Transportation

North Dakota to Reduce Volatility of Bakken Crude-By-Rail

Bakken crude is considered more volatile than other types of oil, which presents a safety problem when moved by rail. New regulations approved Tuesday require oil producers to separate flammable and volatile liquids prior to shipment by rail.

December 11, 2014 - The New York Times - Energy & Environment

Einstein's Bike Shop

Ten Provocative Ideas for Bicycling Architecture

Arch Daily presents the ten major ideas to emerge from a "design provocation" for big ideas to push trip share of bike in New York City closer to, and even beyond, the levels of Copenhagen.

December 11, 2014 - Arch Daily

Carpool Lane

Secrets of Congestion-Busting Cities

Only nine regions experienced reduced traffic congestion between 1991 and 2011. What do they have in common?

December 11, 2014 - Michael Lewyn

Is There Ever a Good Time to Increase the Federal Gas Tax?

Oil prices are at a five-year low with gasoline prices averaging $2.67 a gallon, lowest since February 2010. Furthermore, they are expected to drop another 17 cents to $2.50 a gallon in time for Christmas, so why not raise the gas tax by a nickel?

December 10, 2014 - The Atlantic

Explained: How Protected Bike Lanes Improve Pedestrian Safety

An article in Treehugger explains the public safety benefits of protected bike lanes by appealing to common sense.

December 9, 2014 - Treehugger

Columbus Considering Bikeshare Expansion

Columbus is considering an investment to expand CoGo, its bikeshare system. After a year-and-a-half of operation with public support, CoGo is a model of bikeshare success.

December 9, 2014 - Columbus Business First

Mileage Fee Worries in the Golden State

California's mileage fee pilot program legislation is now law. Dan Weikel of the Los Angeles Times raises two concerns drivers have regarding the switch to a mileage-based fee from a gas tax: privacy and fairness.

December 9, 2014 - Los Angeles Times

Paris Expands Big Car Reduction Plans

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo made a game-changing announcement in the name of clean air and walkability

December 9, 2014 - Streetsblog USA

Library

Top 10 Books - 2015

Planetizen is pleased to release its list of the ten best books in urban planning, design, and development published in 2014.

December 8, 2014 - James Brasuell

Aerial photo of the US 131/M-6/68th St. interchange in Wyoming, MIchigan

Study Finds Traffic Forecasts Consistently Overestimating Congestion

Researchers from Denmark and Norway have looked at the accuracy of traffic forecasts for road projects. Their conclusion is that the forecasts systematically overestimate traffic growth rates and the resulting congestion effects.

December 8, 2014 - Transport Policy Journal

A New Era in California for Evaluating Transportation Emissions

An appellate court's rejection of SANDAG's $200 billion sustainable communities plan holds far-reaching implications for how regional planners evaluate greenhouse gas emissions from transportation to meet SB 375 requirements to the year 2050.

December 8, 2014 - San Diego Union-Tribune

Republican Co-Sponsors Rep. Earl Blumenauer's 15-cent Gas Tax Bill

The good news is that a House Republican now supports raising the gas tax to balance the ailing Highway Trust Fund. The bad news is that come Jan. 3, Rep. Tom Petri (R-Wis.), a 36-year member, will be a former congressman—he is retiring on Dec. 26

December 8, 2014 - The Huffington Post

Huge Surge in Biking in Santa Monica

The city of Santa Monica recently released a report to assess its progress toward meeting the goals of the Santa Monica Bike Action Plan.

December 7, 2014 - Santa Monica Daily News

CicLAvia Rides into South Los Angeles

CicLAvia, the Los Angeles open streets event, heads to South Los Angeles for the first time today. Sahra Sulaiman explains the communities preparedness leading up to this historic event.

December 7, 2014 - Streetsblog LA

Study Provides Lessons in Bike Lane Politics

Eric Jaffe examines the successful (on the third try) bike lane on the Burrard Street Bridge in Vancouver as a case study in pushing a difficult project through to completion.

December 6, 2014 - CityLab

Does Peak Car Mean the End of Induced Demand?

Aaron Renn provides a dissenting argument on the implications of peak car, namely, "if we’ve really reached peak car, maybe we really can build our way out of congestion after all."

December 6, 2014 - New Geography

Complete Street Makeover in the Works for 2nd Street in San Francisco

Planners in San Francisco are working on a complete street redo of a key corridor through the SoMa neighborhood that will connect downtown, Mission Bay, and the Central Waterfront.

December 5, 2014 - Socket Site

Report: Bus Rapid Transit Up 383 Percent in Ten Years

Jarrett Walker shares news and analysis of a recent study by the Institute for Transportation & Development Policy (ITDP) finding explosive growth in the construction of bus rapid transit lines around the world in the last ten years.

December 5, 2014 - Human Transit

San Jose Enacts 'Pedestrian Safety Zone'—Bans Bikes from Sidewalks

The city of San Jose has responded to concerns of seniors in the community by banning bikes from sidewalks a large swath of downtown near the convention center, City Hall, and San Jose State.

December 4, 2014 - San Jose Mercury News

Parking Meter Revenues Donated to Santa Claus Fund for Low Income Families

A small town in Northern Ontario, Canada, annually gives its parking meter revenues over a two-week period to a fund providing aid for low income families over the holidays.

December 4, 2014 - The Kapuskasing Times

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.