Transportation
Friday Funny: When Subway Announcements Get Real
A McSweeney's post satirizes the obfuscations and euphemisms of public transit system announcements by finally putting things in brutally frank terms.
First U.S. City to Build Protected Intersection for Bikes: Salt Lake City
An intersection configuration mastered by the Dutch is about to get its first showcase in the capital of Utah as part of a larger bike lane project through the center of the city.
On the Benefits of Traffic Signal Removal
Certain intersections stand to gain from losing their traffic lights. According to this study, cities can save money and improve safety by uninstalling signals in low-traffic zones.
Michigan's Sweeping Road Funding Amendment Loses in a Landslide
Proposition 1 would have enacted broad reforms in road funding policies and programs in Michigan. Despite Governor Rick Snyder and the State Legislature's efforts, however, voters soundly defeated the measure in a statewide election this week.
The First Four Months of 2015 State Gas Tax Increases
Transportation for America makes it easy to keep track of the seven states that have passed legislation to raise, or stem the fall of, gas tax revenue, with an in-depth look at how the first state, Iowa, increased fuel taxes.
New Report Finds Drivers Pay Less Than Half the Cost of Roads
The new report, "Who Pays for Roads? How the 'Users Pays' Myth Gets in the Way of Solutions to America’s Transportation Problems" exposes the widening gap between how Americans think we pay for roadways—through user fees—and how we actually do.
The New L.A. Story: Waze Partners with City; Neighbors Get Upset
A partnership between Waze and the city of Los Angeles has prompted a cry of "not on the street in front of my frontyard!" from residential neighborhoods around the city.
Politicos Hope to Speed Up Central Florida's $2.3 Billion Highway Project
Inside the push to speed up the project known as I-4 Ultimate in Central Florida—the $2.3 billion would tear down and rebuild 40 miles of the interstate.
20 Years of Planning for Streetcars in Washington, D.C.
In anticipation of the expected opening of the H Street/Benning Road streetcar line in Washington, D.C., Peter Dovak examines the evolution of streetcar planning over the past 20 years.
Why Is American Passenger Rail So Far Behind?
In a segment for WNYC, journalist Simon van Zuylen-Wood discusses Amtrak's current status as a "national embarrassment." Decades of lackluster investment, he argues, make it difficult to prove demand in the first place.
Older Oil Tank Rail Cars Face Three-Year Deadline to be Replaced
Following up on last month's emergency rule addressing trains speeds, the Transportation Department issued new rules addressing tanker car standards, long thought to be one of the most important factors contributing to fiery oil tank car explosions.
Cancellation an Option as Costs Jump for Minneapolis' Light Rail Extension
An already controversial project got bad news earlier this week, as substantial increases in the expected cost of the Southwest LRT extension added more fuel to the fire for opponents of the project.
Toll Lanes Continue to Spread on Southern California Freeways
To the chagrin of many Orange County transportation leaders, two express lanes will be added to each direction on a 14-mile stretch of the 405 (San Diego) Freeway, one through conversion, and a general purpose lane funded in part by Measure M added.
Survey Says: Invest in Walking in East Portland
The results of a multi-lingual survey of residents in East Portland produced surprising results about which transportation investments are most desired.
On the Texas-Sized Failure of Regional Transportation Planning
The Dallas Morning News investigated over promising and under delivering by regional mobility authorities in Texas.
Appropriations Committee Would Cut Half of D.C. Metro's Funding
A Republican spending bill would slash funding for the D.C. Metro by half. Local Democrats have called the proposal shortsighted and ill timed.
Federal Gas Tax Index 'Dead on Arrival' Warns House Majority Leader
The "Bridge to Sustainable Infrastructure Act" does not appear sustainable to Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), citing gas prices of $3.20 per gallon in his district in Bakersfield. A year ago, the average price in California was $4.26.
Diversity Trending the Wrong Direction for D.C.'s Capital Bikeshare
The diversity gap between the population of Washington, D.C. and the membership of its model bikeshare system is well established, but it's also getting worse.
D.C. Metro Stops Poised for Growth in Ridership
While transit ridership is up around the country, the D.C. Metro has experienced the opposite. The agency's planners aren't worried about those numbers, though. They're excited about development that's bringing more residents to transit-served areas.
Protected Bike Lane Added to Cleveland's 'Opportunity Corridor' Mix
Few planning efforts in the country have provoked as much commentary and criticism as Cleveland's $330 million Opportunity Corridor. The city recently pushed for more improvements, and the state seems receptive.
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.
Greater Baltimore Committee
Eagle County Government
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
Journal of the American Planning Association
