Transportation

North Carolina Light Rail

Light Rail From Durham to Orange Finds Final Funding Piece

Planners behind a new 17-mile light rail system that will connect the cities and employers in the Research Triangle in North Carolina overcame a change of funding plans by the state.

August 29, 2018 - The Herald Sun

Tar Sands Oil Just Lost Another Outlet, For Now

It was viewed as a "David vs. Goliath" pipeline fight: the city of South Portland, Maine against a pipeline company backed by Big Oil. The city had passed a zoning ordinance preventing the export of oil which would have impacted public health.

August 29, 2018 - InsideClimate News

Muni Bus Overhead Wire

How Bus Systems Compare When Using the Same Definition of 'On Time'

The definition of "On Time" varies from transit system to transit system, making comparisons difficult. When compared using the same standards, a more accurate portrait of transit performance emerges.

August 29, 2018 - TransitCenter

News

The Local Journalists Who Keep City Planning in the News

Planetizen's 2018 "Top Twitter" list focuses on the local journalists who work hard to keep planning projects and processes in the public eye.

August 29, 2018 - James Brasuell

Seoul Bus Stop

Lessons from Seoul's Bus Redesign

Seoul simplified its routes and kept its key bus lanes clear of traffic to revitalize it's transit system.

August 28, 2018 - Mobility Lab

Bunker Fuel Exhaust

Cleaning-Up the World's Dirtiest Fuel by 2020

A 2016 rule approved by a specialized agency of the U.N. is forcing large ships that burn bunker oil, the dirtiest type of fuel, to either burn a more costly low-sulfur variety, apply scrubbers, or turn to LNG.

August 28, 2018 - The Wall Street Journal

Highway Construction

'Rebuilding California': Controversy Over Signs Telling People Their Tax Dollars Are at Work

Caltrans says signs on transportation projects are nothing more than a useful way to show taxpayers that gas tax funds are being put to good use. But not everyone agrees.

August 28, 2018 - KPCC

St. Louis

Bridge Closure Will Reroute Traffic in St. Louis for a Year

The Martin Luther King's daily trip load has been greatly lessened by the opening of the Stan Musial Memorial Bridge in 2014, but all the drivers currently using the bridge will have to find another way to go.

August 28, 2018 - St. Louis Public Radio

Wildfire Season

Another Summer of Wildfires and Air Quality Emergencies

A third straight summer spent in a haze of smoke from nearby wildfires is taking a psychological toll on Seattle residents. A political response is also taking shape.

August 27, 2018 - CityLab

San Francisco Bike Lane

Maybe 'Bike Lanes' Should Be Called 'Narrow Lanes' Instead

With the popularity of electric scooters, it seems like non-automobile travel is gaining a large new constituency. Making room for scooters raises big questions of infrastructure that might not be answered first by nomenclature.

August 27, 2018 - Human Transit

Denver's Regional Transportation District Cuts Bus Service

Low ridership and driver shortages mean the Denver area's Regional Transportation District cut bus service.

August 27, 2018 - The Denver Post

Toronto Subway

Celebrity Voices to Remind You to Keep Your Feet Off the Seats

From Judi Dench to Queen Latifah, CityLab writers match transit systems with the personalities they think would make the best announcements.

August 27, 2018 - CityLab

London Crowded Street

The Many Benefits of Wandering Through Cities on Foot

Forget the countryside. Urban walking helps people understand their cities while at the same time encouraging urban landscapes where people actually want to walk.

August 26, 2018 - The Guardian

Illinois License Plate

Tougher Fines for Phone Use and the Introduction of the Dutch Reach for Illinois Drivers

Illinois gets to new pieces of legislation aimed at slowing the rise in pedestrian deaths and other commuter injuries.

August 26, 2018 - Chicago Tribune

AAA Study: Auto Ownership More Cost-Effective Than Ride-Hailing

Even after factoring in insurance, parking, depreciation, fuel, repair, maintenance and licensing, urban dwellers would pay half the costs to travel, on average, nearly 11,000 miles annually in their own new car rather than relying on ride-hailing.

August 25, 2018 - Smart Cities Dive

Bike Share

Baltimore Municipal Bike Share Ends; Private Bike Share Pilot Begins

Dockless electric scooters and bikes are welcome on the streets of Baltimore, as long as they follow a few rules. In related news, the municipal bike share system Baltimore Bike Share has ceased operations.

August 25, 2018 - The Baltimore Sun

Taxis

New App Helps Taxis Compete

The Waave app provides some of the functionality of ride-hailing apps to taxi drivers. The app is the result of a New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission pilot program.

August 25, 2018 - Crain's New York Business

New York Subway Station

Report: L Train Closure Finally Impacting the Brooklyn Real Estate Market

The New York MTA is planning to shut down the L Train from Brooklyn to Manhattan in 2019, and renters in the area no longer find the area along the route as attractive.

August 25, 2018 - Vice

Bus Stop and Bike Lane

Transit Shelter Modernization Plan on the Shelf in Seattle

Transit advocates thought a public-private partnership to modernize transit shelters and enhance the public realm was a done deal.

August 24, 2018 - The Urbanist

Bus Rapid Transit Route map

The Feds Finally Come Through for Albuquerque Rapid Transit

The city of Albuquerque has finally received the $75 million it needed to complete an ambitious plan for electric bus rapid transit along Central Avenue.

August 24, 2018 - KOB4

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.

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.