Transportation

Road Construction

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.

June 13, 2017 - The Washington Post

Crosswalk

'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.

June 13, 2017 - National Association of City Transportation Officials

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.

June 12, 2017 - Los Angeles Daily News

Gas Pump

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.

June 12, 2017 - The Mercury News

Seattle Public Art

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.

June 12, 2017 - Next City

Texas

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.

June 12, 2017 - KUOW

Iowa Women of Achievement Bridge

Des Moines Has a Plan to 'Connect Downtown'

Des Moines is considering an ambitious complete streets makeover of its downtown streets.

June 12, 2017 - The Des Moines Register

Highway Construction

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.

June 11, 2017 - U.S. News & World Report

San Francisco

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.

June 10, 2017 - California Air Resources Board

New Jersey

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.

June 10, 2017 - Shelterforce/Rooflines

Prospect Park Bike Lane

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.

June 9, 2017 - StreetsBlog NYC

Suburban Seattle

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.

June 9, 2017 - The Urbanist

Subway Library

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.

June 9, 2017 - The Architect's Newspaper

L Train

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.

June 9, 2017 - Chicago Tribune

Orchard Station RTD Light Rail

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.

June 9, 2017 - The Denver Post

Norba, ancient roman town in Lazio, Italy

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.

June 9, 2017 - CityLab

Uber Self-Driving Car

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.

June 8, 2017 - The Wall Street Journal

Hartsfield Jackson International Airport

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.

June 7, 2017 - Vox

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.

June 7, 2017 - London Evening Standard

Houston Traffic

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?

June 7, 2017 - Governing

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.