Transportation

From LaHood with Love

In a DOT press release this week, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood makes a $1.58 billion commitment to fund the New Starts program.

July 1, 2011 - U.S. Department Of Transportation

Marketing 101: How to Brand Public Transit

Campaigning blindly to encourage people to relinquish cars and take public transit is not enough. Policymakers need to develop business school marketing strategies to brand their campaigns, experts say.

June 30, 2011 - THE DIRT

Sao Paulo Plans Monorail

Sao Paulo, Brazil has awarded a contract to build a new monorail system connecting the airport to the city's transit system.

June 30, 2011 - Smart Planet

Interstate for Bicycles Edging Closer to Reality

Long-stalled plans to build a countrywide network of interstate routes for bicycles appears to be moving forward.

June 30, 2011 - Sustainable Business Oregon

Controversial Commuter Rail's Surprising Backer

He's the most powerful congressman on transportation issues: none other than Florida's John Mica, chair of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Mica is backing the 61-mile, $1.2 billion Orlando Sunrail Line.

June 29, 2011 - The New York Times - Politics

Tolls Could Be Key to Rebuilding Highway System

With the cost of maintaining highways growing exponentially, Peter Samuel of TollRoadsNews comments on the real possibilities for using tolls to fund highway projects.

June 29, 2011 - TOLLROADSnews

China's Experiments with Financing and Building Transit

The Economist is fascinated by China's experiments in public-private financing in which the government gives land to private transit developers in exchange for greater mobility.

June 29, 2011 - The Economist

Stockholm's Transportation Remodel

In Stockholm, Sweden, planners are moving ahead with a broad central city redevelopment plan that seeks to continue the city's trend of reducing car traffic and congestion, and making it easier for bikers, walkers and transit takers to get around.

June 28, 2011 - Citiwire

High Speed Rail Planned Between Malaysia and Singapore

Officials in Malaysia and Singapore have high hopes for the high speed rail link planned between the two countries.

June 28, 2011 - The Star

European Transportation Policy: Make Life Difficult For Motorists

It's the opposite of conventional transportation policy in American cities that places motorist convenience in high priority (think 'level of service'). This story shows what European cities are doing to get motorists out of cars.

June 27, 2011 - The New York Times - Environment

New Research: Do Americans Really Oppose Increasing The Gas Tax?

Politicians say it all the time - "Americans will never stand for a gas tax increase", but how do they know? A survey of 1,500 adults under the direction of Mineta Transportation Institute found otherwise. A VMT fee and sales tax was also surveyed.

June 27, 2011 - Mineta Transportation Institute

Two-Year Transportation Reauthorization Bill To Be Introduced In July

The Senate Environment & Public Works Committee is set to introduce a $97 billion, two-year transportation bill after the July 4 recess that will have a deficit of $12 billion. The House is said to be working on a six-year bill.

June 27, 2011 - The Journal of Commerce Online

Clean-Fuel Zone Widened Per Navy's Request

Known for its puritanical environmental laws, California's shipping pollution standards just got tougher. The California Air Resource Board voted unanimously to expand the 2009 clean-fuel zone, which mandates ships to use less-polluting fuels.

June 27, 2011 - The Los Angeles Times

Beyond Safety in Numbers: Why Bike Friendly Cities are Safer

Studies often show that bicyclists find "safety in numbers." Norman Garrick and Wes Marshall explain that the street design strategies that attract bike riders are the same ones that improve road safety for all road users.

June 27, 2011 - Norman W. Garrick

Transportation Reauthorization Bill Coming in July

The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee is set to introduce a $97 billion, two-year transportation bill after the July 4 recess. The bill will add another $12 billion to the deficit.

June 27, 2011 - The Journal of Commerce Online

European Cities are Driven to Become "Walkers' Paradises"

If you can't fix the players then by all means fix the game. This appears to be the strategy that many European cities, including Zurich, have employed to reduce the use of single-occupancy vehicles.

June 27, 2011 - The New York Times

New Research: Do Americans Really Oppose Increasing The Gas Tax?

Politicians say it all the time - "Americans will never stand for a gas tax increase", but how do they know? A survey of 1,500 adults under the direction of Mineta Transportation Institute found otherwise. A VMT fee and sales tax was also surveyed.

June 26, 2011 - Mineta Transportation Institute

Basra to Baghdad in 2 Hours

A preliminary deal has been signed to construct a high-speed rail linking Baghdad to a southeastern city Basra.

June 26, 2011 - BBC News

In D.C., Bike Sharing Is A Hit

Channeling the Vélib bicycle rental system in Paris, the Capital Bikeshare program proves to be an unprecedented success in the States. Cities like Denver, Minneapolis, and NYC are starting to emulate.

June 25, 2011 - The Infrastructurist

City of the Future: Two Legs Good, Four Wheels Bad

Once dubbed the "lungs of the city," highways are becoming perhaps less essential. From Seattle to Seoul, pedestrianization is gaining traction on both the domestic and international fronts.

June 24, 2011 - The Architect's Newspaper

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.

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