Transportation
Frightening Friday: Irish Council Supports Allowing Drunk Driving to Prevent Mental Illness
Unfortunately folks, this is not a story out of The Onion. A county council in south-west Ireland has voted to support allowing rural drunk driving to help "prevent depression and suicide," reports Henry McDonald.
In San Francisco, Massive Waterfront Projects Bring Transportation Challenges
A new arena for the NBA's Warriors and a $1.6 billion mixed-use development south of AT&T Park are among the projects planned for San Francisco's waterfront. But a transit system already at capacity presents a formidable challenge for planners.
Is Good Transit Necessary for Parking Reform?
Paul Barter answers with an unequivocal no. He outlines the reasons why debates over the elimination of parking minimums should be decoupled from transit, and identifies other reforms that can make parking changes palatable.
Arcane State Board Votes to Give CA Nation's Highest Gas Tax
While state legislatures and governors are struggling whether to raise state gas, sales, or income taxes or user fees to fund transportation projects, an arcane state board of five elected members voted 3-2 to increase CA's gas tax by 3.5 cents.
Boris Backs Bikes with $1.4 Billion Infrastructure Plan for London
Mayor Boris Johnson has unveiled a wildly ambitious £913m 10-year plan to make cycling an integral part of London's transportation network.
Chaining Bicycles to Economic Development
Biking can be a formidable economic development tool, argues James A. Bacon, who examines several ways in which investment in bicycle infrastructure can create wealth and jobs.
How Would Free Transit Fare in the U.S.?
Jake Blumgart compares free transit in Europe with case studies in the U.S.
Critiquing the "Urban Mobility Report"
The "Urban Mobility Report" produces widely-cited congestion cost estimates. It is biased in various ways that exaggerate congestion costs and roadway expansion benefits. Few users of these cost estimates seem aware of these problems.
Bike-Oriented Development Sprouts in Portland
With the traditional metrics of retail economics and geography being undermined by the Internet, businesses are searching for new ways to reach potential customers. Astute business owners in Portland are recognizing the value in good bike exposure.
BRT Comes to D.C.
The first bus rapid transit route in the D.C. metro area will start serving passengers in Northern Virginia as early as Spring 2014.
America's Changing Commuting Patterns
A new report out from the Census Bureau paints a comprehensive picture of commuting in the United States. Average commute times remain steady, but the most significant change may be in the percentage of people working from home at least once a week.
An Elegant Guide to Walkability
The Spanish city of Pontevedra has developed an innovative, and attractive, map of pedestrian connections based on the color-coded subway maps common to cities around the world; burnishing its reputation as "a leader in walker-friendly urban policy."
Peninsula Cities Lose Initial CEQA Lawsuit Against High Speed Rail Authority
It was the first of many lawsuits to hit the HSRA. Menlo Park and Atherton, joined later by Palo Alto - three adjoining cities on the San Mateo County/Santa Clara County border, among the wealthiest in the nation, sued in 2008 to reroute the train.
Do Airports Make Ideal Cities?
Rowan Moore asks whether investing in air travel-oriented urban design is appropriate for all contexts.
U.S. DOT to Develop Its Own Bike and Pedestrian Safety Standards
In news that's sure to please active transportation advocates, outgoing Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced his agency will ditch AASHTO's outdated guidelines and develop its own standards for bicycle and pedestrian safety.
How Estonia Became the Electric Car Capital of the World
Brian Merchant describes the key initiatives intended to make the ex-Soviet nation "the best place in the world to buy and drive an electric car."
Meet Mexico City's Pedestrian Protecting Superhero
Sarah Goodyear introduces us to Peatónito, the masked Lucha Libre inspired defender of pedestrians.
The Loud Debate Over Quiet Cars
Dirty looks, shushing, even brawls; the lengths that "vigilantes" take to policing the rules of railroad quiet-cars can be extreme. William Power and Brian Hershberg look at how different transit systems, and their passengers, enforce quiet rides.
For Amtrak, Short Trips Are Route to Profitability
A new report from the Brookings Institution delves into the ridership and financial winners (and losers) for America's largest intercity rail operator. Last year, Amtrak made money on its 26 routes shorter than 400 miles.
Could a Bicycle Tax be a Good Idea?
A proposed $10 billion transportation package introduced by legislators in Washington state includes a controversial $25 sales fee on bicycles that cost more than $500. Eric Jaffe explains why such a tax might not be a bad idea.
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
