Transportation
China Subway Binge: Too Much Too Fast?
If plans by Chinese officials are followed, 38 cities across the country will have subway lines by the end of the decade. The Economist asks if that might be 20 too many, as shiny subways steer investment from other forms of transit.
TIGER Trains Transportation Planners to Think Different
In the first entry in a multi-part series looking at the federal government's Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) program, Tanya Snyder looks at the impact the program has had on transportation planning and funding.
Amtrak: A Victim of its Own Success
At a recent congressional hearing, Amtrak president Joseph Boardman told Senators that the railroad is facing a 'crisis of success.' Amtrak's increasing ridership, especially in the Northeast Corridor, will lead to deteriorating service, he warned.
Get Ready for 'Divvy', Chicago's Soon to Launch Bike-Share System
Jon Hilkevitch details the roll-out of the Second City's first bike-share system. The handsome three-speed bikes painted in "Chicago blue" will start appearing on city streets in June.
Driverless Cars Are Coming, But They'll Bring Congestion and More Fuel Consumption
Although driverless vehicles are being touted for their potential to reduce congestion and fuel consumption, among other benefits, Casey B. Mulligan argues they'll actually induce the reverse.
Thanks to SF's Cable Cars, Bell Tolls for City's Public Transit
They're a global icon of the City by the Bay and one of San Francisco's premier tourist attractions. Operating at a loss, the city's cable cars are also draining resources from more essential forms of public transit, writes Joe Eskenazi.
A PAC You Might Actually Want to Donate To
StreetsPAC, a new political action committee launched this week, seeks to mobilize New York City residents, and back candidates, who support bike and pedestrian infrastructure.
Highway Trust Fund in Need of Multi-Billion Dollar Bailout
A new report from the Congressional Budget Office concludes that drastic reductions in transportation spending and/or increases in the federal gas tax will be needed unless another multi-billion dollar bailout is provided for the Highway Trust Fund.
Children of the Past Envision the City of Tomorrow
How did childhood visions of future cities differ for kids growing up in the 1980s when compared to the 1960s or today? Matt Novak shares a short film from 1983 that captures the prescient urban visions of students.
L.A. Opens its Streets and Residents Take Advantage
Sunday saw the sixth incarnation of L.A.'s popular CicLAvia event, which closes long stretches of city streets to automobile traffic, and opens them to bikes and pedestrians. The latest route, from downtown to the sea, attracted 150,000 people.
2013: A Banner Year for Bike Share
No less than eighteen U.S. cities are expected to launch bike-share systems this year, a fifty percent increase over the number currently in operation. An infographic from bike sharing consultancy BikeShare.com details the new programs.
World Bank: Carbon Pricing Key to Tackling Climate Change and Poverty
World Bank President Jim Yong Kim explains why climate change is a poverty issue - and why we must tackle it today to ensure that carbon emissions do not continue rising after 2016. Establishing a world price on carbon will be difficult to achieve.
Young Americans Drive Historic Decline in Auto Usage
Brad Plumer looks at the latest data on Americans' driving habits, which shows that vehicle miles driven have fallen an astonishing 8.75 percent since June 2005. Despite the end of the recession, driving rates continue their downward trend. But why?
Lawsuit Settled, CA HSR Authority Ready to Purchase Property
A major environmental lawsuit against the High Speed Rail Authority brought by Central Valley farmers and other parties was settled on April 18, clearing the way for initial construction to begin on the 30 mile corridor between Madera and Fresno.
Can Transit and Smart Planning Transform Colorado's Poorest Neighborhood?
With a new area plan oriented around the arrival of Denver's West Light Rail line, planners are hoping to spur a transformation of the city's Sun Valley neighborhood. Can the area diversify without displacing existing residents?
Vietnam Tries to Head Off Rising Car Culture by Building Transit
Lien Hoang looks at efforts by Vietnam's government to get ahead of rising living standards, and the auto congestion that often accompanies, by building modern transit systems in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
Zappos Founder Extends Las Vegas Transformation to Transportation
Not content to simply transform downtown Las Vegas's built landscape and work culture, Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh has set his sights on evolving the area's transportation infrastructure. At the heart of his plan sits 100 Tesla S sedans.
CA High-Speed Rail Builder Selected: Will Low Cost Equal Low Quality?
The builder of the first phase of California's high-speed rail project has been selected after a competitive bid process. The winning team had the lowest bid, but also the lowest technical score.
America's Campuses Foment Transportation Revolution
Angie Schmitt looks at how America's institutions of higher learning are embracing progressive transportation demand management strategies to cut costs, expand their footprints, and encourage healthier lifestyles.
Atlanta Sets its Sights on Biking Boost
With a burgeoning bike culture that saw the fastest rise in bike commuting in America from 2000-2009, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed has recognized the potential in this grassroots growth by announcing the goal of being a top-ten cycling city by 2016.
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.
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