Transportation

Electric Buses Stretching to New Lengths

Take a spin on the country's first articulated electric bus (minus overhead wires), manufactured by BYD Motors Inc. in Southern California and tested recently on the Los Angeles Orange Line.

January 7, 2015 - Los Angeles Times

Expo Line

New Transit Safety Narrative

Conventional traffic safety programs emphasize ways that individuals can help reduce their risk, but new research indicates that safety depends largely on community planning decisions that affect how and how much people drive.

January 7, 2015 - Todd Litman

Who Will End the Transportation Funding Insanity?

Charles Marohn starts off the year strong by throwing down the gauntlet on the perpetual transportation funding debate.

January 7, 2015 - Strong Towns

Gas and Bikes

California's 'Hidden Gas Tax' Arrives, Goes Unnoticed

The oil industry was predicting motorist outrage and an increase in gas prices of around 70-cents due to the carbon charge effective in the state on January 1. Some prices increased 10-cents, but went largely unnoticed.

January 6, 2015 - San Diego Union-Tribune

California High Speed Rail Breaks Ground Today in Fresno

The long-beleaguered California High Speed Rail project will have a historic moment today, January 6. The media's coverage of the event indicates the yet-to-be-determined future of the project.

January 6, 2015 - Los Angeles Times

Massachusetts Approves Initial Regulations for Transportation Network Companies

Transportation network companies like Uber and Lyft took a major step toward legal recognition in Massachusetts.

January 6, 2015 - The Boston Globe

Meet the New Federal Leadership on Transportation

New leadership on transportation issues steps to center stage as the result of Republicans taking control of both houses of Congress for the first time since 2006.

January 6, 2015 - The Hill

Seattle Light Rail Construction

Transit Projects to Watch in 2015

The Transport Politic provides its seventh annual list of major transit investments, finding an enormous amount of effort and funds going into improving transportation systems around North America.

January 6, 2015 - the transport politic

Upheaval at New York State Thruway Authority

The New York State authority with responsibility for the Thruway system, including the Tappan Zee Bridge as the most famous of its 809 bridges, is weathering leadership changes and a dismal budget shortfall.

January 5, 2015 - WNYC

Key Senate Republican Opens Door to Gas Tax Increase

Senator John Thune (R-S.D.), current ranking member and incoming chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation surprised the media when he announced on a Sunday morning talk show that a gas tax increase is possible.

January 5, 2015 - National Monitor

Op-Ed: Lower Houston Speed Limits

A planner makes the case for lower its speed limits in an unlikely city.

January 5, 2015 - Houston Chronicle

Streetsblog Presents 'Streetsie Awards' for the Best and Worst of Transportation

Tanya Snyder writes of the results of the 2014 "Streetsies Awards," based on the votes of Streetsblog readers.

January 5, 2015 - Streetsblog USA

Vintage Taxi

Uber and Lyft Are Dragging Traditional Taxi Companies Into the 21st Century

Rideshares like Uber and Lyft have been under attack for their brash approach to local regulations and laissez-faire pricing schemes, but they've also pushed traditional taxis to dramatically improve their service in a very short span of time.

January 5, 2015 - Shane Phillips

Car Bike Lane

Oklahoma City Considering 3-Foot Passing Law for Bikers (Not Drivers)

A new ordinance to be considered by Oklahoma City in January puts the onus to pass with three feet of space on bikers, rather than drivers. Critics argue that the low will further marginalize bikers on city streets.

January 5, 2015 - Bike OKC

Google Earth Screengrab

Using Google Earth to Understand Parking Utilization

As planners we use maps on a daily basis. This article shares how to find the date and time that a Google Earth image was taken, which can be helpful in undertaking site analysis and understanding parking utilization.

January 4, 2015 - Jennifer Evans-Cowley

Need for Speed? Missouri Considering 75 mph Rural Speed Limit

A bill, HB295, in the Missouri State Legislature would raise rural speed limits, making the state the latest in a group to raise speed limits as traffic fatalities on highways are decreasing.

January 4, 2015 - St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Clearing Up Myths on the Federal Gas Tax

In this Washington Post opinion, Paul Bledsoe, former staff member of the Senate Finance Committee, clears up five common misunderstandings about the federal gas tax to inform discussions on America's infrastructure funding crisis

January 4, 2015 - The Washington Post

Atlanta Streetcar

Atlanta Streetcar Finally Opens

It's 'back to the future' for Atlanta's $98 million investment that opened Dec. 30, although these will be modern, not vintage, streetcars that operate on a small loop. Streetcars last operated here in 1949. Mayor Reed intends to lengthen the route.

January 3, 2015 - The New York Times

Low Oil Prices Adds to Texas Transportation Budget Shortfall

Plummeting oil prices means Texans are seeing savings at the gas pump, but they also mean reduced revenue due to Proposition 1, the November 4 ballot measure that diverted energy taxes from the state's rainy day fund to the transportation budget.

January 3, 2015 - The Dallas Morning News

India Rescinds Tax Break on Cars

The price of cars in the country of India will increase—a lot—as the government rolls back tax breaks.

January 2, 2015 - BBC News India

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.