Transportation

Walk, Bike, Transit Advocates Lose Sunday Parking Vote

Despite a grassroots campaign to retain Sunday parking meter charges it only approved two years ago, the San Francisco MTA agreed with Mayor Ed Lee to drop the charges, hoping that voters would approve two transit funding measures in November.

April 17, 2014 - Streetsblog San Francisco

Dance

Bike Lanes, Maybe, But Let’s 'Lose Yourself to Dance'

Being on the street used to be a dance, but not so since the automobile took over. Is there a way for all modes to coexist through a mutual ethic rather than compete for a street’s right of way?

April 17, 2014 - Steven Snell

A Comprehensive Examination of the Bay Area Housing Crisis

The Google Bus protests got the media’s attention, and the Ellis Act has politicians' attention, but the Bay Area’s current tech-housing-gentrification crisis is a big, complicated mess.

April 16, 2014 - TechCrunch

What Does 'Feminine' Mean to Women Who Bike?

Women are less likely to ride bikes than males in the United States, and part of the complicated issues of gender and biking have at least partly to do with perceptions. A recent article examines what it means to be “feminine” while riding a bike.

April 16, 2014 - Atlantic Cities

Capital Beltway Peak Toll Tops $11

Use of the 495 Express Lanes, a HOT variable toll, has been fetching a pretty penny this year for commuters looking to escape the notoriously congested Capital Beltway. The ongoing experiment in commute pricing should recede before a tipping point.

April 16, 2014 - The Washington Post

Details on the Drastic Legislative Efforts to Block BRT in Nashville

Although other states prohibit the use of state funding for public transportation projects, Tennessee state legislators are moving toward an outright ban of bus rapid transit projects anywhere in the state.

April 16, 2014 - Wired

Beyond Oil: Trains Turn to LNG Fuel and Hybrid Locomotives

According to a new EIA report, the cost advantages of liquefied natural gas make it an attractive alternative to diesel fuel for major U.S. freight railroad companies. Hybrid diesel-electric locomotives on order for 5 states will power HSR routes.

April 16, 2014 - Progressive Railroading

Illinois Bike Transportation Plan Could Be a Game Changer

The Illinois Bike Transportation Plan has the potential to impact the design of state roads in the purview of the Illinois Department of Transportation: 2,775 miles, or nine percent of the total mileage, of road in the Chigagoland region.

April 16, 2014 - Chi.Streetsblog

Trinity River Dallas Floodplain

Flood Concerns Raised Over Trinity Toll Road Proposal in Dallas

Details are emerging about the proposed Trinity Toll Road in Dallas. The route’s proximity to the Trinity River has provided more fuel for the project’s opponents.

April 15, 2014 - Dallas Morning News

More Bikes Lanes On Less Congested Roads

Comparison of before and after counts of vehicular volume-to-capacity ratio shows replacing car lanes with bike lanes may not adversely impact vehicle traffic when bike lanes are constructed on less congested streets.

April 15, 2014 - Five Thirty Eight - Life

Time Running Out for Climate Change Action, Warns IPCC

In its second major report since 2007, the U.N. panel's report was not all bad news. It noted that while nations may be slow to agree to climate treaties, city and state governments have written their own climate plans along with the private sector.

April 15, 2014 - The New York Times - Environment

An Appeal for Churches to Embrace Multi-Modalism

As a result of the dominant development patterns and transportation practices of the 20th century, churches have receded in their role as an anchors for neighborhoods and broader communities.

April 14, 2014 - Strong Towns

Can Detroit Fix its Parking Enforcement Mess?

In a recent column for Detroit Free Press, Nancy Kaffer responded to a proposal by Detroit Mayor Kevin Orr to raise the price of a parking ticket in Detroit by $20 to $45.

April 13, 2014 - Detroit Free Press

Airport

Where’s the Nearest Airport? New Diagram Shows—for Every Place on Earth

"Each region is closer to a particular airport than any other," explains the creator of what's called a spherical Voronoi diagram. The diagram illustrates just how far that airport is.

April 13, 2014 - The Washington Post - Wonkblog

How Curbside Carriers Changed America's Mind About Buses

Intercity bus travel is no longer the exclusive domain of the down-and-out. The likes of BoltBus and Megabus have, over the past few years, brought a new level of service to the open roads.

April 13, 2014 - InTransition Magazine

My First Ride

How Well Does Light Rail Attract New Transit Riders?

The answer to the question in the headline is “not very.” Thirty years into the initial experiment, however, light rail has not been the game changer it was hoped to be.

April 13, 2014 - Atlantic Cities

Making the Case for the Downtown Athens Master Plan

University of Georgia College of Environment and Design Professor Jack Crowley has taken to the pages of a local publication to explain some of the thinking behind the proposed Downtown Athens Master Plan.

April 12, 2014 - Flagpole

Santa Barbara sidewalk

Caltrans Really Is Becoming More Bike and Walk Friendly

News flash: California has become only the third state to endorse the National Association of City Transportation Officials’ (NACTO) Urban Street Design Guidelines to enable more walk and bike friendly projects such as protected bike lanes.

April 12, 2014 - NACTO

Street Parking as Car Share Incentive

SFMTA is allowing three car share services: Zip, Get Around and the non-profit CityCar Share to receive designated access to up 450 street and city garage parking spaces in order to promote car sharing as an alternative to auto ownership.

April 11, 2014 - San Francisco Chronicle

Quito BRT

Controversies Compared: Rail vs. Bus Rapid Transit

A common perception says that rail is the most politically difficult transit investment. Yet a recent article examines the examples of Nashville and Cincinnati to claim that sometimes, political opposition is just about transit, period.

April 10, 2014 - Greater Greater Washington

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.