Transportation
California High Speed Rail Construction and Litigation Update
Notwithstanding a favorable court ruling freeing state bond funds, construction is delayed on the 800-mile project, reports Ralph Vartabedian of the LA Times. Jessica Calefati of the Mercury News writes on opponents' appeal to the state Supreme Court
Elevated Cycletracks: Future Urban Staple or Glitzy Dream Project?
With London's proposed SkyCycle and Copenhagen's successful Cykelslangen, are elevated cycletracks a viable transportation solution?
America's Failing Walkability
In a recent Huffington Post article, F. Kaid Benfield of the Natural Resources Defense Council breaks down some of the barriers for walkability in the United States.
$102 Million Brings Chicago-St. Louis High Speed Rail a Step Closer
A $102 million investment by Illinois along with federal funds from the Recovery Act will pay for double-tracking and a new rail bridge to enable 109 mph service on a key section of Amtrak's Chicago to St. Louis high speed rail corridor.
Euro-Envy Reconsidered: Talkin' Time, Distance, and Change
Most North American urbanists turn to Europe for inspiration and direction. Some of that brilliance, Ben Brown reminds us, is due to time and distance.
Hitchhiking as Transportation Solution
With 80 percent of our passenger capacity empty, Jenny O'Brien discusses the potential of hitchhiking apps as a transportation solution in a recent TEDxKC talk.
Comparing the Price of Uber and Car Ownership
Kyle Hill compares the cost of exclusively riding Uber to owning a car in the car-centric city of Los Angeles.
Road Upkeep in an Era of Diminishing Vehicular Travel
Today, most transportation professionals are aware that the era of inexorable growth in vehicular travel has ended. Yet many state DOTs and local public works departments continue to assume that traffic will grow far into the future.
Road Diet Plans Shelved for San Francisco's Ocean Beach
After two years of work, SPUR's proposals for the Ocean Beach Master Plan are still taking shape. A road diet for vehicle lanes on the Great Highway, for instance, was recently shelved for the good of other pressing priorities.
Legislation Supports Protected Bike Lanes in California
Protected bike lanes are not included in the California Highway Design Manual, notwithstanding the state's recent endorsement of the NACTO manual. All that's needed to change that is Gov. Jerry Brown's signature.
Introducing the Litman 'Chauffeuring Burden Index'
A significant portion of vehicle travel consists of chauffeuring: additional travel to transport a non-driver. The new Chauffeuring Burden Index calculates its direct and indirect costs. Why do these costs receive such little attention in planning?
Federal Highway Administration Reports Increasing Vehicle Miles Traveled
The FHWA reports that Americans have returned to the road en masse this summer—beware obvious political motivations and a failure to compare VMT trends to population growth.
On the Political Effects of Transportation Infrastructure
A comparison of road conditions in Rwanda and Mali—the former an autocracy with sterling roads, the latter a democracy where poor road conditions reveal a deep divide in the country.
Ottawa Offers Lessons in Transitioning from BRT to Light Rail
Nour Aoude examines the planning efforts behind Ottawa's new Confederation light rail line, which will replace sections of the over-used Transitway bus rapid transit line.
A Protected Bike Lane for Penn Ave in Pittsburgh
Michael Anderson reports on a proposed road diet and bike lane proposed for Penn Avenue in Pittsburgh, along a historic and cultural corridor in one of the country's oldest downtowns.
How Can D.C. be the Coolest City in America if Everyone Hates Hipsters So Much?
In which parking minimums figure heavily in a polemic regarding the nature of cool.
Chicago Metra Rail Struggles with High Rates of Suicide
Chicago's Metra commuter rail service has a big problem on its hands: Distressed people are resorting to using train tracks to end their lives at a higher rate than in other major cities. Would partnering with a suicide-hotline agency stem the tide?
The Danger of Federal Money for Local Projects
Scott Beyer provides four reasons why federal money is the wrong policy mechanism for delivering the best possible transportation outcomes in the United States.
'Hidden Gas Tax' or Not—California's Cap and Trade Policy Starts a New Era
Will California gas station see queues at their pumps on Dec. 31 as motorists seek their last fill-up before gas prices soar 15 cents per gallon, as AB 69 supporters warned? The bill died in the state legislature on August 22.
The Ridership Benefits of Infill Stations—Coming Soon to the MBTA Orange Line
Yonah Freemark writes of the value of infill stations—new transit stations built on existing lines—for increasing transit ridership. Somerville, outside of Boston, will provide the latest example when it opens a station on the Orange Line next week.
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.
Borough of Carlisle
Smith Gee Studio
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)
