Transportation

Dispute Over Bike Fatality Report

The Governors Highway Safety Association released a report titled Bicyclist Safety showing a surge in bike fatalities since 2010. The report provoked widespread media coverage and, also, strongly critical reactions.

October 29, 2014 - Streetsblog USA

Homeless

Fighting Homelessness by Closing a Commuter Rail Station

The high desert city of Lancaster in northern Los Angeles County has an innovative plan to reduce its homeless population: Close its Metrolink station, the last stop on the Antelope Valley line, that serves 400 commuters daily.

October 28, 2014 - The California Report

Bumblebee Bike

The New Wonder Drug? Cycling, Some Advocates Say

Cycling has positive impacts both for cyclists and non-cyclists alike, helping to reduce pollution and congestion and improving health and economic factors with just two wheels.

October 28, 2014 - Urbanful

Citi Bike Rack

Confirmed: Alta Bicycle Share Sold

Big news for the business of bikeshare: Alta Bicycle Share will be sold and the Citi Bike fleet will be doubled, according to report.

October 28, 2014 - Capital New York

trax light rail train in foreground, snow-covered mountains in background

How Cities are Overcoming Federal Roadblocks for Transportation Improvements

Tanya Snyder provides a thorough survey of the talking points of five U.S. mayors from a recent Washington Post forum on transportation.

October 27, 2014 - Streetsblog USA

Is there a Right Way to Measure Bad Driving?

There isn't one way to measure how badly groups of people (like, say, residents of New Jersey) drive, but there is plenty of data available about how driving often goes terribly wrong.

October 27, 2014 - Five Thirty Eight

Cars Still Essential for Economic Opportunity

Recent data shows that workers need cars to access jobs and economic opportunity. What can planners do to expand access to jobs via other alternative modes of transportation?

October 27, 2014 - Brookings: The Avenue

Bikeshare's Income Disparity Problem

A new report sheds light on the income gap in the use of bikeshare systems around the world.

October 27, 2014 - CityLab

3.3 Million Electric Cars Expected by 2025

Electric cars are expected to play a key role in reducing the greenhouse gas emissions caused by the country's transportation system. Recent trends around the country indicate increasing adoption of the technology.

October 27, 2014 - San Gabriel Valley Tribune

Tolls vs Taxes and the State of the American Highway

Making up only seven percent of U.S. interstate miles, the future of toll roads is bright according to Brooking's Robert Puentes and Diane Rehm's other guests in a 52-minute, wide ranging discussion on gas taxes, toll roads, and privatization.

October 27, 2014 - WAMU

Bike, Pedestrian Toll on Golden Gate Bridge Survives First Vote

The concept of tolling sidewalk access to the Golden Gate Bridge squeaked by on a 10-9 vote on Oct. 24. The GGB Transportation and Highway District wants to consider the toll as a potential contributor to reducing the $33 million, five-year deficit.

October 26, 2014 - San Francisco Chronicle

Old DC Transit

D.C. Officials Dramatically Scale Back Streetcar System

In a recent move, officials from Mayor Vincent C. Gray's administration shortened DC's streetcar system to a much-shorter eight miles.

October 26, 2014 - The Washington Post

Bloomberg Editors Propose a 'Flexible' Federal Gas Tax

Bloomberg's editors ask rhetorically, with gas prices falling due to crashing oil prices, will the federal government raise the gas tax to fund badly needed road infrastructure? They suggest tying the gas tax to oil prices in reverse direction.

October 26, 2014 - Bloomberg View

 Decatur Marta station

Majority of Americans Favor Funding for Transit Over Funding for Roads

In a poll conducted by ABC News and the Washington Post, Americans were found to prefer allocating transportation funding towards transit expansion rather than road widening.

October 26, 2014 - Streetsblog USA

Researchers Pushing for Even Bigger Chinese Cities

Research suggests China’s current urbanization policy forgoes $2 trillion in growth over the next ten years. That is, unless the government funnels even more migrants into major population centers and develops for density.

October 24, 2014 - Bloomberg News

The Business of Speeding Tickets

Small towns in Georgia, such as Doraville along I-285, are making millions of dollars a year by issuing traffic tickets.

October 24, 2014 - Governing

Freeway houses

Research: Women Living Near Freeways Increase Risk of Sudden Cardiac Death

New research from the American Heart Association measures sudden cardiac death and proximity to major roadways, showing that cardiac risks posed by environmental exposure have been under-appreciated. The next step is to find the specific cause.

October 24, 2014 - Science Daily

Tech-Buses Driving South into Los Angeles

In a new coming-of-age sign for the technology industry in Los Angeles, the San Francisco based start-up RidePal unveiled its first private shuttle bus partnership in LA this week.

October 24, 2014 - Los Angeles Times

Rethinking the Spectrum of American Multi-Modality

A new study from Virginia Tech reclassifies what defines multi-modal commuters.

October 24, 2014 - CityLab

Could the Silver Spring Transit Center Get a Park After All?

Developments in a story from earlier in the year—the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority is receptive to the ideas of local political leaders for a park near the beleaguered Silver Spring Transit Center.

October 23, 2014 - The Gazette

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.