Transportation
Federal Transportation Funds to Decrease August 1
U.S. Treasury Secretary Anthony Foxx warned State DOT officials in a July 1 letter that due to declining funds in the highway account of the Highway Trust Fund, he will implement a new reimbursement policy that may cause some states to halt projects.
Explaining the Limitations of Travel Time Comparisons
Jarrett Walker details the nuances of travel time comparisons, following on a recent Boston Magazine article comparing MBTA transit service to the new Bridj private bus service.
Upgrades to Los Angeles' Historic Union Station to Create a Dynamic Transit Hub
As Los Angeles ambitiously builds public transit infrastructure, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority is working on plans to update Union Station so that it will better serve the Los Angeles of the future.
U.S. Supreme Court Approves California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard
A key regulation in California's war on global warming emissions withstood a major court challenge by the energy industry—both oil and corn ethanol—when the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear their challenge to an Appeals Court ruling on June 30.
Liberals More Likely to Use Public Transit
Digging further into a recent report from the Pew Research Center that finds growing political polarization among Americans, Emily Badger finds use of public transit runs along ideological lines.
Study: Safety in Bike Numbers Found on the Streets of Boulder, Colorado
The high mode share of bikers in Boulder, Colorado allowed researchers to verify findings already documented by researchers in Europe.
Transparency about Hazardous Oil Shipments Possible After All
After the Federal Railroad Administration issued an emergency order on May 7 that Bakken information about oil shipments be shared with appropriate state agencies, question arose about whether that information could be shared with the public.
Proposed 'Transit Oriented Denver' Strategic Plan Targets Station Area Investments
The city of Denver recently released its "Transit Oriented Denver" strategic plan to the public. The plan does not revise existing station area plans, but does aim to coordinate between multiple city departments on a "concise work program."
Proposed Rail Station to Provide Future Rail Connection to LAX
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority voted to move forward with a station near LAX, proving they'd made more progress in the last 12 months than in the previous 25 years to bring transit rail to the airport.
Mudslinging over Parking Apps in San Francisco
A San Francisco city attorney spokesman used some colorful language in response to MonkeyParking's recent act of defiance against the city.
Op-Ed: Stop Demonizing the Suburbs
Jacquielynn Floyd writes an op-ed for the Dallas News in which she defends the suburbs from the "demonization" of "new urbanism."
Proposed River Bed Bike Path Would Connect Long Beach to Downtown Los Angeles
The Los Angeles City Council asked city engineers to explore an proposal that would close an 8.5-mile gap in a bike path that runs inside the Los Angeles River channel—connecting Long Beach to Downtown Los Angeles.
New Maps Compare Travel Times by Mode
Want to know the fastest way to get where you're going? You Are Here has created a new visualization tool that shows you the fastest mode for your trip in 11 cities.
A Bad Year for State Transportation Funding
Compared to 2013, few states are increasing transportation spending through tax increases. Only New Hampshire and Rhode Island saw limited gas tax increases, though both were accompanied by road or bridge toll eliminations. Missouri could be next.
Delayed, Expensive, and Poorly Planned—D.C. Streetcar Called 'Worse than Nothing'
In January, Washington D.C. Mayor Vincent C. Gray claimed that the district's new streetcar would open in February. Still not open, the D.C. City Council this week slashed future streetcar spending.
Biking as a Late 19th Century 'Emblem of Women's Rights'
Writing for The Atlantic, Adrienne LaFrance details how the bicycle paved the way for many liberating political advancement for women.
Kern County Adopts Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy
Amanda Eaken details Kern County's new Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy (RTP/SCS). The new plan implements California's SB 375, which serves as the land use component of California's carbon emissions reductions goals.
A PATH to Nowhere?
After it's first hearing, the PATH Act is not looking very promising to keep federal transportation reimbursements flowing to state DOTs late next month when the Highway Trust Fund is expected to approach insolvency. The one user fee was dropped.
Breaking the Carbon Emissions Cycle in the Transport Sector
Cracking the upward GHG emissions curve in the transport sector has proved exceedingly difficult. Research from Aalborg University in Denmark suggests that in some industrialized societies this may be changing.
Harley-Davidson Goes Electric
The green, quieter model runs on lithium batteries and gets 100 miles per charge. The Milwaukee company hopes it will appeal to a younger, urban, environmentally-conscious demographic as it's main market has been "aging white male baby boomers."
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
