Transportation

NACTO Releases Updated Guidelines for Shared Micromobility

The National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) is providing guidance for cities struggling to reckon with the sudden evolution of transportation modes in urban areas.

September 18, 2019 - Smart Cities Dive

Minneapolis Bike Lanes

Lower Speed Limits Included in Early Vision Zero Recommendations for Minneapolis

A report on how to implement Vision Zero traffic safety improvements in the city of Minneapolis included an ambitious menu of options, including lower speed limits citywide.

September 18, 2019 - Star Tribune

Saenredamstraat, Parking Free Street

Watch What Happens When Parking Disappears From an Amsterdam Street

Eve Kessler shares news of a new film from Streetfilms that documents the efforts of a neighborhood in Amsterdam to activate a street liberated from parking.

September 17, 2019 - StreetsBlog NYC

High-Speed Rail

$14 Billion Deal for Texas High-Speed Rail Construction

Italian construction giant Salini Impregilo will build the high-speed rail route connecting Houston and Dallas.

September 17, 2019 - Houston Chronicle

Central Subway Construction

2021 Opening Expected for San Francisco's Central Subway

Mark your calendars (but maybe use pencil).

September 17, 2019 - San Francisco Examiner

Portland Street

'No Crossing' Signs in Portland Limit the Public Way, Say Critics

In Portland, Oregon, transportation advocates are questioning the justifications for crosswalk closures in the city.

September 17, 2019 - BikePortland

Amtrak ACS-64

Increasing Passenger Rail Service from Pittsburgh Would Be Costly, Studies Show

Transportation advocates are calling for expanded rail service to the east, but studies indicate the needed infrastructure improvements would be pricey.

September 17, 2019 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Revel Scooter

Revel Mopeds, a New Addition to the Micromobility Landscape

The latest arrival on the shared mobility scene are Revel mopeds, part of the next generation of devices offering an alternative to car travel.

September 17, 2019 - Slate

Subway Sign

$51 Billion Capital Investment Plan Sets Records for New York MTA

There are some very large contingencies still left to resolve (like funding from the federal government) but revenues generated from congestion pricing are allowing for new levels of transit infrastructure spending.

September 17, 2019 - Politico

Electric Cars

Consumer Group Accuses States of 'Punishing' Electric Vehicle Drivers

The advocacy division of Consumer Reports published a study to highlight the practice of what could soon be a majority of state governments: charging electric vehicle owners an additional registration fee to compensate for forgone fuel tax revenue.

September 16, 2019 - Consumer Reports

Vancouver Street Scene

Pedestrian Planning Changing the Public Realm in Vancouver

A renewed commitment to pedestrian friendly infrastructure is changing the face of Vancouver and making space for more density.

September 16, 2019 - The Globe and Mail

Servers

Digital Transportation: The Future of Urban Mobility

The physical scale and unprecedented population growth in some cities have officials grappling with how to manage their transportation network. The Open Mobility Foundation has a bold, digitally-based vision to help cities meet their mobility goals.

September 16, 2019 - Robert Fischer

Garcetti Expo Line

Frequencies Restored on L.A.'s Expo Line After Rider Backlash

Trains were already crowded on the Metro Expo Line when they ran every six minutes during peak hours. When Metro cut frequencies to every eight minutes in June, riders were not pleased.

September 16, 2019 - The Source

Street Construction

A Traffic Safety Commitment for Chicago's West Side

Transportation planning will take on a much more safety-oriented focus according to the West Side Vision Zero Traffic Safety Plan announced last week.

September 16, 2019 - Streetsblog Chicago

Tilikum Crossing

Report: Shared Bikes and Scooters Could Reduce Car Trips By 50 Percent in Downtowns

A new report by INRIX Research ranks cities in the United States, United Kingdom, and Germany for the potential of micrombility devices to reduce automobile trips.

September 16, 2019 - The Oregonian

Transportation Planning

Seattle Ponders Improvements to Ballard Bridge for All Modes of Transport

The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) is in the midst of a planning study on Ballard Bridge, soliciting feedback from the community about how to improve circulation of vehicles and pedestrians.

September 15, 2019 - The Urbansist

Nice Tramway

France's Transit Ridership Booms as the USA's Busts

Large American cities are losing bus and train riders, but in France, most cities have seen the opposite trend.

September 15, 2019 - theTransportPolitic

Pedestrian Danger

After Rash of Pedestrian Deaths, Texas Looks to Create Safety Initiative

In 2018, drivers killed 632 pedestrians in Texas; 68 pedestrians were killed in San Antonio.

September 14, 2019 - Fox San Antonio

Port Authority of Allegheny County

Fewer Bus Stops in Pittsburgh

The Port Authority of Allegheny County is slowly but surely removing a significant number of bus stops from 98 routes in the system. Two routes are under review right now.

September 14, 2019 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Horse and Buggy

Batteries Replacing Horses in the Carriage Industry

A growing number of cities around the world, and around the United States, have banned horse-drawn carriages out of concern for the health and welfare of the horses.

September 14, 2019 - WHYY

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.