Transportation
The Past and Future of Pedestrian Malls
Pedestrian malls, a common urban design goal of the 1960s and 1970s have so fallen out of fashion that failed examples from history are cited as boogeyman like "bridges to nowhere" and "big digs."
Doubts Raised About the Private Equity Firm Behind High-Speed Rail to Vegas
Trouble in the Desert? The sources quoted in this article by Bloomberg aren't betting on the success of a high-speed rail line between Las Vegas and San Bernardino County in California.
Virginia Interstate Widening Would Convert Free Lanes to Toll Lanes
The Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization is proposing a 45-mile network of high-occupancy toll lanes on I–64 that includes conversions of 16 miles of carpool and three miles of general-purpose lanes. No unpriced lanes would be added.
I-5 Freeway Lid Plans Take Step Forward
A plan to build a cap over Interstate 5 in Downtown Seattle has taken a small but significant step forward.
Three Studies That Show Density Doesn't Determine Car Travel
Thirty years after a seminal study attempted to connect increased density with decreased automobile use, several new studies are raising doubts about that central assumption of contemporary planning.
What's Hindering Regional Transportation in the U.S.?
Public transportation that serves regional areas makes sense, but the United States has been slow to pursue strategies and policies that foster these types of systems.
Green Electricity for Lime Scooters
A new program that will incentivize scooter "juicers," the people who collect and charge electric scooters for a fee, to switch to green energy.
Report: Dangers of Pedestrian Texting Overblown
Distracted walking is never a great idea. But in New York City at least, texting while walking only led to 2 out of 534 pedestrian deaths from 2014 through 2017.
U.S. Lagging in Making Streets Safer for Pedestrians
Pedestrian deaths are on the rise in the United States, but cities have been slow to implement effective policies and road design measures to change the trend.
California Needs More EV Chargers to Keep Up with Demand
Electric vehicle sales continue to rise, but the need for more charging infrastructure is increasing as well.
Friday Funny: If BART Went Tudor Style
Trigger warning: this is going to get ugly.
Bike Lane Debate Continues in San Antonio
As a project to re-engineer Broadway in San Antonio continues, questions about where to put bike lanes persist.
Pedestrian Bridge Aims for Iconic Status in Cedar Rapids
Cedar Rapids took a crucial step forward on plans to build the Smokestock Bridge—a pedestrian bridge across the Cedar River.
Initial Site Plan for Amazon's HQ2 Finds Critics
A lack of architectural ambition and a focus on car transportation are two of the criticisms that have followed Amazon's initial plans for its second headquarters in Northern Virginia.
Quick Build Initiative Transforming the Streets of San Francisco
Street improvements to benefit cyclists and pedestrians have been moving rapidly in San Francisco since the June approval of the Vision Zero quick-build initiative, a two-year plan to expedite safety project on high-injury corridors.
Sacramento Regional Transit to Offer Free Transit Pass to School Kids
A new program by the SacRT, with support from Sacramento and four other cities in the region, will attempt to alleviate transportation deficits among vulnerable public school students.
Op-Ed: NYC Transit Service Cuts Wrong Way to Bolster Budget
The agency could see an influx of capital funds from congestion pricing, but cuts to bus and rail service to make up for budget shortfalls would result in long-term setbacks to the system.
In D.C., Sidewalks Don’t Equal Walkability
In theory, sidewalks are what make cities walkable. But in Washington, D.C., many sidewalks are not accessible to the people who use them.
76 Projects on Atlanta's Transit Wishlist
The recently formed Atlanta-Region Transit Link Authority released a new regional transit plan.
Law Prohibiting Bike Lanes Blockers Key to Creating a Liveable City
The city of Rochester, New York, decided to take legal action that ensures the city is as safe for people on bikes as intended.
Pagination
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.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS)
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
City of Cambridge
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello