Transportation
State Gas Taxes: What a Difference a Year Makes!
Fox News ran two articles on the climate for increasing state gas taxes, almost exactly a year apart. The 2012 article is pessimistic about the ability to increase gas taxes while the March 14th one is decidedly upbeat. Why the change, what happened?
Great Placemaking Begins with Acknowledging the Obvious
Our brains simply tune out anything that might suggest that our behavior is in some way complicit in our problems. Scott Doyon zeros in on the obvious, but often overlooked, problems with our auto-oriented culture.
Top Trends 2012-2013
Over the course of the year, the editors of Planetizen review and summarize thousands of articles, books, studies and editorials related to planning and urban development. Here are our picks for the most notable planning trends of the past year.
What Can Northern Europe Teach Us About Building Livable Communities?
In narrative and in images, Luis Rodriguez discusses the findings of a recent study tour to Germany and Scandinavia to discover the secrets to creating more livable communities.
L.A.'s Transit Agency Gives Bike Safety a Lift
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) has kicked off a new bicycle safety campaign designed to raise awareness of cyclists' legal right to take a full traffic lane.
What Can be Done About the Global Scourge of Road Deaths?
1.2 million people are killed by road collisions every year, says a new report from the World Health Organization. Across the world, it's the leading cause of death for 15- to 29-year-olds. Nick Mead discusses the report's chilling findings.
Ending the Ceaseless Cycle of Car Dependency
Rather than the doomsday scenarios envisioned by critics, recent results indicate that closing streets to cars can have a demonstrable effect in improving circulation.
10 Signs L.A. is on the Right Track with its Transit Transition
From plans to maximize development opportunities around bustling Union Station to newly operating congestion pricing schemes and rail lines that have shattered ridership expectations, Los Angeles is making progress towards a transit-rich future.
Obama Pushes to Fund Advanced Autos with Fossil Fuel Revenues
At a visit to the Argonne National Laboratory today, President Obama was expected to unveil his plan to spend $2 billion in oil and gas revenues "to find ways to replace hydrocarbons as the primary fuel for the nation’s cars, trucks and buses."
Bike-Share Spreads Across Sprawling Midwest
Bike-share is continuing its march towards world domination, with seemingly every large Midwestern American city now jumping on the bike lending bandwagon, reports Angie Schmitt.
Are Cars Destined to Share the Fate of the Steamship and the Landline?
We're likely witnessing the beginning of the slow decline of a technology that's defined our transportation and land use policies for a century - the private car. Emily Badger explains how unnoticed events produce socio-technical transitions.
Driven into Poverty: Walkable Urbanism and the Suburbanization of Poverty
David Moser pens a compelling essay that examines the ways in which sprawling auto-dependent land use patterns exacerbate poverty. As more low-income individuals and families are pushed to the suburbs, "this problem is gaining urgency."
Can Rail Fill the Gap if Keystone XL Isn't Approved?
"Yes it can", at least to some extent appears to be the answer according to the WSJ. While the Keystone XL pipeline can move 830,000 barrels of oil a day, rail shipments are set to double this year to 200,000 barrels. Not so, according to the NRDC.
Mapping the Global Growth of Bike-Share
An interactive map from the bike-sharing consultancy Metrobike plots the world's active, proposed, and failed bike-sharing services. Willie Osterweil draws some interesting lessons from the data.
NYC's Mayoral Candidates Offer Uninspiring Outlook on Transit
With the MTA comprising a significant portion of the city's workforce and viability, NYC mayoral candidates remain reluctant to commit to invest in the transit authority. Their comments at a recent transit forum disappointed advocates.
Tallahassee Engineers Surprising Transit Turnaround
Under the cover of darkness two years ago, Tallahassee's StarMetro completely overhauled its entire bus system, replacing its out of date hub-and-spoke model with a grid-like system over one evening. This year, the system was honored by the APA.
U.S. Experiences Second-Highest Transit Ridership Since 1957
According to a new report, U.S. transit ridership increased to 10.5 billion rides in 2012 - a 1.5% increase over 2011, despite transit shutdowns and reductions caused by Superstorm Sandy. High gas prices, and their volatility, was a major cause.
Should the Feds Fund Transportation Projects?
The impending bankruptcy of the Highway Trust Fund a lack of clear purpose for national transport investment has Eric Jaffe asking if, after 120 years, we might be witnessing the end of federal transportation funding as we know it.
Cleveland's Public Space Revolution
With new bike paths, regional trails, and renovated parks, Cleveland is catering to bikes and pedestrians, says Steven Litt. He explains how this "car town" is "undergoing a revolution in attitudes toward public space, city streets and walkability."
Walkable Streets: Considering Common Issues
Generalist Geoff Dyer delivers his walkability design tactics magnum opus on PlaceShakers. His years of practical experience are conveniently condensed for your consumption.
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.
Borough of Carlisle
Smith Gee Studio
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)
