Transportation
Profiles of New Yorkers Killed by Car Collisions
A new feature on Transportation Nation will highlight the tragedy of traffic fatalities in New York City, by profiling the people who passed and the traffic circumstances that took them.
Voices of the Train: Meet the Announcers Behind America's Transit Systems
Ever wondered who the announcers are for some of the largest transit lines in the United States?
Massachusetts Voters May Repeal Automatic Gas Tax Indexing
It's been exactly a year since the state approved a 3-cent increase in the gas tax with hard fought legislation that ties future increases to inflation. However, the automatic indexing of the gas tax may be undone by voters on November 4.
Southern California First: Freeway Teardown Project Coming to Long Beach
Funded by a grant from the California Department of Transportation, Long Beach released an RFP for conceptual and design services for a plan to transform the Terminal Island Freeway into a "regional serving greenbelt and local serving road."
Senate Passes Transportation Bill; House Not Likely to Play Ball
Three days before Congress goes on recess and with the Highway Trust Fund approaching insolvency, the Senate passed a transportation bill notably different than the House version passed July 15, setting up a showdown between the two branches.
Study: Bikeshare Replaces Transit Trips in Minneapolis, Washington D.C.
Eric Jaffe dives into evidence that bike share should be considered an essential component of a multi-modal public transit network.
How Toronto is Making its Commuter Rail More Like Rapid Transit
Fifteen years in the making, Toronto is finally seeing increased ridership of its main commuter rail system, GO Transit, by changing its model from primarily serving suburban commuters to providing "all-day regional transit service."
On the Importance of Denver's Union Station: Then and Now
The reopening of Denver's Union Station last weekend provides an opportunity to reflect on the importance of rail, with its hub at Union Station, in establishing Denver, as well as the city's multi-modal future, again with its hub as Union Station.
Comparing Boondoggles: Light Rail Line in Detroit, Streetcar in Washington D.C.
Jim Epstein suggests that Detroit's new light rail line is America's largest boondoggle; Matthew Yglesias argues that that ignominy belongs to Washington D.C.'s planned streetcar.
Caltrans Overrides OCTA: 405 Freeway Widening Must Include Toll Lane
Transportation decisions are best made locally, not by the state DOT, right? For those advocating for tolled, managed lanes over free, general purpose lanes, the 405 Freeway in Orange County may prove the exception.
Explaining the Connections between Physical Mobility and Economic Mobility
A new post by Danielle Kurtzleben explains the complicated mix of infrastructure considerations that must be in place for transportation to benefit economic mobility.
Mapping Drone No-Fly Zones
While the FAA sorts out regulations for commercial drone flights in the United States, cities, states, and other groups have already restricted the flight of drones. Mapbox is working to compile a comprehensive map of prohibited air space.
Quantifying the Benefits of Congestion Pricing
In a recent blog post, Michael Brown of Metro Analytics sought to quantify the benefits of congestion pricing.
Rules of the Road: Reckless 'Driving' Brings Dire Penalties for Bicyclist
A California Court of Appeal wades into the history of driving laws to determine if a drunken cyclist who maimed a jogger can be charged with reckless driving. The cyclist was not charged with drunken driving. Not all laws are applied the same.
Place Mobility: Sometimes Good Transportation Is Slow
Streetcars are expensive and slow, and that drives Matthew Yglesias crazy. He fails to grasp Place Mobility, which can be an excellent transportation investment for a city.
New Study Predicts Vehicle Travel Saturation Levels
A new RAND Corporation study models motorization growth rates and saturation levels, and identifies potential policies to encourage more efficient transportation in developing countries.
Festivities Greet Weekend Opening of Tucson Sun Link Streetcar
$87.7 million in voter-approved funding, a $63 million TIGER grant, a $6 million New Starts grant, and $35.6 million in other regional and local funding built the Sun Link streetcar. A whole weekend of festivities will welcome its opening.
Denver's Historic Union Station Gets Grand Opening Today
Called one of the most complex public works projects in Denver's history, Denver's new Union Station will lie at the center of a rapidly growing rail and transit network.
D.C. Metro's Silver Line Launches Passenger Service
After no small amount of debate, delay, and controversy, the first phase of D.C. Metro's Silver Line will launch passenger service today. The line will connect Washington D.C. to northwestern Virginia, including four stops in Tysons Corner.
Redesign for Seattle's Notoriously Unsafe 2nd Avenue Bike Lane
Seattle is hoping to transform the 2nd Avenue bike lane from the cities worst—location of 60 bike collisions in the last four years—to a demonstration of the state-of-the-art in bike infrastructure design.
Pagination
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.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS)
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
City of Cambridge
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello