Transportation

The Seat of Government

House Transportation Bill Misses Mark on Transit

Transit advocates have little good to say about the recently-passed Surface Transportation Reauthorization and Reform Act. While it doesn't cut transit funding, it does nothing to expedite transit-based solutions.

October 29, 2015 - Streetsblog Network

Port Authority Clears Major Hurdle for Bus Terminal Redesign

An expensive, contentious project to redesign and possibly relocate the Port Authority Terminal finally has a way forward: an international design competition to be concluded a year from now.

October 28, 2015 - New York Post

Google Self-Driving Car

Humans Faulted in Autonomous Vehicle Accidents

Reports from the California DMV blame human drivers for minor collisions involving Google's self-driving cars. Drive carefully in Mountain View.

October 28, 2015 - Techradar

California Bullet Train

Report: Cost Overruns and Deadline Constraints Plague California High-Speed Rail

At the heart of the financial and deadline challenges facing the $68 billion high-speed rail project are 36 miles of tunneling north of Los Angeles, according to Los Angeles Times analysis that includes interviews with experts on mega-projects.

October 28, 2015 - Los Angeles Times

Pedestrian Markings

So the Chief Doc Says 'Take a Walk'

Though the role for planners in making it easier to walk was clear even before the U.S. Surgeon General urged communities to design and plan for walking, more information is needed to understand why and where people choose to travel on foot.

October 28, 2015 - Steven Polzin

Trick Biker

Why Do People Hate Cyclists?

At the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning conference, several researchers shared their work examining why people hate bicyclists and what can be done about that animosity.

October 27, 2015 - Jennifer Evans-Cowley

Lake Michigan

The Death and Life of Evanston, Illinois

A comprehensive review of the inner-ring suburb of Evanston, Illinois, outside Chicago, and a transformation Jane Jacobs would surely love. The proof is in the pudding: Evanston car ownership are far below regional averages.

October 27, 2015 - Politico Magazine

Newark and New York

Only 10 miles separate New York City and Newark, New Jersey, but the two can seem worlds apart. Damon Rich, who moved from New York in 2008 to lead Newark's planning office, speaks about how his work there has shaped his perception of both cities.

October 27, 2015 - Satellite Magazine

Controversial 'Bus and Bike' Ballot Measure on Seattle's November Ballot

Seattle voters will decide on Prop. 1, a $985 million transportation levy known as Move Seattle, unanimously endorsed by the City Council and strongly backed by Mayor Ed Murray. However, the bus and bike priorities attracted a well-funded opponent.

October 27, 2015 - King 5 News

LA Metro, Wilshire and Western

Los Angeles' Metro Launches New Phase in Effort to Curb Sexual Harassment

After first launching its program in the Spring, law enforcement and Metro are reminding riders to report instances of sexual harassment on trains and buses

October 26, 2015 - The Source (Metro's blog)

Demystifying the Turning Radius and its Critical Importance to Street Safety

A MinnPost article explains the importance of a properly tuned turning radius while getting to the bottom of a controversial decision to remove pedestrian and bike infrastructure.

October 26, 2015 - MinnPost

Denver Union Station

Denver's New Commuter Rail Line to Airport to Open in April

You will be forgiven for thinking you are looking at an East Coast commuter rail line: It's electrified with level boarding, mostly 15-minute headways, with bike and luggage racks, operating 22 hours a day from Denver's Union Station to the airport.

October 26, 2015 - The Denver Post

Bicyclists White House

Gabe Klein's Vision for D.C. Transportation

Drawing on his experience with the Washington D.C. and Chicago departments of transportation, Gabe Klein shared his thoughts about transportation improvements in the capital—if money were no object.

October 26, 2015 - WAMU

Bike Amsterdam

Research Offers Lessons on Bicycle Planning

This past week at the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning conference, planning academics shared their research on planning for bicycles including bike sharing, bicycle education, and the use of cargo bicycles.

October 25, 2015 - Jennifer Evans-Cowley

6-year Transportation Reauthorization Passes Committee; 3-Week Extension Introduced

The bipartisan, $325 billion STRR Act unanimously passed the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on Oct. 22. A three-week transportation funding extension bill was also introduced, as the Highway Trust Fund expires on Oct. 29.

October 25, 2015 - The Hill

An Online Portal for Making Sense of Toronto Traffic Data

With so many potential sources of data with which to analyze traffic behaviors and real-time conditions, University of Toronto engineers have created an online portal that could one day help drive a system populated with autonomous cars.

October 25, 2015 - U of T Engineering News

SEPTA Investing $18.3 Million in Energy Efficiency

SEPTA has approved funding for $18.3 million in energy-efficient upgrades to the regional transit network.

October 24, 2015 - Philadelphia Inquirer

Railroads Given Three More Years to Install Positive Train Control

Agreement has been reached by Congress to extend the vital but costly safety system said to prevent many train crashes. Had it not been reached, freight railroads warned they would shut down, as would passenger rail lines running on their tracks.

October 24, 2015 - The Hill

Georgia Responds to Funding Uncertainty by Postponing 34 Road Projects

Though the congressional process of providing a bill that sets the funding agenda for the nation's transportation infrastructure seems to finally be moving forward, Georgia couldn't continue waiting.

October 24, 2015 - Atlanta Business Chronicle

Regional Bike Trail Plan Extends West from Portland

Washington County, located just west of Portland, is planning a regional trail that could eventually reap benefits for recreation and transportation.

October 23, 2015 - Bike Portland

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.