Transportation
Massachusetts Could Be Next State to Adopt a Road Usage Charge
In the wake of voter rejection of automatic indexing of the state gas tax, Massachusetts legislators may do away with the tax altogether. They are considering a trial of the Oregon model of road usage charge.
Build It and They Will Come: Big Expansion Expected for Houston Bikeshare
Critical funding from the Houston-Galveston Area Council’s Transportation Policy Council will expand the size of Houston's B-Cycle bikeshare system. The investment is intended to attract more users.
Nashville Neighborhood Conducts Car-Free Experiment
A neighborhood in West Nashville is in the midst of a "Don't Car Campaign," concluding on September 25, to determine just how walkable and transit-friendly their homes can be.
Electric Vehicles: When Too Much of a Good Thing Is Bad
Environmental sustainability on a national level is proving to be financially unsustainable on a local level for an island community in Norway that is counting on $20 tolls, with an electrical vehicle exemption, to pay off a $70 million tunnel.
Moving Forward in Ferguson with Better Transit
The Ferguson Commission report includes recommendations for combating racial inequity in the Saint Louis region with better-funded, more expansive transit access.
Mercedes-Benz Developing Self-Driving Limousines
Manifesting predictions that many self-driving vehicles will serve as a new form of taxi service, Mercedes-Benz recently revealed some of its plans to develop a fleet of on-demand limousines.
The Case for an Oil Severance Tax
After Big Oil killed the oil reduction mandate in climate legislation and with a critical transportation bill stalled by anti-tax Republicans, Los Angeles Times political columnist George Skelton opines that taxing oil extraction could pay for roads.
Debate: When Should California Switch to VMT to Measure Development Impacts?
In an effort to shift from car-centric planning and incentivize eco-friendly transportation options, California is revising the way it measures traffic impacts of development projects under its Environmental Quality Act.
Chinese Bullet Train to Come to American Southwest
America's third planned high-speed rail line received good news on Sept. 17, by entering an agreement with China Railway Group to receive $100 million to start building the 230-mile line from Victorville, Calif. to Las Vegas.
San Fernando Valley Pushes Metro to Address Transit Needs
Built for industry and known for sprawl, the Valley has long preserved its suburban geography. Now that its population is close to 40 percent of the city of Los Angeles, area leaders are speaking up for mass transit.
Travel Demands Are A-Changin', and That's Good News
According to "The End of Traffic & the Future of Transport," demographic, economic and technological trends are changing travel demands. In the future, people will prefer to drive less and rely more on alternatives. Not everybody has got the message.
The Design Decision Behind Cleveland's Backwards Buffered Bike Lanes
The curious case of Cleveland's new "buffered" bike lanes. The question: Why are the buffers placed between the bike lane and the curb?
Long-Delayed Silver Spring Transit Center Opens Sunday
Four years behind schedule and $50 million over budget, the Silver Spring Transit Center will be open to bus business on September 20, 2015. Eventually, light rail will also serve the location.
Online Retail Curbs Urban Traffic
Despite claims that urban truck traffic continues to rise, recent data shows no real increase in urban vehicle miles traveled. Online shopping may be helping keep people off the roads.
One Fare Card for All 26 Transit Agencies in Los Angeles County
Los Angeles County has dreamed the impossible dream—and will now provide transit access to all of its transit agencies with the use of one fare card.
Luxury Bus Service Leap Files for Bankruptcy
The privately owned and operated bus service known as Leap never recovered from its brush with regulators in May 2015.
Texas Voters Will Again Be Asked to Divert Funds for Transportation
Refusing to raise the 20-cent gas tax, creative Texas legislators have devised another scheme to divert existing revenue streams to roads. Last year it was a portion of the Rainy Day Fund. This year, from general sales and motor vehicle sales taxes.
How the Media 'Walk-Shames' Pedestrians
Innocent until proven guilty—unless you're a pedestrian in the court of opinion.
Honolulu Rail Cost Overruns Now Exceed $1 Billion
Add another $200 million to the $910 million shortfall already facing Honolulu's rail project. The changing circumstances surrounding the project won't make it any easier to create a viable funding plan to make up the difference.
Colorado Governor Announces $100 Million Program for Bicycle-Friendly Infrastructure
Colorado will call on its Department of Transportation to help make the state "the best state for biking" in the country.
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.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS)
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
City of Cambridge
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
