Transportation

The Two Faces of Trump's Infrastructure Plan
The president spent Infrastructure Week touting a $1 trillion infrastructure investment plan that has yet to materialize, unlike the elimination of an essential grant program in his 2018 budget that will be detrimental to over 50 transit projects.

'Green Light for Great Streets' Initiative Aims to Remove Traffic Safety Roadblocks
Too often, the word "streamlined" is applied to transportation projects at the expense of safety and liveability. The National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) would like to switch that dynamic.
Renewable Natural Gas and Electricity Should Power Los Angeles Bus Fleet
It's not one or the other but both, argues Denny Zane of Move LA in a guest commentary for the Los Angeles Daily News about the decision that Los Angeles County Metro will make on June 22 on the future of the nation's second largest bus fleet.

Voter Backlash Expected From Gas Tax Hike
There's a reason it can take decades to increase gas taxes — and many California legislators may soon found out why in November 2018, if not earlier. On November 1 of this year, state gas taxes will increase 12 cents per gallon.

The Best of the Best Complete Streets Policies
Complete streets policies are keeping planners busy across the country. An annual report features the best of the best when it comes to transforming city streets for the safety and activity of all users.

Commuting by Kayak Across Lake Austin
This story about man whose commute to work involves "water like glass" and chirping birds might make car commuters and straphangers envious.

Des Moines Has a Plan to 'Connect Downtown'
Des Moines is considering an ambitious complete streets makeover of its downtown streets.

Trump Ends Infrastructure Week by Streamlining the Permitting Process
President Trump made a compelling case for reducing the length of time needed to construct major infrastructure projects to justify the creation of a new White House council to streamline permitting. Only one problem: it already exists.

California Progress Report: GDP Increases While GHGs Fall
California is demonstrating that improving the economy and the environment go hand in hand. A new inventory report from the state's Air Resources Board notes changes in gross domestic product, population, and greenhouse gas emissions since 2000.

Changes to Tax Credit Criteria Are Breaking Up Concentrated Poverty in New Jersey
Recent news reports have highlighted the low number of federally-funded affordable housing projects that are built in high-opportunity areas, but an examination has found that strategic allocation changes are having a beneficial effect in New Jersey.

Safety Should Be Just Half the Goal of Vision Zero
A Streetsblog NYC article argues that New York misses an opportunity to make itself more vibrant and accessible by focusing only on safety and not also on active transit infrastructure.

Seattle's Cup Runneth Over: Suburb Launches Long-Range Transit Plan to Handle Growth
The city of Everett is expecting a 60 percent jump in population by 2035, most of which will be focused in its city center. All of those people will also need an efficient and useful citywide transit system.

Meet New York's New 'Subway Library'
Public transit has always been a good place to catch up on some pleasure reading, but now the New York MTA and the New York Public Library have taken their synergy to new levels.

Chicago 'L' Train Celebrates 125th Birthday
The 'L' train has survived calls to be disbanded and a tumultuous century and a quarter to become a, sometimes unreliable, city icon.

Denver Suburb Rejects TOD at Light Rail Station in Special Election
Tuesday's mail-in vote by residents of Greenwood Village to overwhelmingly reject a city-council approved plan to allow mixed-use development at a light rail station is a major setback for smart growth proponents.

Friday Eye Candy: Ancient Rome's Maps, Reimagined as a Transit System
There are surprisingly few maps of ancient Roman roads, and many fewer maps of ancient Roman roads that resemble big-city subway maps. An intrepid student has improved upon that situation, however.

Trump Administration Preparing to Rewrite the Rules for Self-Driving Cars
Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao spoke publically about the need for the federal government to regulate a way forward for the deployment of automated vehicle technology.

Infrastructure Week Begins With Air Traffic Control Modernization
Infrastructure Week 2017 kicked-off Monday with the announcement that the president plans to privatize air traffic control. It won't be the first attempt at modernizing the antiquated system. Additional events planned Wednesday through Friday.
Pedestrian Barriers Installed on London's Bridges Endanger Cyclists
In the wake of two terrorist attacks on London bridges that killed pedestrians, concrete barriers were installed on three crossings to prevent repeat rampages. The only problem is that they were installed in bicycle lanes.

Post-Recession, 'Super Commuters' Increasing in Number
The number of "super commuters"—people who commute for over 90 minutes—is still a relatively small percentage of the country, but it's a number that's growing quickly. What does that mean about the economy?
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Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
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Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Mt Shasta
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada