Transportation

MTA's Five-Year Capital Plan Calls for $32 Billion in Investments

The Wall Street Journal takes an advance look at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's 2015-2019 capital plan.

September 23, 2014 - The Wall Street Journal

Pilot 20 mph Speed Limit Shows Multiple Benefits

A press release announcing the results of Edinburgh, Scotland's 20-mph speed limit pilot finds multiple benefits in walking, biking, and the number of children allowed outside.

September 23, 2014 - 20’s Plenty for Us

Walking

Study: Positive Psychological Effects for Walking and Biking to Work

A research study finds evidence of the positive psychological effects of walking and biking to work, joining a quickly growing body of academic research supporting multi-modal lifestyle choices.

September 23, 2014 - The Washington Post

Calling for a Transportation Sales Tax in the Twin Cities

Citing the model of Houston's local-tax-funded Red Line, a writer argues for a local sales tax in the Twin Cities to support urban transit investments.

September 23, 2014 - Streets.MN

San Francisco's Shopping Spree for New Muni Cars

After winning the contract to build All Aboard Florida's locomotives and passenger cars, Siemens Sacramento manufacturing plant landed a $648 million contract much closer to home: Replacement of the San Francisco Muni Metro Breda light rail cars.

September 23, 2014 - San Francisco Chronicle

Grizzly Point Berkeley

Top Ten Car-Independent Neighborhoods

City Clock prepared two lists of neighborhoods with the most commute trips made without cars (for every city BUT New York City). One list ranks university neighborhoods, and the other non-university neighborhoods.

September 22, 2014 - City Clock

Seattle Adjusts Signals for Downtown Protected Bike Lane

Brandon G. Donnelly reports that after implementing a Downtown protected bike lane along 2nd Avenue, Seattle has had to make some adjustments to the signaling for the lane.

September 22, 2014 - Architect This City

Cell Phones Fail the Eyeball Test for Public Safety

Citing anecdotal evidence from Montgomery County, the Governors Highway Safety Association, and China, a Washington Post article argues that cell phones are creating public safety concerns.

September 22, 2014 - The Washington Post

Toll Road Truck

Another (Surprising) Toll Road Bankruptcy

It wasn't supposed to go this way. When Indiana leased the state's namesake, but failing, 157-mile toll road for $3.8 billion to an Australian-Spanish consortium in 2006 for 75 years, analysts predicted a handsome return for investors.

September 22, 2014 - Chicago Tribune

Cleveland's Zagster Bikeshare Business Model Is Tailored for Mid-Sized Cities

Cities that don't have the population and demand of say, New York City or Washington D.C. need a different business model for bikeshare. Enter Zagster, recently launched in Cleveland.

September 22, 2014 - Next City

On the Importance of Maintaining Trans-Hudson Rail Capacity

Amtrak's Gateway project is not only key to maintaining and increasing commuter and intercity rail capacity between the Empire and Garden States, but also to ensuring that the $1 billion investment in the new Moynihan Station makes sense.

September 22, 2014 - Asbury Park Press

Relief for Amtrak Travelers to New York's Penn Station Closer at Hand

CityLab's Eric Jaffe provides an update on the two phases of construction of Moynihan Station, an annex to America's busiest train station. Phase One could be completed next year and Phase Two is in need of a "mere" $200 million. But is that enough?

September 21, 2014 - CityLab

Grand Ambitions for $7 Billion Investment in Washington D.C.'s Union Station

The Washington Post provides all the details, renderings, history, commentary, and more that one could want about Amtrak's proposed $7 billion investment in Daniel Burnham's historic Union Station.

September 20, 2014 - The Washington Post

San Francisco's Red Transit-Only Lanes Improving Service

For years, San Francisco has set aside transit-only lanes. However, with a fresh coat of red paint, the city has seen significant service improvements.

September 20, 2014 - Greater Greater Washington

Transit Survey Answers the Who and Why of American Transit Use

A new survey from TransitCenter surveyed 11,846 Americans on their transit use, living environment, upbringing, and personal characteristics.

September 20, 2014 - Streetsblog USA

Examining the 'Vehicular Cycling' vs. 'Segregated Cycling' Debate

Joseph Stromberg provides an explainer post detailing both sides, and the common ground, of the "vehicular cycling" versus "segregated cycling" debate.

September 20, 2014 - Vox

BRT Planning Effort in Philadelphia: Launched by TIGER

The U.S. DOT's release of TIGER grant funding last weekend included funding for Philadelphia to begin planning a potential BRT route for snarled and dangerous Roosevelt Boulevard.

September 19, 2014 - PlanPhilly

Report Details Shortcomings in Chicago's Transportation System

In many ways, Chicagoland's transportation system is the envy of other American cities, but a new report says that lack of coordination and fragmented authority costs the area in economic development potential.

September 19, 2014 - Chicago Tribune

A Cloud-Based Firewall to Stop Car-Data Hackers

Using a cloud-based computing setup, the third largest maker of luxury vehicles unveiled a new set of protections from hackers in the face of driverless travel.

September 19, 2014 - Bloomberg News

First All-Electric Garbage Truck Hits the Road in Chicago

The first and only all-electric garbage truck in North America gets rolling in Chicago, working on residential refuse and recycling routes.

September 18, 2014 - PR Newswire

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.