Transportation

Columbia Heights Metro Station

Modernizing the D.C. Metro for a Growing Midtown

The neighborhoods served by Washington D.C.'s Yellow Line have grown and it's time for the train to catch up.

October 5, 2016 - Greater Greater Washington

New York Bike Signage

An Economic Assessment of the Public Health Benefits of Bike Lanes

Bike lanes are considered a social intervention, and not directly medically related. But they are also proving to have an obviously positive effect on public health outcomes.

October 5, 2016 - Reuters via Fox News

Cincinnati Streetcar

Cincinnati Leadership Trades Barbs Over Streetcar Frequencies

The popularity of the new Cincinnati Streetcar—known officially as the Bell Connector—has been tempered by poor performance on contractually mandated 15-minute headways.

October 5, 2016 - Cincinnati Enquirer

Houston Texas

Are Texans Driving Less? Depends on Who You Ask

Local and regional transportation planners responded skeptically to data from the Texas Department of Transportation showing Texans driving less.

October 5, 2016 - Streetsblog Texas

Construction Cranes

Funding Rolling in for Still-Uncertain Nicollet Ave Streetcar in Minneapolis

Several new developments are adding funds to the pot of money in a streetcar district created by Minneapolis to circumvent a politically unpalatable tax increment financing district.

October 4, 2016 - Minneapolis Star-Tribune

New York

Bill Introduced to Relieve Congestion—on Sidewalks

New York City has come a long way since the Giuliani days, when sidewalk barriers were placed at intersections to facilitate turning vehicles, thus prohibiting pedestrians from crossing the street.

October 4, 2016 - amNew York

A SEPTA R5 commuter train heading for Doylestown, Pennsylvania from Lansdale station.

SEPTA Trains Running on Schedule for the First Time in Two Months

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority returned to a normal commute schedule today, after making sufficient repairs to new trains that didn't start on the right track.

October 3, 2016 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

Birds Eye View of the George Washington Bridge

Bridgegate Implications for New Jersey and Beyond

In The New York Times Sunday Review, Matt Katz, a political reporter for WNYC and New Jersey Public Radio, gives an update on the federal trial for 'Bridgegate' and also paints a bleak picture for New Jersey, and maybe the United States.

October 3, 2016 - The New York Times - Sunday Review

Cars

Rethinking Traffic Safety

The United States has, by far, the highest traffic fatality rate among peer countries. Don’t blame drivers; planners need to rethink transportation safety.

October 3, 2016 - Todd Litman

Scramble Tokyo

Engineers Scramble for Pedestrian Safety in Los Angeles and Santa Monica

A "good news" story for pedestrians emerges from the streets of Los Angeles and Santa Monica. Traffic signals at heavily used pedestrian intersections have been reengineered to add a 'scramble phase' and the results are startling.

October 2, 2016 - NBC Los Angeles

Driveway Parking Garage

Today in the New Economy: Driveway-Sharing Apps

Two start-ups promise L.A. drivers on-demand parking and electric vehicle charging.

October 2, 2016 - KPCC

Landmark Agreement Reached to Increase New Jersey Gas Tax by 23 Cents

A day after a fatal NJ Transit train crash at the Hoboken Terminal, Republican Gov. Chris Christie and Democratic leaders of the legislature announced the agreement to raise the tax by 159 percent; the first increase to the *14.5-cent tax since 1990.

October 2, 2016 - The New York Times - N.Y. / Region

Empty Parking Lot

How Cities Are Slimming Down on Parking

Cities around the world are finding ways to go on a parking diet, freeing up unused space. San Francisco and Philadelphia are two U.S. leaders, while cities like Paris, Copenhagen, and Zurich pursue even more aggressive measures.

October 2, 2016 - The Guardian

Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh Planning Two Big New Bike Lane Projects

A city already known for its livability is ready to add new bike lanes in high profile locations.

October 1, 2016 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Transit Ridership

New York Adding Transit Jobs at Rapid Rate

Even as other middle class jobs disappear, the transportation sector continues to grow.

October 1, 2016 - Next City

Drive Thru

Are Drive-Thru Stores Appropriate For Walkable Neighborhoods?

Anthony Morando of New York's Cuddy & Feder LLP offers an opinion that drive-thru uses like fast food stores and pharmacies can co-exist in walkable communities. Examples given of drive-thru stores that have been designed to be contextually sensitive

September 30, 2016 - Modern Cities

Cars

White House Announces New Wave of 'Smart Cities Initiative' Funding

The Obama Administration is offering another $80 million in funding to test new transportation technologies.

September 30, 2016 - Next City

Hawaii

Hawaii to Embark on Nation's Largest Mileage Fee Demonstration Program

Unlike the more limited Oregon and California road usage charge programs currently in operation, Hawaii's program envisions over one million motorists participating in the demonstration program.

September 30, 2016 - AASHTO Journal

New York Street

How Far Can You Take Complete Streets?

8th Avenue was one of New York’s first "complete streets." Coined in 2003, the term refers to including cars, pedestrians, bikers, and public transit into city thoroughfares instead of prioritizing cars. Today, the trend is growing to other cities.

September 30, 2016 - Doggerel

Old Man Cyclist

Friday Funny: Some Cyclists Hand Signal Better Than Others

The satirical website The Onion once again casts its gaze on the habits of cyclists.

September 30, 2016 - The Onion

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.