Transportation

The Historical Foundation of America's Transit Disinvestment

The other day, a new Shinkansen bullet line was added in Japan, the first to operate high-speed rail in 1964. The U.S. has yet to build is first line. More troubling is the decay we've seen in the relatively new metro lines, like D.C. Metro and BART.

April 7, 2016 - The Conversation

Report: Increase Gas Tax to Solve Illinois' $43 Billion Transportation Problem

There's good news and bad news in a new report on the state of transportation infrastructure in the state of Illinois.

April 6, 2016 - Chi.Streetsblog

Bus Rapid Transit Route Planned for Detroit to Ann Arbor

The bus rapid transit route connecting Downtown Detroit with Ann Arbor, or also the Detroit Metro Airport, is under consideration as part of a master planning effort by the Regional Transit Agency.

April 6, 2016 - Deadline Detroit

Upstart Uber Competitor Will Offer Equity to Drivers

Juno, a new transportation network company launching to a small group of testers in New York this month, is hoping to shake up the business model adopted by its predecessors in the field.

April 6, 2016 - The Washington Post

U.S. DOT Announces $266 Million in Funding for Bus Transit

The U.S Department of Transportation has announced a competitive grant funding opportunity designed specifically for bus transit.

April 6, 2016 - Mass Transit

D.C. Metro Changes Arrival Estimation Technology

It's the details of transit apps that matter to users, so the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro) just made a change of technology provider that will help make it easier to accurately predict bus arrival times.

April 6, 2016 - DCist

Charlottesville to Begin Charging for Parking in Downtown

The city of Charlottesville, home to the University of Virginia, has approved a controversial measure to begin charging for on-street parking in the city's downtown.

April 6, 2016 - C-Ville Weekly

AP Style Guide Favors 'Crash' Over 'Accident' (Sometimes)

This is the moment a lot of traffic safety advocates have been waiting for: the AP Style Guide, purveyors of rules and regulations to journalists and other, has taken a side in the debate about the word "accident."

April 5, 2016 - Twitter

A Transportation Schism in the Atlanta Region

When suburban voters and political leaders oppose transit funding sales taxes, the entire region experiences the consequences. Atlanta is the latest case study in this political dynamic.

April 5, 2016 - Saporta Report

Toronto Towers

How to Rethink the Suburbs: A Lesson From Toronto

A new zoning law in Toronto could enable its hundreds of suburban tower developments to become vibrant and active communities.

April 5, 2016 - Doggerel

A Reversal of Direction for TransCanada

TransCanada, the company that hoped to build a Canada-to-Gulf Coast pipeline, now wants to build one to carry Bakken oil from North Dakota to Canada, transporting oil now hauled only by trains that have caused recent deadly explosions.

April 5, 2016 - The Bismarck Tribune

Atlanta Sprawl

Suburban Poverty Rising in Atlanta

Driven by economic and demographic trends, poverty in "outer ring" suburbs is on the rise. Since 2000, Atlanta's suburbs have seen the highest rate of change in poverty of any comparable metro region.

April 5, 2016 - WABE

Planning for a Network of Trails in the Heart of the Silicon Valley

San Jose, California's Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services has begun the process of updating its Trail Strategic Plan.

April 4, 2016 - San Jose Mercury News

The Golden State of Disabled Drivers

"Something is wrong," proclaimed Los Angeles Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D), "when one in eight California drivers claims a disability." Gatto has introduced two bills: one to address disabled parking, the other could promote variable pricing of parking.

April 4, 2016 - Streetsblog California

How High is Too High for Transportation Sales Taxes?

Sales taxes are regressive, but unlike the gas tax, they bear no relationship to transportation. Should a November transportation ballot measure pass, sales taxes in three cities in the county of Los Angeles would exceed 10 percent.

April 4, 2016 - KPCC

Amtrak Crash Shuts Down Northeast Corridor Service on Sunday Morning

An Amtrak train that originated in Boston and headed to Savannah, Ga. struck a backhoe working on tracks about 15 miles southwest of Philadelphia. Two Amtrak construction workers in or near the backhoe were killed; 31 train passengers were injured.

April 4, 2016 - Planetizen

Rockville Pike

Op-Ed: An 18-Lane Street Is Too Complete

Rockville, Maryland has plans to create a king-sized complete street along Rockville Pike, incorporating lanes for cars, bikes, buses, and more space for landscaping. But can a street like that still serve pedestrians?

April 3, 2016 - Greater Greater Washington

Jersey City, Hoboken in Bikeshare Spat

Two New Jersey cities square off when one accuses the other of abusing public resources—this familiar story is given novel form by bikeshare and public bike racks.

April 2, 2016 - The Jersey Journal

Plans Advance for Orange County Streetcar

The $289 million streetcar would serve the cities of Santa Ana (population 329,00), county seat and second densest in California after San Francisco, and Garden Grove (population 170,000) on a 4.1-mile route. Service could begin 2020.

April 2, 2016 - Orange County Breeze

World Peace

Study: Self-Driving Cars Likely to Restore 70% of Lost Faith in Humanity

A new study also finds reason to believe that self-driving cars will make everyone nicer and generally more affable that any point in human history since the advent of the car.

April 1, 2016 - Planetizen April 1st Edition

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.