Transportation

Michigan

300,000 Michigan Drivers' Debt Forgiven

Michigan to grant amnesty to 300,000 drivers whose licenses were taken from them because they were too poor to pay the "Driver Responsibility Fee."

October 5, 2017 - Slate

Traffic and Skyline

Travel Trends: Are They Changing?

Recently released travel data show Americans returning to their cars as the economic recovery deepens. Alternative forms of transportation are not attracting new users.

October 4, 2017 - Steven Polzin

End of the rainbow

What's Behind the Removal of Public-Private Partnerships from Trump's Infrastructure Plan?

Partnering with the private sector carries risks. Witness the mess that followed the selection of a private firm to build an interstate in Indiana in 2014 that Vice President Mike Pence should have prevented in his prior position as governor.

October 4, 2017 - The Indianapolis Star

memphis Bus

A 'Memphis 3.0' Vision for Transit Taking Shape

In 2019, the city of Memphis will enter its third century with, hopefully, an ambitious new vision for public transit in place.

October 4, 2017 - The Commercial Appeal

Highway

Florida DOT Adopts 'Context-Based' Street Design

The "right street in the right place" hasn't always been a concept that departments of transportation were ready to acknowledge, much less adopt. The Florida Department of Transportation, however, is working to take context into consideration.

October 4, 2017 - State Smart Transportation Initiatives

Bus Rapid Transit

Pittsburgh's Planned Bus Rapid Transit Could Leave Some Riders Behind

A proposed bus rapid transit route connecting Pittsburgh to the neighborhood of Oakland will surely benefit many commuters, but other transit commuters, including some of the poorest in the region, will face new hardships.

October 3, 2017 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

4-Wheeling

Can I Have a Diet Coke With That Ice Cream Sundae?

Essentially that's what UC Davis, Yale, and MIT researchers found among California families who purchase very fuel efficient vehicles—they also pair them with gas hogs. If your family owns two vehicles, do you meet the profile?

October 3, 2017 - San Francisco Chronicle

Chicago's Lakefront Trail Gets an Update and Loses an Exit

Construction on Chicago's Lakefront Trail, which stretches from south of the city's downtown up to the North Side, will involve many updates and changes.

October 2, 2017 - Streetsblog Chicago

Denver Bike Lane

Critiquing the Bike Friendliness of a City with a Reputation for Bike Friendliness

One opinion writer thinks Denver is getting more credit than it deserves as a bike friendly city, but to be fair, a lot of cities have gotten good at overselling their bike friendliness.

October 2, 2017 - The Denver Post

Metro Los Angeles

The L.A. Metro 'Megaproject' Connecting Downtown and Southeast L.A. County

The West Santa Ana Branch light rail would offer new infrastructure and economic activity to a transit-dependent part of the county.

October 2, 2017 - The Planning Report

The Calm Streets Project Launches in St. Louis

The Calm Streets project, intended to improve traffic safety, walkability, and economic development opportunities in St. Louis, picked up new momentum in the form of grant funding.

October 2, 2017 - nextSTL

A bride and groom riding on citi bikes in New York

It's Likely That Your Next Citi Bike Trip Will Be Faster Than a Taxi Ride

Looking for a reason to ride a bike instead of pay for a taxi? This new interactive guide makes the case for Citi Bike in New York City.

October 1, 2017 - Todd W. Schneider

FLV California train

California High-Speed Train Behind Schedule in the San Joaquin Valley

$2.5 billion in stimulus money to build a San Joaquin Valley high speed train has been spent, yet the train is still almost a decade from being ready to carry passengers across its entire run.

October 1, 2017 - Fresno Bee

Army Corps to the Rescue!

In the wake of the slow response by the Trump Administration to the devastation caused by the category 4 Hurricane Maria's direct hit on Puerto Rico on Sept. 20, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has been called to rebuild the infrastructure.

October 1, 2017 - CNN

Tailpipe

California Mulls Banning Sales of Cars with Internal Combustion Engines

Eying European and Asian countries that have set, or are considering timelines to ban sales of cars that emit greenhouse gases, the California governor asked his chief air regulator to see why California couldn't follow suit.

October 1, 2017 - San Francisco Chronicle

Lyft

Next Steps in Lyft's 'Evolution': Public Partnerships, Fixed Routes, Autonomous Fleets

Lyft's Emily Castor Warren situates the company's newest initiatives within the "rapid pace of innovation" occurring in transportation.

October 1, 2017 - The Planning Report

Uber Protest

Uber Loses its License in London

Uber will appeal a decision to repeal its operating license, but the decision by Transport for London is a major blow for the embattled transportation network company.

September 30, 2017 - The Guardian

12.3-Mile Gold Line Extension Takes First, Tentative Steps in Southern California

One step forward, and maybe two steps back, for a 12.3-mile extension of the Gold Line light rail in the San Gabriel Valley.

September 30, 2017 - San Gabriel Valley Tribune

Los Angeles

Los Angeles Union Station Plan Creates Multimodal Access to Downtown L.A.

When it comes to trains, trams, and buses, L.A.'s Union Station is "the most transit-accessible location in Southern California." Soon, it will finally connect to its own neighborhood.

September 29, 2017 - The Planning Report

Monsoon Rail Station

Breaking News: Tragic Stampede at Mumbai Rail Station Leaves 22 Dead

A tragic stampede at a Mumbai rail station is putting new focus on the state of rail infrastructure in India.

September 29, 2017 - BBC

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.