Transportation

Subway WiFi

New York MTA Almost Eliminated WiFi on Buses

The New York City MTA has changed the story, twice, about its plans for little used WiFi service on the city buses.

July 29, 2019 - The City

Sound Transit Light Rail Extension

Light Rail Coming to Everett in 2036—Grassroots Planning Already Underway

A new light rail station scheduled for 2036 has one group in Everett, Washington thinking big.

July 29, 2019 - HeraldNet

BART Fare Gate

New BART Fare Gates Raise Questions About Hostile Design

How far is BART willing to go to stop people from jumping fare gates? Social media users have called new fare gates "skull crushers" and "inverted guillotines."

July 29, 2019 - KQED

Tailpipe

Four Automakers Make Private Deal with California on Emissions Standards

Next month, the Trump administration rolls out one of their most significant environmental rollbacks, freezing auto emission and fuel efficiency standards at 2020 levels. The deal unveiled by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday may upend Trump's plans.

July 29, 2019 - The Washington Post

Valley Metro Rail

Court: Phoenix Transit Spending Initiative Stays on the Ballot

The whole idea of public transit will be up for reconsideration in Phoenix on August 27.

July 29, 2019 - AP via ABC 15

Washington D.C. Street

U.S. Senate to Consider Five-Year Highway Bill Reauthorization

The first draft of the five-year reauthorization of the FAST Act would expand first-year spending by 17 percent.

July 29, 2019 - Transport Topics

Uber Eats

Uber Tests Subscription Bundling of its Services

Uber is selling a package that includes its delivery service, bikes, scooters, and a discount on ride hailing for one price.

July 29, 2019 - TechCrunch

Acela Express #2018

Amtrak Launches Non-Stop Service from NYC to DC

Taking the stops out of the Amtrak trip between the Nation's Capital and the Big Apple will save 15 minutes and hopefully, according to Amtrak, get more people off of planes and into trains.

July 28, 2019 - USA Today

TransLink SkyTrain

Vancouver's TransLink Named Best Transit System in North America

The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) named TransLink in Vancouver the best transit system in North America.

July 28, 2019 - Vancouver Sun

BART System

$100 Billion Bay Area Transportation Tax Considered for November 2020 Ballot

Two years after voters in the nine-county Bay Area agreed to hike tolls on the region's seven state-owned bridges, regional business leaders are hoping they will approve a one-cent regional sales tax to fund $100 billion in transportation projects.

July 28, 2019 - San Francisco Chronicle

WeGo Public Transit

A New Transit Hub Pitched in Nashville

The city of Nashville is trying to get back on track with some of the projects proposed in the 2016 nMotion plan—even without the massive pot of transit tax money it could have won at the ballot box.

July 28, 2019 - Streetsblog USA

Congresswoman

How the Green New Deal Could Transform the Built Environment

If it emulated and adapted the scope of its predecessor, the Green New Deal could transform the country in fundamental ways, with builders, planners, and architects playing central roles.

July 27, 2019 - Fast Company

Wrong Way

New Wrong Way Driver Protection Deployed in Ohio

Ohio transportation officials are taking extra precautions against rare, but deadly, instances of wrong way driving.

July 27, 2019 - WCPO

img_7314

U.K. Solar Trains to Embark in August

South Western Railway will be using its own solar panels to directly supply power to trains and partially eliminate its need for outside power.

July 27, 2019 - Electrek

Bus Lane

Moment of Zen: Watch L.A.'s New Bus Lane Outperform Car Traffic in Real Time

A pilot bus-only lane, originally intended to replace temporarily closed light rail service, has produced some big wins for transit advocates on social media.

July 26, 2019 - Metro Los Angeles via Twitter

Madrid Pedestrian Street

Driving Ban in Madrid Central Survives Despite Change of Leadership

In sharp contrast to France's yellow vest demonstrations against fuel tax hikes, Madrid residents took to the streets to keep them free of motor vehicles after new leaders were elected who vowed to rescind the driving ban enacted last November.

July 26, 2019 - CityLab

Metropolitan Saint Louis Transit Agency

Stop Thinning Underway in St. Louis

Metro Transit recently announced its plans to remove or relocate 450 bus stops systemwide in St. Louis city and county. After adjusting that number to 370 bus stops, the work of consolidating bus stops is underway.

July 26, 2019 - St. Louis Post-Dispatch

New York Bike Signage

After 17 Deaths in 2019, New York Has a New Bike Safety Plan

Vision Zero has tragically failed 17 people on bikes in New York City this year, and Mayor Bill de Blasio couldn't stick with the status quo any longer.

July 26, 2019 - The New York Times

Chicago Intercity Rail

Amtrak Adding Service Between Chicago and Milwaukee

One additional round trip a day will have to do, because adding three new trips proved too many for suburban communities located long the route in Illinois.

July 26, 2019 - Chicago Tribune

Translink Bus Service

That's How You Promote Better Bus Service

Along with new, improved bus service, Vancouver's TransLink launched some snazzy promotional materials.

July 26, 2019 - Vancouver Sun

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.