Transportation
California Appeals Court Ruling Brings Great News for High Speed Rail
Both sides have been awaiting this ruling, which left Gov. Jerry Brown and the High Speed Rail Authority greatly pleased: the appeals court ruling releases $9.9 billion of 2008 voter-approved bond funding, though other court battles loom.
A Buffer is Better
What's the best street design to keep bicyclists safely out of the door zone? A buffered bike lane beats a conventional bike lane or "wide curb lane" according to a recent study published in TRB, based on observations in Chicago and Cambridge, Mass.
Senate Passes House Transportation Funding Bill; On to Obama
After the House rejected the Senate's amendments to their Highway Trust Fund extension bill, the Senate passed the bill 81-13 on July 31. Payments to states will continue unchanged through May 2015 when the next hurdle awaits

How Self-Driving Cars Can (and Should) Improve Transit
Comments on the proceedings of the Automated Vehicles Symposium (San Francisco, July 14-18, 2014), where participants addressed the many transportation and land use implications of an automated future.
Profiles of New Yorkers Killed by Car Collisions
A new feature on Transportation Nation will highlight the tragedy of traffic fatalities in New York City, by profiling the people who passed and the traffic circumstances that took them.
Voices of the Train: Meet the Announcers Behind America's Transit Systems
Ever wondered who the announcers are for some of the largest transit lines in the United States?
Massachusetts Voters May Repeal Automatic Gas Tax Indexing
It's been exactly a year since the state approved a 3-cent increase in the gas tax with hard fought legislation that ties future increases to inflation. However, the automatic indexing of the gas tax may be undone by voters on November 4.

Southern California First: Freeway Teardown Project Coming to Long Beach
Funded by a grant from the California Department of Transportation, Long Beach released an RFP for conceptual and design services for a plan to transform the Terminal Island Freeway into a "regional serving greenbelt and local serving road."
Senate Passes Transportation Bill; House Not Likely to Play Ball
Three days before Congress goes on recess and with the Highway Trust Fund approaching insolvency, the Senate passed a transportation bill notably different than the House version passed July 15, setting up a showdown between the two branches.
Study: Bikeshare Replaces Transit Trips in Minneapolis, Washington D.C.
Eric Jaffe dives into evidence that bike share should be considered an essential component of a multi-modal public transit network.

How Toronto is Making its Commuter Rail More Like Rapid Transit
Fifteen years in the making, Toronto is finally seeing increased ridership of its main commuter rail system, GO Transit, by changing its model from primarily serving suburban commuters to providing "all-day regional transit service."
On the Importance of Denver's Union Station: Then and Now
The reopening of Denver's Union Station last weekend provides an opportunity to reflect on the importance of rail, with its hub at Union Station, in establishing Denver, as well as the city's multi-modal future, again with its hub as Union Station.
Comparing Boondoggles: Light Rail Line in Detroit, Streetcar in Washington D.C.
Jim Epstein suggests that Detroit's new light rail line is America's largest boondoggle; Matthew Yglesias argues that that ignominy belongs to Washington D.C.'s planned streetcar.
Caltrans Overrides OCTA: 405 Freeway Widening Must Include Toll Lane
Transportation decisions are best made locally, not by the state DOT, right? For those advocating for tolled, managed lanes over free, general purpose lanes, the 405 Freeway in Orange County may prove the exception.
Explaining the Connections between Physical Mobility and Economic Mobility
A new post by Danielle Kurtzleben explains the complicated mix of infrastructure considerations that must be in place for transportation to benefit economic mobility.
Mapping Drone No-Fly Zones
While the FAA sorts out regulations for commercial drone flights in the United States, cities, states, and other groups have already restricted the flight of drones. Mapbox is working to compile a comprehensive map of prohibited air space.
Quantifying the Benefits of Congestion Pricing
In a recent blog post, Michael Brown of Metro Analytics sought to quantify the benefits of congestion pricing.
Rules of the Road: Reckless 'Driving' Brings Dire Penalties for Bicyclist
A California Court of Appeal wades into the history of driving laws to determine if a drunken cyclist who maimed a jogger can be charged with reckless driving. The cyclist was not charged with drunken driving. Not all laws are applied the same.
Place Mobility: Sometimes Good Transportation Is Slow
Streetcars are expensive and slow, and that drives Matthew Yglesias crazy. He fails to grasp Place Mobility, which can be an excellent transportation investment for a city.

New Study Predicts Vehicle Travel Saturation Levels
A new RAND Corporation study models motorization growth rates and saturation levels, and identifies potential policies to encourage more efficient transportation in developing countries.
Pagination
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)