Transportation

Nashville

Nashville Mulls Funding Ideas for its $6 Billion Regional Transit Plan

The Nashville Metropolitan Transit Authority and the Regional Transportation Authority of Middle Tennessee adopted the most comprehensive and expansive version of the nMotion plan. Now they have to fund all those big ideas.

November 11, 2016 - The Tennessean

Detroit's Failed Regional Transit Plan Strikes a Blow to the City's Revival

Voters in the Detroit region had a chance to reverse 40 years of neglect for regional transit. Instead, they kicked the can down the road.

November 11, 2016 - Detroit Free Press

Mini Metro

Friday Fun: Now You Can Race to Keep the Trains Running on a Mobile Phone

The Mini Metro transit planning game has been around in all its simple and frustrating glory for a few years now, but it only recently became available as a mobile app.

November 11, 2016 - The Verge

MAX Orange Line - Portland, Oregon

Votes Seem to Favor Expansion of Portland-Metro Light Rail System

Votes are still being counted, but an expansion of the MAX light rail system to the suburban community of Tigard appears to be squeaking out a victory.

November 10, 2016 - OPB

Metro Fare

Bronx Pays More Than its Share for Rail Service

Higher per mile prices push, lower-income Bronx commuters to use other means of travel.

November 10, 2016 - RPA Lab

Donald Trump

Election Roundup: Planning's Big Day at the Ballot Box

Beyond the headline-grabbing presidential election, many states and localities voted on issues critical to the planning profession.

November 9, 2016 - James Brasuell

Denver A Line

Problems on Denver's New Commuter Rail Lines Threaten Shutdown by Federal Regulators

The problems caused by crossing gates for the new A and B Lines are so serious that the Federal Railroad Administration had threatened to close both lines on Nov. 5. They granted the Regional Transit District a 90-day waiver.

November 9, 2016 - Regional Transportation District

London Truck

Making the Most Dangerous Trucks Illegal in London

Commercial vehicles, and heavy trucks in particular, cause a disproportionate number of pedestrian and cyclist fatalities, London Mayor Sadiq Khan is proposing to ban the most dangerous trucks from entering the city.

November 9, 2016 - Streetsblog USA

SEPTA Token

An Early Win for Clinton on the Penultimate Day of Election

With Pennsylvania a battleground state and Philadelphia a Democratic stronghold, ensuring that transit-dependent voters get to the polls was a given, but a transit strike beginning Nov. 1 threatened to derail access. The strike was settled Monday.

November 8, 2016 - USA Today

Brooklyn-Queens Expressway

A $1.7 Billion Highway Project Looms in Brooklyn

The Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE) is built atop of crumbling series of bridges. The city is expected to go in high gear on construction on Brooklyn's only interstate highway by the beginning of the next decade.

November 8, 2016 - Politico New York

D.C. Metro

Big Hopes Ride on a Recently Approved Transit Station in Alexandria

A long-delayed decision by the National Park Service and the Federal Highway Administration removes the final regulatory obstacle for the construction of a new Metro station in Alexandria, Virginia.

November 7, 2016 - The Washington Post

Even Quaint Towns Can Be Cutting Edge

Small towns can teach big cities about effective roadway designs.

November 6, 2016 - Modern Cities

Hyperloop

Hyperloop Readies For BIG Debut in the UAE

A test of a "fully-operational" Hyperloop transportation system is scheduled to take place next week in the United Arab Emirates.

November 5, 2016 - ArchDaily

Empty Subway

The Washington Post Urges a Radical Fix for D.C. Metro: Federal Takeover

The Washington Post opines that the best way to end Metro's 'death spiral' is to have the federal government take it over, similar to the way it intervened in the district's fiscal meltdown in the 1990s or Puerto Rico's debt crisis this summer.

November 5, 2016 - The Washington Post - Editorial

Barcelona Train

Sustainable Transport Enables Tremendous Opportunities

A new United Nations Secretary-General's High-level Advisory Group on Sustainable Transport identifies policies that can result in inclusive and equitable growth, social development, protection of the global environment and ecosystems.

November 5, 2016 - Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform

New York

New York Launches Campaign to Warn Drivers and Pedestrian About Darkness

In an effort to curb traffic accidents, which typically increase with longer nights, New York is launching a 'dusk and darkness' ad campaign.

November 4, 2016 - The New York Times

Oroville Drought

New California Law Empowers Local Governments to Plan for Climate Adaptation

State Senator Bob Wieckowski is working to help communities get the necessary tools to increase capacity for climate resilience.

November 4, 2016 - The Planning Report

SEPTA Station

Could the Philadelphia Transit Strike Determine Who Becomes the Next President?

Hundreds of thousand of bus, trolley and subway riders (and potential voters) in Philadelphia have been left to find alternative means of transportation since Nov. 1 due to a strike by the local Transport Workers Union who work for SEPTA.

November 3, 2016 - The Washington Post

Indianapolis Freeway

Indianapolis' Inner Loop at 40

Indianapolis' I-65/I-70 inner loop, now 40 years old, made a big impact on the city.

November 3, 2016 - Indianapolis Monthly

Chicago

Chicago Debates Merits of Expanding the Kennedy Expressway

Chicago's Kennedy Expressway to the O'Hare Airport is getting a $22.9 million lane expansion, some active transit and public transit advocates question the wisdom of that investment.

November 3, 2016 - DNAinfo Chicago

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.