Transportation

Driverless Shuttle

Cities Increasingly Piloting Autonomous Shuttle Services

There is no shortage of autonomous shuttle services operating around the United States, which means there are plenty of lessons to be learned.

April 4, 2019 - Smart Cities Dive

Hermiston. Oregon

New Transit Funds to Support Buses in Rural East Oregon

A payroll tax will fund the expansion of bus services in Umatilla County, Oregon.

April 4, 2019 - Union Bulletin

Cleveland i-80

Gas Tax Increase Approved in Ohio

On July 1, motorists in Ohio will pay an additional 10.5 cents per gallon to fill up, while truckers will pay 19 cents per gallon more on diesel fuel sales. Accompanying the tax hikes are two controversial provisions that DeWine chose not to veto.

April 4, 2019 - The Columbus Dispatch

Denver TOD

Voters Could Decide if Denver Gets a New Department of Transportation and Infrastructure

Denver is considering a new city department in response to concerns expressed by bike and pedestrian advocates about the implementation of long-term plans.

April 4, 2019 - The Denver Post

Toll Road

Dire Financial Straits at the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation

The Pennsylvania Turnpike, the state Liquid Fuels Tax, state police, municipal finances, public transit—all play a role in Pennsylvania's big transportation funding mess.

April 4, 2019 - Lancaster Online

New Orleans Freeway

Ten 'Freeways Without Futures'

The Congress for New Urbanism has once again released on if its signature efforts: the Freeways Without Futures report that assumes urban freeways were a mistake of 20th century planning and engineering and advocates for a new approach.

April 3, 2019 - Congress for the New Urbanism

SEPTA Token

Fare Evasion 'Quietly' Decriminalized in Philadelphia

More social justice advocates in more cities are winning the argument that transit fare evasion punishments don't fit the crime.

April 3, 2019 - PlanPhilly

New York MTA Bus

The Denver Bus Driver Shortage

Low wages and a strong economy are making it hard to find new bus drivers in Denver. The lack of drivers leads to decreased service.

April 3, 2019 - Streetsblog Denver

Atlanta

Suburban Atlanta Rejects Transit, Again

The third time was not the charm for a transit sales tax in Gwinnett County, Georgia.

April 3, 2019 - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Chicago Metra and Highway

The Best Cities for Public Transit

Redfin released its updated transit scores for 2019 and, while there’s little change in the ranking, cities like D.C. and New York did see changes in their scores.

April 3, 2019 - Redfin

Empty Parking Lot

'Parking Madness' With a Twist

Streetsblog USA has launched its annual "parking madness" competition that has shamed the nation's worst parking crater for six years now. This year, however, the award will go to a former parking crater.

April 3, 2019 - Streetsblog USA

San Francisco Traffic

U.S. Millennials, Like Previous Generations, Drive a Lot

Despite a dip in vehicle miles traveled (VMT) in 2009, Americans continue to drive more and farther, despite some mistaken assumptions about Millennial travel behavior.

April 3, 2019 - CityLab

Ambulance

U.S. Pedestrian Deaths Still Climbing

After nearly 20 years of progress in pedestrian safety, fatalities started climbing again in 2010. In 2018, pedestrian deaths jumped to levels not seen in decades.

April 2, 2019 - NPR

New York City

Done Deal: Manhattan Congestion Pricing

Finally, congestion pricing, as applied to city cordons, not highways, will be coming to the U.S., thanks to a budget deal approved by the New York State Legislature early Sunday morning. Tolls below 60th Street should begin by Jan. 1, 2021.

April 2, 2019 - amNew York

Greater Richmond Transit Company

Richmond Bus Redesign Faces Equity Complaints

Residents charge the Greater Richmond Transit Company (GRTC) with making service worse for low income residents.

April 2, 2019 - WVTF

Electric Cars

N.Y.C. Saving Money With Electric Vehicles

The price of electric cars is dropping, and this together with lower lifetime costs makes them a good alternative for vehicle fleets.

April 2, 2019 - Quartz

Pedestrians

Self-Driving Cars Still Can't Recognize the Difference Between a Wedding Planner and an Urban Planner

Pundits agree that planners need to prepare for self-driving cars. Self-driving cars still need to prepare for planners.

April 1, 2019 - Planetizen April 1st Edition

San Jose, California

Housing Crisis Derailing California's Climate Strategy

In a powerful opinion in The New York Times, state Senator Scott Wiener and UC Berkeley energy professor Daniel Kammen make the case that transportation emissions are rising in the Golden States because of the shortage of housing in coastal cities.

March 31, 2019 - The New York Times

New Zealand Bus Transit

Smashing Transit Ridership Success in New Zealand

The city of Auckland, in New Zealand, set a goal to double its transit ridership in ten years. With a little under four years left to achieve that goal, the city is already well on its way.

March 31, 2019 - Stuff, New Zealand

Alabama Is Latest State to Hike Gas Tax

Thanks to bipartisan cooperation and strong leadership from Gov. Kay Ivey, the Heart of Dixie passed it first fuel tax hike in 27 years. The 21 cents per gallon tax will increase by 10 cents in three increments by 2021 and then indexed to inflation.

March 31, 2019 - AL.com

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.