Transportation

Downtown Cleveland

Job Hubs as a Rust Belt Recovery Strategy

While cities in the "Rust Belt" have shown some signs of recovery, one worrying indicator is the large and growing distances between people and jobs. Clustering economic opportunity around job hubs could help.

July 5, 2017 - CityLab

Denver

Denver to Step Up Its Transit Game

Recent studies find that central Denver is still woefully underserved when it comes to transit accessibility. On the table are streetscape improvements to make life easier for pedestrians and transit riders.

July 5, 2017 - TransitCenter

San Bernardino Skyline

One Developer's Idea for Regional Housing Solutions in Southern California

New housing development is off to a slow start in Los Angeles in 2017. Although the city defeated an anti-growth ballot measure, LA is still faced with a number of policy and legal challenges to building an adequate supply of affordable housing.

July 5, 2017 - The Planning Report

Tuscany

Seattle Experiments With Fence-Free Sidewalk Cafés

Sidewalk-adjacent eating spaces generally separate diners from pedestrians. By using markers instead of fences, some Seattle eateries are opening their dining areas to the street.

July 4, 2017 - The Urbanist

Gondola Proposal Still Floating in D.C.

A proposed project to connect Rosslyn and Washington, D.C. by Gondola across the Potomac River still has support from the D.C. Council—enough support to fund an environmental study of the idea.

July 4, 2017 - Greater Greater Washington

Expo Line

Designing a Multi-Modal, User-Focused TOD Vision for Los Angeles' Expo Line

Facing explosive development interest around its Metro station, the small city of Culver on L.A.’s Westside is taking steps to shape its mobility future.

July 4, 2017 - The Planning Report

Palm Springs

U.S. Conference of Mayors Sets Target for 100 Percent Renewable Energy

The Annual Meeting of the United States Conference of Mayors wrapped up in Miami Beach earlier this week, culminating with a display of climate change solidarity.

July 4, 2017 - CleanTechnica

Bus Stop

Op-Ed: There Are No 'Captive' Transit Riders

Alex Baca argues that the dichotomy of "captive" versus "choice," while somewhat distasteful, is also incorrect. Transit can always stand to lose existing ridership through poor service.

July 3, 2017 - Greater Greater Washington

Protest Crowd

L.A. Metro CEO Challenges Trump on Infrastructure Funding

President Trump’s most recent transportation budget is projected to cut transportation spending by 13 percent, potentially undercutting many of Los Angeles' ambitious projects to continue the build-out of a full public transportation system.

July 3, 2017 - The Planning Report

Boris Bikes, London

London Mayor Wants Emissions Free Transportation Fleets by 2040

London's draft Mayor's Transport Strategy (MTS) is available for public review. Mayor Sadiq Khan says transportation is "at the heart" of his vision for a city for all Londoners.

July 3, 2017 - Smart Cities Dive

K Street Extension

Opinion: K Street Extension Key to D.C. Streetcar's Success

An extension down K Street would greatly improve the D.C. Streetcar's service level, according to Dan Malouf, but the District Council has shelved the project.

July 3, 2017 - Greater Greater Washington

Chicago Bikeshare

Chicago's Next Bikeshare Investment to Focus on Underserved Neighborhoods

Chicago is focusing its bikeshare installation in locations with what writer John Greenfield calls a "dearth of Divvy."

July 2, 2017 - Streetsblog Chicago

Long Beach to Los Angeles

L.A. Metro Will Spend $81.5 Million to Improve Blue Line to Long Beach

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) appears to be taking a break from its perpetual expansion projects to make some improvements to the heavily used but aging Blue Line.

July 2, 2017 - Curbed Los Angeles

West Virginia Becomes the Seventh State to Hike Gas Taxes, But Not by Much

Democratic Gov. Jim Justice signed legislation to increase its 32.2 cent state gas tax by about 3.5 cents per gallon and add substantial hybrid and EV fees. He also signed legislation to increase and expand road and bridge tolling.

July 2, 2017 - The Herald-Dispatch

Metro Buses

Los Angeles Metro Begins Conversion to Renewable Natural Gas Buses

At a June 22 meeting, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority board ordered 295 buses that will be fueled with renewable natural gas. An expected purchase of 35 electric buses was delayed until next month's meeting.

July 1, 2017 - NGT News

Downtown Freeway

Downtown Nashville's Downtown Freeway Facing Closures This Fall

The Tennessee Department of Transportation will close busy stretches of Interstate 24 several times this fall as workers replace bridges built in 1961 as quickly as possible.

June 30, 2017 - Equipment World

Robot car

Beware the Utopian Visions of Transportation Technology Boosters

At the dawn of automated vehicle technology, humans, and Americans in particular, should recall the shortcomings of past utopian visions.

June 30, 2017 - Eno Transportation Weekly

405 Traffic

Lowest Gas Prices in 12 Years Contribute to Record Travel This Holiday Weekend

Two new reports on transportation funding issued in advance of the July 4th weekend focus attention on gas prices and vehicle travel. Seven states will increase gas taxes on July 1 according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy.

June 30, 2017 - Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy

Santa Fe Train Station

Light Rail Stations to Charge for Parking in Southern California's San Gabriel Valley

The popularity of the Gold Line extension in the San Gabriel Valley to the east of Pasadena requires a new approach to parking. It's hoped that parking fees will decrease demand for parking at stations along the route without affecting ridership.

June 30, 2017 - KPCC

Seattle

Seattle Tackling Equity Challenges With Global Lens

Seattle is faced with an affordable housing crisis that has led the new Planning & Community Development Director Sam Assefa to look globally for solutions.

June 30, 2017 - The Planning Report

FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.

Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold

The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.

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.