Transportation

Oakland Crosswalk Engineering Mistimes Walkability Goals

A well-informed, social media savvy observer is shedding light on a seemingly small change with big impacts on the quality of life available to pedestrians along Oakland's streets.

May 13, 2015 - Gejl Accident Attorneys

Gentrification Concerns Ride Light Rail in Seattle

As Seattle considers a $900 million levy proposed by Mayor Ed Murray, locals are already wondering if new transit investments are precursor of unwanted gentrification.

May 13, 2015 - Seattle Weekly

What Makes Left Turns So Dangerous?

After breaking down the reasons why left turns are so dangerous, it's also obvious how difficult a problem they are to solve.

May 13, 2015 - WNYC

D.C. Streetcar

The Real Story Behind the Death of Streetcars in the United States

Yes, there was a conspiracy led by General Motors to replace streetcars with their buses in the 1930s. But streetcars were dying well before then, due to competition with the automobile and other reasons apart from nefarious corporate collusions.

May 12, 2015 - Vox

Water Taxis and Ferry Service Pitched for Detroit's Waterfront

Local port and tourism officials are pushing dual plans to add waterborne transit to Detroit—one proposed ferry route would even connect to Canada.

May 12, 2015 - Detroit Free Press

State Bill Would Add TIFs Along Transit Lines in Chicago

Expanded use of tax increment financing is on the table in Chicago—a city that invests less than its peers on building and running transit.

May 12, 2015 - Chi.Streetsblog

Complete Streets

Bike Lanes Help Sidewalks, Too

A growing body of evidence shows that bike lanes put more people on bikes while also helping those people on bikes stay off sidewalks. The latest example: Honolulu.

May 11, 2015 - People for Bikes

Los Angeles Metrolink to Relieve Caltrain on the Crowded San Francisco Peninsula

The San Francisco to San Jose Caltrain commuter rail line continues to set ridership records, but capacity has not increased, much to riders' chagrin. Starting today, four train sets will add a sixth car, courtesy of Metrolink commuter rail.

May 11, 2015 - San Mateo Daily Journal

Surveying the Biking Gender Gap

A survey of the relevant studies, articles, and ideas about why women ride bikes so much less than men.

May 11, 2015 - Urbanful

Seattle Mixed Use Development

Seattle Densification Strategy: Build Apartments Without Parking

Not just any apartments, only those served by frequent transit. Developers will still have a "mobility" requirement: In lieu of a parking space, they'll need to provide tenants with transit passes and memberships in car and bikeshare services.

May 11, 2015 - KIRA 7

Kid on Bus

The Key to Escaping Poverty: Transportation

A recent study that connected place to opportunity also includes findings about the factor most likely to influence economic success: access to transportation.

May 11, 2015 - New York Times - The Upshot

San Francisco Launching Raised Bike Lane Program

The city's Municipal Transportation Agency will construct a block of raised bike lane on Valencia Street as a showcase for more such projects to come.

May 10, 2015 - CityLab

New App Shares Connected Car Data to Government, Businesses

This is what "smart cities" technology looks like: A new product called Inrix Insights offers planners and businesses a platform by which to access the data created by the use of connected cars.

May 10, 2015 - ITProPortal

Public Review Underway for Pittsburgh BRT Proposal

The public is getting a chance to respond to the idea of building a bus rapid transit line along a heavily traveled corridor between Pittsburgh and Oakland to the east.

May 10, 2015 - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Gas Tax Hike Showdown Headed to Nebraska

Strong leadership from the governor may be the most important factor in passing state gas tax increases. But what happens when the governor opposes increasing the gas tax and the legislature supports it? Nebraska is about to find out.

May 9, 2015 - AASHTO Journal

Early Returns Exceed Expectations for Connecticut's CTfastrak BRT System

The $567 million CTfastrak bus rapid transit system opened for business on March 2, 2015. Since then, the system has provided transit service to a growing number of people.

May 9, 2015 - New Britain Herald

The Latest Research on the Adoption and Growth of Bikeshare Systems

Academics and professional planners have access to plenty of research and data to continue to improve and expand bikeshare systems around the world.

May 8, 2015 - Journalist's Resource

Meet the World's First Self-Driving Big Rig

The world now includes a technology that raises the stakes of the collective interest in self-driving cars to a whole new weight class: a self-driving big rig.

May 8, 2015 - The Verge

The fronts of three double-decker buses in London

European Cities Try to Make Cars Unwelcome

Many cities in Europe are rediscovering their pre-automobile roots, using new technologies like ride-sharing and congestion pricing and old-fashioned ones like demolishing parking lots and dense development. Car ownership is dropping precipitously.

May 8, 2015 - The Guardian

Five Days after DOT Releases Crude-by-Rail Rule, Another Oil Train Explodes

Critics warned that a Department of Transportation rule allowing up to 10 years to phase out existing oil tank cars would result in more explosions. The rule was issued on May 1; an explosion occurred May 6.

May 8, 2015 - The New York Times - Energy & Environment

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.