Fire From State Attorney General

A new lawsuit could delay the massive transit proposal into the next legislative session, where anti-Austin lawmakers could kill it altogether.

April 8, 2024 - The Austin Chronicle

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.