Transportation

San Francisco

Increased Tolls for Bay Area Bridges Headed for a Vote

It is now up to the Bay Area's transportation planning agency to determine when to ask voters to hike tolls on seven Bay Area bridges, by how much, and whether to phase the increase. A bill to allow voters to fund Caltrain was also signed.

October 17, 2017 - SF Gate

Isafjordur, Iceland

Icelandic Town Hopes to Slow Traffic with 3-D Illusion

The small town of Isafjordur, Iceland is hoping an optical illusion painted onto a street will work to slow down drivers.

October 17, 2017 - Visir

Under Construction: An Elevated Pedestrian Path on the Chicago River

The new 312 RiverRun will connect three parks on a two-mile elevated pedestrian path.

October 16, 2017 - DNAinfo Chicago

Gaslamp Quarter

Power Shifts to Cities in San Diego County's Embattled Regional Planning Agency

Larger cities in California's second most populous county will be given more power thanks to a bill that reforms the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG). One result may be that more public transit measures appear on the ballot.

October 16, 2017 - The San Diego Union-Tribune

Rail Transit North Bay Area

New Commuter Train Comes Through for Fire-Ravaged Santa Rosa

Sonoma-Marin Rail Transit (SMART) has been operating almost continuously at full schedule, collecting no fares since the epic wildfires began in Sonoma County on Oct. 8. Two stations in the fire-zone are shut down due to lack of access.

October 16, 2017 - Marin Independent Journal

Minneapolis Bike Lane Protest

Bikelash Reaches a Whole New Level

A Minneapolis bike lane protest sets a new bar for opposition to bike lanes—Godwin's law was definitely in play.

October 16, 2017 - Streetsblog USA

Street Traffic

Where's the Concern About Spiking Traffic Fatalities?

Traffic fatalities are increasing faster than any time since the 1960s, but it's hard to notice much concern from the United States.

October 16, 2017 - Streetsblog USA

Self-Driving Cars

Autonomous Vehicles and Urban Contexts: It's Time to Engage All Stakeholders

At the 2017 Autonomous Vehicle Symposium, a group of experts were asked to predict the effects of autonomous vehicles in two case study communities, and to generate a list of proposed policy actions to prepare for a future of autonomous vehicles.

October 16, 2017 - Nico Larco

New York City From New Jersey

$1.7 Billion Project to Replace Critical Rail Crossing in New Jersey Underway

New Jersey's 107-year-old Portal Bridge has been a symbol of the region's crumbling rail infrastructure. A $1.7 billion project to replace the bridge, launched this week, is designed to improve the situation.

October 15, 2017 - NorthJersey.com

Seattle Train

Riverview Corridor Streetcar Passes Major Hurdle, Still a Long Way Off in the Twin Cities

An oversight committee has approved the Locally Preferred Alternative for the Review Corridor Streetcar project that will connect Downtown St. Paul to the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.

October 15, 2017 - MinnPost

Chicago Train Commute

Chicago CTA Expands Hard Back Seat Pilot, Seeking to Avoid Wet Surprises

Chicago trains and buses have long had dark cloth coverings, which can hide liquids and make for unpleasant experiences for riders.

October 14, 2017 - Reader

Electric Car Charging Station

A Dozen New Laws to Spur Sales of Zero Emission Vehicles in California

Gov. Jerry Brown signed 12 bills on Oct. 10 to facilitate the transition from oil-powered light and heavy duty vehicles to electric power in California, and thus meet his goal of putting 1.5 million zero-emission vehicles on the road by 2025.

October 13, 2017 - NGT News

Philadelphia Green Bike Lanes

An Architecture Critic Lists 7 Reasons Bike Lanes Benefit All Road Users

People—on bikes, in cars, and on foot—should be able to agree that bike lanes are better for everyone.

October 13, 2017 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

Metro Los Angeles Has a Trippy New Take on the Transit PSA

Metro Los Angeles new transit etiquette public service announcement is either a dream or a nightmare, depending on your perspective, but the transit agency clearly spared no expense in trying to impart a few lessons on courteous riding.

October 12, 2017 - The Source

Washington D.C.

Bike Ridership Outpaces Infrastructure in D.C.

D.C.'s bike-sharing programs are gaining popularity, but the city's infrastructure might not be enough to support the new riders.

October 12, 2017 - The New York Times

Bay Area's Newest Express Lanes Opened Monday

Due to the high level of existing congestion, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission warns motorists that the new I-680 Contra Costa Express Lanes will offer relief just before and after the peak commute hour.

October 11, 2017 - SF Gate

1,650-Mile Trail Network Proposed for New York Region

How does 1,650 miles of walking, hiking, and biking trails connecting the Tri-State area sound?

October 11, 2017 - Curbed New York

Transportation Network Companies

New Research on How Ride-Hailing Impacts Travel Behavior

Useable data of the effects of ride-hailing service on travel behavior is sorely lacking, but a new study sheds light on critical questions about what companies like Uber and Lyft mean for transit, active transportation, and congestion.

October 11, 2017 - Regina R. Clewlow

MBTA Bus

MBTA Pilot Makes the Case for All-Door Boarding

The MBTA pilot tested all-door boarding on two bus lines and found that the little-used best practice improved transit service.

October 10, 2017 - MBTA Data Blog

Woman in Bike Lane, Toronto, Canada

In the War on Cars, Only Drivers Kill

A Toronto Star columnist frames a recent spate of pedestrian fatalities in stark terms.

October 10, 2017 - Toronto Star

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.