Transportation

$1.5 Billion in BUILD Grants Announced
The U.S. Department of Transportation announced funding winners for the BUILD grant program, which replaced TIGER this year. The differences between the two programs are immediately obvious.

All of L.A.'s Rail Lines Will Get New Names
Goodbye, Blue Line. Welcome, A Line. Goodbye, Red Line. Welcome, B Line.

Opinion: Too Much Parking Along Portland's Planned Light Rail Line
The Southwest Corridor could become the most parking-heavy rail line every created by TriMet. Even parking-lite planning scenarios would spend as much as $100 million on parking garages.

Second Avenue Subway Phase 2 Takes Step Forward
The federal government has signed off on the plan for Phase 2 of the Second Avenue Subway.

Thumbs Down to Planning Rules of Thumb
In planning, a number of common principles of practice are widely accepted. However, an alternative set of guidelines can better serve as information and decision-making tools.

The U.S. Has Pole Position in the Race to Deliver Autonomous Vehicles
For a country that loves cars and driving so much, the eagerness to automate transportation is conspicuous.

The State of the D.C. Region's Bus Network
The Bus Transformation Project recently released its findings on the state of bus transit in the Washington, D.C. region.

Commuter Rail, Bus Rapid Transit Plans Approved for Atlanta Region
Approval of two plans to bring new transit modes to the Atlanta region, reaching into the suburbs, mark a turning point in the transit history of the Southeast.

Legislation to End Sales of Gas and Diesel Passenger Vehicles in California Reintroduced
Assemblymembers Phil Ting and Ash Kalra have reintroduced the Clean Cars 2040 Act with the goal of banning the sale of passenger vehicles powered by internal combustion engines by 2040, with the California Air Resources Board playing a lead role.

Congestion Pricing in Los Angeles?
The city of Los Angeles is looking for ways to close a $26.2 billion funding gap for its plan to complete 28 transportation projects by the 2028 Summer Olympics.

Public Transportation Is Good for Kids
Using transit gives children experiences, skills, and perspectives that they won’t get riding in a car.

U.S. Report: Raise the Federal Gas Tax to Pay for Infrastructure Fixes
A report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine endorses an idea that is sure to be controversial.

Interstate Highway Tolling Takes Major Step Forward in Pacific Northwest
The state that implemented the first gas tax and the first bike tax took a huge step on Thursday toward becoming the first, since 1956, to toll all lanes on an interstate highway by approving an application to the Federal Highway Administration.

Fans of Transit and/or Chicago: We Have a Card Game for You
The card game LOOP was made by people who obviously put in some serious time hanging from straps on the L.

Financial Woes at Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority
A $25 million operating deficit will inspire some soul searching, and structural changes.

Transit Catastrophe After Toledo Funding Change Misses the Ballot
A ballot initiative intended to solve the Toledo Area Transportation Authority's budget deficit didn't appear before voters in November, and now less bus service will cost more to ride.

Slideshow: Walkable Houston
The Houston Chronicle shares the views in the most walkable sections of the city of Houston.

Residential Parking Permits for One of Cincinnati's Hottest Neighborhoods
Residents are looking for more reliable parking as Over-the-Rhine continues to boom.

Major Increase in Global Carbon Emissions Projected for 2018
The report from the Global Carbon Project, an international group of scientists who track greenhouse gas emissions, comes as a surprise as emissions had been relatively flat for the last four years. Global emissions this year will increase 2.7%.

Friday Funny: The Onion Eviscerates Bike Planning
More scathing satire from The Onion, which continues a long history of dissecting the priorities of society as reflected in the built environment and the public realm.
Pagination
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.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie