Transportation

Waze

Flooded With Navigation App Users, a Town Closes Its Streets

Navigation apps like Waze often reroute drivers onto residential streets that would be quiet otherwise. With some residents unable to leave their driveways, the New Jersey borough of Leonia has taken an extreme measure against the problem.

January 5, 2018 - The New York Times

Tesla

Welcome to the Electric Vehicle Charging Station of the Future

But only if you drive a Tesla. Unlike a traditional "fill-up," charging an EV takes time—30 minutes for Tesla Superchargers—so Tesla provides an exclusive lounge for its customers at a new 40-Supercharger "rest stop" on I-5 in California.

January 5, 2018 - San Francisco Chronicle

Kids Draw Cars of the Future

Friday Eye Candy: The Cars of the Future, Envisioned by Children

Ten children, ages six through 12, were asked to draw the cars of the future, and then a professional illustrator touched up their ideas.

January 5, 2018 - Quartz

Washington

A History of Female-Led Opposition to Urban Freeways in Spokane, Washington

Former Washington State Representative Margaret Hurley, aided by Margaret Leonard at the local level, saved the Logan neighborhood in Spokane from a freeway plan that would have razed 600 homes. Now the plan is reborn in another part of town.

January 4, 2018 - The Spokesman-Review

Mobility

How Cycling Can Help the Disabled Stay Mobile

In the U.K. university town of Cambridge, more than a quarter of disabled commuters travel by bike.

January 4, 2018 - The Guardian

Uber Eats

Uber Valuation Down Sharply Since 2015

Scandals and growing competition have contributed to the declining value of the transportation network company.

January 4, 2018 - Slate

More on those Freeway-Adjacent Affordable Housing Developments

The Los Angeles Times follows-up an earlier article on the dangers of building too close to freeways. It's a trade-off that the California Air Resources Board acknowledged last April with new guidelines that recognize the dire need for housing.

January 4, 2018 - Los Angeles Times

Milwaukee

Why Free Rides on the Milwaukee 'Hop' Streetcar Are a Bad Idea

Citing the psychological impact of doughnuts and the American Red Cross, one opinion writer questions the wisdom of a recent sponsorship deal.

January 4, 2018 - Urban Milwaukee

280 Freeway San Francisco

San Francisco Supervisors Cool to Express Lanes on City's Freeways

The county agency that had hoped to do downtown cordon pricing now wants to add express lanes on Highways 101 and 280, but city supervisors are divided on charging solo drivers the option to buy into managed lanes. Both freeways lack carpool lanes.

January 3, 2018 - San Francisco Examiner

Port Authority Trans-Hudson

Is the Nation's 'Most Crucial' Infrastructure Project a Pawn in a Political Game?

Observers say the Trump Administration might be threatening to "kill the hostage" in a hardline negotiation tactic on the Gateway project to build a replacement rail tunnel under the Hudson River to connect New York and New Jersey.

January 3, 2018 - Crain's New York Business

Toll Road

Dynamic Tolling Done Right—VDOT Shows the Way

Virginia's 66 Express Lanes feature uncapped tolls that change every six minutes with the level of congestion, with most revenue benefiting transit. Carpools travel free, but solo-drivers in electric vehicles pay like others.

January 3, 2018 - Business Insider

Pedestrian Friendly

New York to Spend $50 Million on 1,500 Protective Bollards

New York City officials, including Mayor Bill de Blasio, are responding to a wave of terrorist attacks and other tragic events with a proposal to build protective bollards around the city.

January 3, 2018 - CBS News

One Way Sign

Vision Zero in Name Only

Many cities say they've adopted Vision Zero, but the numbers show they aren't actually getting any safer.

January 2, 2018 - Streetsblog USA

Amtrak Cascades Derailment Foreseen in Original Rail Plans

The cause of last month's deadly Amtrak crash south of Tacoma above Interstate 5 is attributed to the train traveling at 78 mph through a curve with a speed limit of 30 mph. The original plan for the bypass called for the elimination of that curve.

January 2, 2018 - New York Post

720 Bus at Vermont and Wilshire

The Twitter Spat Heard 'Round the Planning World

It's understandable if you were too busy reveling in the holidays to catch the details of a controversy between Elon Musk and Jarrett Walker. The disagreement took on a life of its own on social media.

January 2, 2018 - James Brasuell

Second Avenue Subway

An Investigation of New York's Record Shattering Subway Construction Costs

The New York Times devotes feature-length coverage to the soaring costs of subway construction in New York City, where the cost of construction has reached as high as seven times the average around the world.

January 2, 2018 - The New York Times

Female Cab Driber

Women-Only Ride-Hailing: A Safety Solution?

In Mexico, one popular app illustrates the feasibility and efficacy of women-only transportation models.

January 2, 2018 - CityLab

Bus Lane

Sunnyvale Rejects Bus Rapid Transit Pitch

The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority is pitching local governments on the idea of restricting lanes for use by buses during peak hours on a major inter-city thoroughfare. One city, at least, doesn't like the idea.

January 1, 2018 - The Mercury News

Chicago Divvy

Chicago Bikeshare Rides Are Up, But Revenue Is Down in 2017

As the Chicago bikeshare service extends to more area in the city, some of the stations are in less dense locations and get fewer riders. Thus, though Divvy's revenues have gone up, the income to the city from the program has gone down.

January 1, 2018 - Chicago Tribune

Bikes and Train Station

Berlin Unveils Transformative Bike Plan

The German capital could see a new system of cycle superhighways, an expanded bike lane network, and more by 2025.

January 1, 2018 - CityLab

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.