Transportation

Aerial view of Atlanta BeltlLine greenway with yellow umbrellas

New Study Commissioned for Atlanta BeltLine Transit

The study will assess alignment options for a 13-mile segment of the greenway.

September 12, 2023 - Urbanize Atlanta

People boarding Los Angeles Metro train on outdoor platform.

Lessons in Transit Equity

Two of the nation’s largest transit agencies outline how they are integrating equity concerns into their work.

September 11, 2023 - Smart Cities Dive

Faded green vintage gas pump

What Will Replace Gas Taxes?

States are developing a variety of mechanisms for replacing dwindling gas tax revenue, which most rely on for the majority of their transportation funding.

September 11, 2023 - Governing

AI-generated aerial view of freeway interchange with digital lines overlaid to indicate AI traffic management

Leveraging Holistic Platforms For Urban Mobility Solutions

How a ‘control tower’ approach can improve mobility and reduce congestion and emissions.

September 10, 2023 - Timothy Menard

View of Dallas city skyline with moderately busy freeway in foreground at twilight.

How to Reduce Excess Vehicle Travel

Some experts claim that remote work is the most effective way to reduce vehicle travel, but my research indicates that improving and encouraging walking, bicycling, and public transit can provide larger impacts and benefits.

September 8, 2023 - Todd Litman

BART train at outdoor above-ground station in Oakland, California

BART Will Run Shorter Trains

The agency says shorter trains will enable them to increase security, retire aging cars, and save on energy costs.

September 7, 2023 - The San Francisco Standard

Aerial view of freeway interchange in downtown Las Vegas

Las Vegas Residents Push Back on Freeway Expansion

A state plan to widen an interstate that cuts through downtown Las Vegas would displace hundreds of homes and businesses.

September 7, 2023 - Nevada Current

White and red Tesla EV chargers in an open-air parking lot in Corsicana, Texas with Dairy Queen restaurant in background

Texas to Require Tesla Chargers at Stations

Companies that build EV charging stations will have to include Tesla chargers to be eligible for federal funding.

September 6, 2023 - Yahoo News

Rendering of California high-speed rail train viaduct with arches

Tracking U.S. ‘Higher-Speed’ Rail Progress

Five projects are moving the United States forward on so-called “higher-speed” rail.

September 5, 2023 - The Washington Post

Los Angeles Protected Bike Lane

New Active Transportation Plan for Los Angeles County Announced

The new Active Transportation Strategic Plan (ATSP), announced recently by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, will be both aspirational and expensive.

September 5, 2023 - Los Angeles Daily News

A collection of screengrabs showing the uses of the Met-Go on-demand transit app.

On-Demand Microtransit Proves Itself in Rural Virginia

Two Virginia transit companies launched pilot projects for on-demand microtransit services in 2021, spurring record growth in ridership as a result.

September 5, 2023 - The Virginia Mercury

A map of the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail system.

New Jersey Transit Extension Goes Back to the Drawing Board After Federal Reversal

The Federal Transit Administration rescinded a clearance it granted in 2007, and a planned extension of New Jersey light rail line will suffer the consequences.

September 5, 2023 - NorthJersey.com

SEPTA Bus

The Bus Revolution Has Been Revised in Philadelphia

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority went back to the drawing board with its Bus Revolution system redesign after an initial round of feedback completed earlier this year.

September 4, 2023 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

An oil well in a mountainous and remote part of Utah.

Utah Oil Shale Extraction Dealt Major Setback

The Surface Transportation Board's approval in 2021 of a proposed 85-mile Uinta Basin Railway in Utah that would have enabled increased extraction of the world's largest source of oil shale was partially vacated by a federal appeals court last month.

September 3, 2023 - Progressive Railroading

Close-up of car tailpipe emitting white smoke

Colorado Launches ‘Cash-for-Clunkers’ Program

Colorado residents can get $6,000 in extra rebates if they trade in their old gas-powered vehicle for an electric vehicle. Rebates are expected to go quickly.

September 3, 2023 - Colorado Sun

Construction in progress on the Gordie Howe International Bridge above the Detroit River.

New International Bridge Rising Over the Detroit River

The Gordie Howe International Bridge is under construction, towering over the Detroit River at a height of 772 feet on the U.S. side of the river.

September 3, 2023 - Urbanize Detroit

Arlington to D.C.

Virginia Passenger Rail Sets Ridership Records, Seeks More Wins

Virginia’s commitment to intercity rail is paying off in record ridership numbers, but more work will be necessary to achieve the state’s ambitions for passenger rail.

September 1, 2023 - The Washington Post

A line of cars wait at the drive-thru window of a starbucks.

More Cities Ponder the End of Drive-Thrus

Drive-thru fast food restaurants might be a staple of American life, but several U.S. cities are actively considering prohibiting the development of new drive-thrus for the benefit of traffic safety, air quality, and congestion.

August 31, 2023 - The Denver Post

Portland Bus Lane

‘Forward Together’ Bus System Redesign Rolling Out in Portland

Portland is redesigning its bus system to respond to the changing patterns of the post-pandemic world—with twin goals of increasing ridership and improving equity.

August 30, 2023 - Mass Transit

AI generated image of a greenway and transit corridor.

Seattle Releases Draft 20-Year Transportation Plan

The draft Seattle Transportation Plan proposes an ambitious agenda for the next 20 years of transportation planning in the city of Seattle.

August 30, 2023 - The Urbanist

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.