Transportation

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

Hokkaido Shinkansen Now in Service

As of Saturday, Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost island, was connected to Tokyo by the newest addition to Japan's iconic Shinkansen bullet trains. The 513-mile route includes 33.4 miles in "the world's deepest operational main-line rail tunnel."

March 31, 2016 - The Telegraph

Study: There's Too Much Parking in Chicago

With underground parking spaces costing $37,000 and more to build in Chicago, it might come as a shock that a recent study found much more parking supply than demand around the city's apartment buildings.

March 31, 2016 - Chicago Tribune

D.C. Officials: Metro Closures Could Span Six Months

Just a single day with D.C. Metro was bad, but it's possible the closures were just getting started.

March 31, 2016 - The Washington Post

Planning Begins for Bus Rapid Transit Route in Milwaukee

A new website and a pair of public meetings kick off the planning process for an East-West bus rapid transit (BRT) route in Milwaukee County.

March 31, 2016 - Urban Milwaukee

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.