Transportation

Governments need money to finance transportation system improvements, but revenues from traditional sources are flat. This is leading to debate over how best to generate new funds. There are many possible options, some better than others, because in addition to raising revenue, they support other strategic objectives. Politicians will be tempted to choose the easiest funding options. It is up to planners to point out the best options, taking into account all impacts.

January 27, 2013 - Todd Litman

By comparing the city's density, scale, and distribution of employment nodes to other major cities, Kristin Eberhard makes the case for why and how transit can work in big, dense, polycentric Los Angeles.

January 27, 2013 - NRDC Switchboard

Even for more seasoned bicyclists, cycling in winter can pose many problems. The winter-minded city of Montreal, however, is attempting to improve the condition of winter cycling in an effort to improve the city’s sustainability.

January 27, 2013 - Global Site Plans - The Grid

Not usually regarded for their outside the box thinking, transportation engineers have nevertheless come up with some radical ideas for improving the flow of traffic and reducing the potential for collisions at busy intersections.

January 27, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

Ending speculation as to whether he would stay or announce his resignation as many in Obama's cabinet have done, and who would replace him should he depart, Ray LaHood announced informally he would stay on as Secretary of the Dept. of Transportation.

January 26, 2013 - Bloomberg News

A five-day long fire caused by burning goat cheese has closed a highway tunnel in northern Norway indefinitely. Not having tasted Brunost, we're not sure if this is tragic or funny, or both.

January 25, 2013 - Grist

A new report documents the tremendous growth of Toronto's core, as it outpaces the surrounding suburbs. Downtown's growth is welcome news, but it won't come without substantial challenges.

January 25, 2013 - The Toronto Star

A proposed 2,700-acre development appears to conflict with the regional plan that complies with SB 375, a 2008 landmark law meant to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by reducing vehice-miles-traveled. The decision rests with the Board of Supervisors.

January 25, 2013 - Sacramento Bee

A recent survey gives statistical heft to what many already believe - that despite the rhetorical exuberance of anti-bicycle and anti-transit types, the supposed "war on cars" is just a tired trope that is "wearing a bit thin."

January 24, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

A draft long-range Strategic Plan for Washington D.C.'s Metro aims to adapt one of the nation's busiest transit systems to the needs of a growing region, at a cost of $26 billion.

January 24, 2013 - The Washington Post

James Sallis, this year’s winner of the Bloomberg Manulife Prize for the Promotion of Active Health, discusses the obstacles to increasing opportunities for physical activity in our communities, and how to overcome them.

January 24, 2013 - National Post

"Autonomous" and "driverless" cars are surely the next frontier for automakers, as recent announcements by Audi, Toyota, and Google indicate. But are visions for the potential impact of these innovations on cities overly optimistic?

January 24, 2013 - Next City

Although Britain's sporting successes make it out to be a nation of cyclists, only 2.2% of Britons use a bike as their main mode of transportation. Peter Walker looks at how a pioneering parliamentary inquiry hopes to get more people on bikes.

January 23, 2013 - The Guardian

Is a new luxury 6,721 square-foot home located in a gated community on the far outskirts of Las Vegas truly “the new face of efficiency"? Kaid Benfield elaborates on how the LEED certification system can be so easily gamed.

January 23, 2013 - The National Resources Defense Council

The Project for Public Spaces has released its "Rightsizing Streets Guide", which "aims to help planners and community members update their streets to make them ‘right’ for their context."

January 23, 2013 - PPS: Placemaking Blog

Following the arrest of Dr. Tomislav Svoboda for obstructing the removal of Jarvis Street's bike lanes last November, the doctor and his colleagues have joined together to ask Toronto to speed up the installation of bike lanes to save lives.

January 22, 2013 - Torontoist

A new study from the Tax Foundation starts with the premise that user fees - gas taxes and tolls, should pay for road funding. All 50 states are evaluated to see the greatest percentage of user fees. Delaware is rated first; Alaska and Wyoming last.

January 22, 2013 - Tax Foundation

Part bike, part car, part solar power, part human power - the Elf is a pedal-powered mini-car that just finished a "massively successful" Kickstarter drive and could be coming to a street near you very soon.

January 22, 2013 - Fast Company Co.Exist

One of the cities that's led the growing trend in urban freeway removal is considering another tear down, report Phillip Matier and Andrew Ross.

January 21, 2013 - San Francisco Chronicle

What is the future of the "deeply flawed" state gas tax? Lemov Penelope compares the approaches taken by VA and OR - both plan to eliminate it and replace it with alternatives - a state sales tax and a vehicle-miles-traveled (VMT) fee, respectively.

January 21, 2013 - Governing Magazine