Transportation

Close-up of bus passengers hanging on to red straps on crowded bus

Free Fares for Buses? Don’t Forget the Trains

Fare-free programs that apply to buses and not trains create a fragmented transit system and encourage more people to use slower, less efficient modes.

December 22, 2022 - Bloomberg CityLab

View of intersection in Fairfax, Virginia with three-story building and cars in intersection

Shifting the Focus for Transportation Planning in Fairfax County

Fairfax County wants to move away from a heavy reliance on level of service in favor of more pedestrian- and transit-oriented planning.

December 22, 2022 - FFX Now

Man walking away past glass elevator in brightly lit New York City subway station corridor

New York Post-Pandemic First: Big Transit Service Changes

More service on the weekends, less on Monday and Friday, reflects the patterns of post-pandemic transit ridership.

December 22, 2022 - Gothamist

Gold Seattle Streetcar on street against stormy gray sky

Boosters Hope Streetcar Could Breathe New Life into Downtown Seattle

Supporters of a stalled streetcar project say reviving the line would create more transit connections and boost economic development in the area.

December 21, 2022 - The Urbanist

Two bike riders on trail in part with Denver, Colorado skyline in background

Denver Evaluates Success of E-Bike Rebate

The program proved extremely popular with Denver residents, opening up biking as a transportation mode to more people.

December 21, 2022 - The Washington Post

Black bike counter with cyclists passing by on Manchester, UK bike path

Chicago Gets its First Bike Counter

After years of failed efforts to install bike counters, the city finally has its first counter at the corner of Chicago Avenue and Wells Street.

December 21, 2022 - Streetsblog Chicago

The exterior of a terminal at Orly Airport in France, with a large graphic that reads “Orly Change.”

Paris to Ban Short-Haul Flights to Reduce Emissions

The country of France has been cleared by the European Union to ban specific air travel routes from the Orly Airport near Paris.

December 21, 2022 - Yahoo News

Rendering of blue Amtrak Airo train speeding past blurry trees

Amtrak Reveals New, Faster Airo Trains

Trains on at least 14 intercity routes will be replaced with a fuel-efficient model with top speeds of 125 mph.

December 20, 2022 - Smart Cities Dive

View from back of person in black clothes and hat waiting to board train at Chicago train station with blurry train in front of them.

Chicago Awarded Federal Funding for Accessible Train Stations

The city received a federal grant geared toward improving accessibility at CTA and Metra stations, close to a third of which lack ADA compliance.

December 20, 2022 - Chicago Tribune

Close-up of white pick-up truck on sales lot from front driver's side; two more trucks behind it

Bigger, More Powerful Cars Cancel Out Improvements in Fuel Efficiency

As carmakers improve the fuel efficiency of some models, many American car buyers are purchasing big trucks and SUVs that still offer low MPGs.

December 20, 2022 - Marketwatch

Snowy Washington, D.C. bus stop

D.C. Promises No More ‘Ghost Buses’

The agency says a new software update will remove out-of-service buses from maps so riders aren’t ‘ghosted’ by buses that never show up.

December 20, 2022 - DCist

A map showing planned and under-construction segments of roads in Nebraska.

Federal Infrastructure Bill Accelerates Nebraska’s Plans for 600-Mile Expressway

Nebraska is in the process of criss-crossing the state with a new expressway system. According to state transportation officials, the final push to complete the multi-decade project will be aided by Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funding.

December 19, 2022 - Omaha World-Herald

Vacant boarded-up storefronts along Powell Street in San Francisco, California.

Planning Year in Review 2022: Downtowns, Transportation, Climate Change

Part two of a review of the major themes, debates, and events of the year in planning that was 2022.

December 19, 2022 - James Brasuell

A toll payment facility in Florida.

Florida to Provide Toll Relief for Frequent Commuters

It will be cheaper to drive around Florida, starting January 1.

December 19, 2022 - Florida Department of Transportation

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

Can New York Legislators Make Buses Free While Improving Service?

A pair of state legislators hope to make buses free while improving service levels on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (MTA) bus system in New York City. The effort will require a new level of political will for transit.

December 19, 2022 - AMNY

A light rail trail leaves a station with a field of grass under the blue sky in the background.

Denver’s C and F Light Rail Routes Closed Permanently

The Regional Transportation District in Denver suspended two light rail lines at the onset of Covid-19 in March 2020. The routes have now been permanently discontinued.

December 18, 2022 - The Denver Post

White NJ Transit bus

New Jersey Transit Will Ban Riders Who Assault Workers

As part of a bill passed to protect transit operators from violence and abuse, NJ Transit is creating a policy for banning violent passengers, permanently in some cases.

December 18, 2022 - NJ.com

Two people on bikes in San Diego, California

California’s Year in Bike Policy

Bike and pedestrian advocates saw some big legislative and political wins in 2022.

December 16, 2022 - CalBike Report

Concrete highway overpasses under construction, view from below

What Will Highway Removal Funding Actually Fund?

The federal Reconnecting Communities program is aimed at supporting highway removal and reversing the damage caused by rampant freeway construction, but some watered down proposals from state agencies could fund road expansion instead.

December 16, 2022 - Route Fifty

Cars on a New York City street

Mapping Climate Impact at the Neighborhood Level

A consumption-based analysis illustrates the differences in average household emissions across census tracts.

December 15, 2022 - The New York Times

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.

Comprehensive Bikeway Design Workshop

Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University

Early Bird Deadline – save on your tuition fee!🚨

Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)

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.