Transportation
More Hype on Hyperloop
LA Times' technology blogger Jon Healy takes a look at Elon Musk's Hyperloop, and after careful analysis, decides he'd bet on a proven, high-speed technology - the same one that inspired Musk to do an all-nighter to draft plans for an alternative.
A Film You Need to Watch About Distracted Driving
Forget all the statistics you've read about the rise in distracted driving, they'll never have the potency of this film by acclaimed director Werner Herzog on the impact of texting while driving on victims, their families, and the drivers themselves.
San Francisco Gains Affluence and Loses Its Identity
The latest 'digital gold rush' has been a boost for the Bay Area's high earners, but a blow to its diversity and affordability. Conspicuous transportation modes - fleets of private buses and black town cars - epitomize the area's growing divide.
How Green Is Your Electric Car? Depends Where You Live
According to a new report from Climate Central, your EV is only as clean as the power plant used to generate the electricity it runs on. Furthermore, due to the huge carbon cost of batteries, a hybrid may be more climate-friendly than a plug-in.
Base Your Transit Investment Arguments on Agglomeration
Forget reducing congestion and improving the environment; a new paper makes perhaps the strongest argument yet for investing in public transit based on its ability to agglomerate, or cluster people together, raising wages and productivity.
Could Saudi Arabia's New Subway Unleash a Social Revolution?
The construction of Riyadh's Metro has ambitious goals to relieve gridlock and reduce obesity. Perhaps more importantly, it aims to grant women the freedom of mobility. “That's a lot to expect from a public transport system,” writes Susanne Koelbl.
California Ushers in New Rail Age
A new rail age is dawning in California, thanks to high-speed rail; BART's impending "fleet of the future"; and more, says Projjal Dutta, director of sustainability at NYC's MTA. If successful, this will mean a major reduction of car use and sprawl.
Bay Area Bike Share Prepares for August 29 Launch
Dwarfed by its city counterparts, the Bay Area's 1,000 bikes will cover a larger region (5 cities in 3 counties) with fewer bikes, many placed at key transit nodes. It also distinguishes itself by being a 'pilot program' with multiple public owners.
30 Years Later, Debate Still Rages Over Impact of America's Largest Light Rail System
30 years ago, voters in North Texas approved a sales tax to fund the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) system based on promises of reducing congestion, spurring development and sustainable funding. Has the system met its goals? Depends who you ask.
Schedule Slippage Casts Doubts on CA High-Speed Rail
With fantasies of a Hyperloop suddenly offering a tantalizing, albeit far-fetched, alternative to the $68-billion project, CA's high-speed rail has apparently encountered more schedule slippage. The delay could cause more obstacles for the project.
Hyperloop = Hyperlame?
Last week we looked at the dangers of focusing on transportation fantasies. But alas, entrepreneur Elon Musk's vision for a "fifth form" of transportation is here and we just can't help ourselves.
Can Atlanta Solve Its Transit Problems by Taxing Parking?
In the aftermath of the disappointing defeat of a one-cent regional sales tax transportation measure, the city council is considering two measures to raise transportation revenue, one being a parking tax based on a Georgia Tech masters thesis.
Oil and Gas Revenue May Fund Texas Roads
The nation's largest oil and natural gas producer is flush with revenue from energy production. If Gov. Rick Perry signs the bill supported by two-thirds of both chambers, voters will decide whether to use about $1.2 billion of it annually for roads.
Protected Bike Lanes May Receive Federal Recognition
While protected bike lanes have yet to be recognized by AASHTO, they are en route to being recognized by US DOT, writes Green Lane Project's Michael Andersen. With federal guidance, transportation engineers may be more willing to build cycle tracks.
Rising Costs Threaten to Thwart UK High-Speed Rail
Britain's grand plan to halve travel times between the country's biggest cities and expand economic growth outside London via high-speed rail is getting pushback from the very places it's meant to help.
Death By Auto: Are They Always Accidents?
Sarah Goodyear describes the greater implications of the carnage caused by a motorist intent on mowing down as many pedestrians as possible on the Venice boardwalk in L.A. on August 03. It wasn't the first time a car caused mayhem in a public space.
Study Details SFpark's Surprising Results
The preliminary results are in for America's most ambitious experiment in demand-based parking pricing. Among the surprises: the average price at the spaces participating in San Francisco's pioneering program actually declined by 1 percent.
Can Biking Build a Bridge to Transit in Birmingham?
Urban areas across the country have identified bikes as a fat-burning, congesting-decreasing, transit-supporting alternative to automobiles. And Birmingham – despite a need for all these benefits – has lagged tremendously behind.
The Danger in Transportation Fantasizing
We hear a lot about the next leap forward in transportation, whether it be Elon Musk's Hyperloop or Tel Aviv's floating pods. But in focusing on the latest fantasy, are we harming our ability to address the problems of the present?
Feds Withholding $2 Billion in Funding for CA Transit
The U.S Department of Labor is holding up the distribution of billions of dollars in transit funding destined for San Diego, Sacramento, Los Angeles and other California cities due to a new state pension law's impact on transit workers.
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.
KFH Group Inc.
Greater Baltimore Committee
Eagle County Government
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
