Transportation

Bus stop in Boulder, Colorado with snowy tree and snowy mountains in background

Colorado Free Transit Program Boosted Ridership

Many local transit agencies that took advantage of a state program that funded free fares throughout August have seen increased ridership even beyond the program’s end.

December 1, 2022 - The Colorado Sun

University Ave and Dundas Street in downtown Toronto

Canada's Car Commuting Roars Back as Transit’s Rebound Remains Slow

Car commuting rates are returning to pre-pandemic levels, while public transit and active transportation rates are slower to recover.

December 1, 2022 - The Globe and Mail

Kansas City electric streetcar

The Limits of Kansas City’s Fare-Free Experiment

For the Missouri city, the economic and social benefits of eliminating transit fares outweigh the costs, but can their success be replicated in bigger cities more dependent on farebox revenue?

December 1, 2022 - Governing

People examining parked goMARTI vans at launch event

Grand Rapids Tests First Rural Autonomous Shuttle

The town launched a five-vehicle fleet aimed at improving mobility for residents in the rural community.

November 30, 2022 - The Daily Yonder

View of large black SUV from behind with blurred small child on bicycle wearing helmet riding in front of car

Why Are U.S. Roads So Deadly?

Despite an abundance of Vision Zero pledges, U.S. roads remain some of the most dangerous in the developed world.

November 30, 2022 - The New York Times

Old brick buildings line Central Avenue in Baltimore. The street is filled with construction equipment.

Protected Bike Lanes, Vehicle Lane Reductions Cause Stir in Baltimore

Residents and business operators say they weren’t warned about a road diet planned for a major thoroughfare in Baltimore. Planners and advocates say the changes have been a long time coming.

November 30, 2022 - The Baltimore Sun

A conceptual rendering of new buildings around the Huntington Metro station in Virginia.

A New Transit Oriented Vision for Fairfax County, Virginia

A new transit station area plan is reaching the finishing line for the Huntington Metro station, serving the WMATA’s Yellow Line in Northern Virginia.

November 30, 2022 - FFX Now

Dark parking garage, empty except for one car covered with a red tarp

Advice for a Post-Parking Mandate World

After abolishing parking requirements, what can cities do to make the most of new space and revenue and avoid backlash?

November 29, 2022 - Next City

The Boring Company

Detailing the Boring Company’s Poor Track Record

Elon Musk’s promised solution for congestion—the Boring Co.—has proven most successful at disappearing on the governments that trusted them.

November 29, 2022 - The Wall Street Journal

Aerial view of COlorado Springs, Colorado at dusk

Colorado Springs Updates Transportation Plan

The city made the first revisions to its transportation plan in twenty years, acknowledging the changing transportation needs of the region’s growing population.

November 29, 2022 - Colorado Public Radio

Two-lane street in Detroit's Greektown with American and Greek flags strung across the street

Detroit To Build New Parking for Small Businesses

The city will invest $9 million in an initiative to build customer parking on city-owned lots to boost economic development.

November 29, 2022 - Bridge Detroit

Amtrak Sunset Limited train viewed from the side passing low desert hills in West Texas

Passenger Rail Could Return to the Gulf Coast

Although the details of the deal remain murky, Amtrak and the freight companies that share tracks in the region have agreed to restore passenger train service east of New Orleans.

November 29, 2022 - Smart Cities Dive

Pedestrian Infrastructure

Vision Zero Successes Show a Path Forward

While traffic deaths in the United States keep rising, progress in cities like Hoboken and New York prove that, with the right resources, eliminating traffic deaths is possible.

November 28, 2022 - Bloomberg CityLab

Construction Industry

One Year After the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act

The potential of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is most unrealized as the federal government mobilizes the details of the $1.2 trillion bill. President Joe Biden signed the bill in November 2021.

November 28, 2022 - Route Fifty

An electric vehicle charger with an American flag sticker is shown plugged into a car.

Electric Vehicles Require Real Progress—Not Lip Service—on Equity

Communities of color are already being left behind as the nation prepares the infrastructure for an electric future.

November 28, 2022 - Marqus Cole

UPS delivery truck parked by urban sidewalk

Mitigating the Impacts of Delivery Services

How cities can minimize the impact of delivery vehicles on air quality and congestion through effective curb management and zero-emission delivery zones.

November 28, 2022 - The City Fix

Washington Bridge over Harlem River, New York

New York Announces New Bike Lanes and Public Space Improvements

As part of its commitment to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists, the city identified several major projects for 2023 that include protected bike lanes and public plazas.

November 28, 2022 - Smart Cities Dive

Three Lyft electric scooters parked on a sidewalk in West Los Angeles

Lyft Pulls Micromobility From Los Angeles Area

The company will no longer provide shared bikes and scooters in the L.A. region, citing a ‘lack of longterm commitment’ from cities.

November 25, 2022 - Santa Monica Daily Press

View of Houston buildings over White Oak Bayou

Proposed Park Yet Another Hurdle for Houston Interstate Expansion

The Interstate 45 widening project, halted by a federal order and opposed by many local officials and organizations, could hit a new snag if White Oak Bayou becomes a city park.

November 25, 2022 - Axios

Alaska

Anchorage Eliminates Parking Requirements Citywide

Anchorage is the latest city to enact sweeping parking reforms, in another blow to the car-centric status quo of planning.

November 23, 2022 - Anchorage Daily News

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.