Transportation

Obama's Transportation Reauthorization Bill Leaks Out - Somewhat

A draft is circulating within the Beltway showing the president's transportation reauthorization bill. High Speed Rail is in, as is a 'Livability Program'. Goodby Highway Trust Fund - Hello Transportation Fund.

May 8, 2011 - D.C. Streetsblog

The Zeppelin-Filled Future is Nigh

Zeppelin technologists have cracked one of the central barriers towards widespread use: the difficulty of staying bouyant while moving forward in a straight line.

May 8, 2011 - Popular Science

The Most Walkable Cities In U.S., And Why

Cities of all population sizes were ranked by the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center. Key to top-rated Seattle was its management of parking. 19 cities were cited from throughout the country.

May 8, 2011 - The Atlantic Magazine

Controlling New York City's Traffic

Urban Omnibus ventures into the New York City Department of Transportation's Traffic Management Center to find out how technology is changing the way the city manages its traffic signals and traffic flows.

May 7, 2011 - Urban Omnibus

Toronto Tries Bike Sharing Again

After a first attempt fizzled in 2007, Toronto is launching a new bike sharing system.

May 6, 2011 - Urban Toronto

Urban Mobility, 2025

This post from This Big City looks at how transportation needs to evolve, and some of the ways it could in the near future.

May 6, 2011 - This Big City

The Case for Roundabouts

While some Americans find them confusing, traffic roundabouts are good for the environment and cut down on time spent in traffic, say transportation planners.

May 5, 2011 - Marketplace

Megabus Makes Money

A private bus company with an internet-based reservation system is succeeding wildly, perhaps paving the way for successful bus transit (and away from rail).

May 5, 2011 - Providence Business News

A Transportation Census That Really Counts

New York City has created its own version of the census to track transportation in the city, a job it says the federal government's counting system does poorly.

May 4, 2011 - The New York Times

Does the U.S. Need More Highways?

National Journal asks its panel of experts whether the U.S. needs more highways, and if they should or shouldn't be a major part of transportation funding in the near future.

May 4, 2011 - National Journal

Funding Issues Keep American Tranposrtation Infrastructure Down

This article from The Economist explains why America's transportation system is failing, and how the federal government's infrastructure funding mechanisms are contributing to the decline.

May 4, 2011 - The Economist

Other Cities Look at L.A.'s Transit Funding Plan

Los Angeles has taxed itself to raise money for transit projects, and now officials want to borrow against those future earnings to speed up projects. This article wonders if that's a model other cities can and should follow.

May 4, 2011 - The Minn Post

How Chinese Megacities Avoid Problems

Megacities are quickly on the rise in China. But as this post from New Geography argues, they've managed to avoid problems currently faced by other megacities in developing nations.

May 4, 2011 - New Geography

"Cycle Tracks" for Safety in Cities

Public health researcher Anne Lusk argues that installing bike routes separate from motor vehicles will boost cycling and make compact communities work better.

May 3, 2011 - New Urban Network

In Manhattan, Shopping and Driving Don't Mix

The New York City Department of Transportation's yearly statistical smorgasbord adds a new tool: neighborhood travel profiles showing how people arrived in eight neighborhoods. In many of them, the number of drivers was in the single digits.

May 3, 2011 - Streetsblog

Urban Gondola to Light Rail

Calgary, Alberta is getting inventive with its transit system and considering building an urban gondola to soar high above the city and connect light rail stops.

May 3, 2011 - CBC Radio / CBC News

Central Valley & SF Peninsula Battle Over HSR Planning

A compromise high speed rail approach for the Peninsula to have the train use the existing Caltrain corridor without elevating or widening it may have mollified some Peninsula HSR opponents but stirred opposition by Central Valley HSR advocates.

May 3, 2011 - Merced Sun-Star

Improving Planning in San Francisco

The Wall Street Journal talks with Gabriel Metcalf, executive director of the San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association, about where the city is heading and how it needs to change.

May 2, 2011 - The Wall Street Journal

Can Pod Cars Transform Traffic in Delhi?

Delhi is considering installing "pod cars," known in the U.S. as personal rapid transit or PRT, as a form of public transportation.

May 2, 2011 - TheCityFix.com

How Far Will People Walk?

Planners have embraced "1/4th of a mile" as the official distance that people are willing to walk to take transit. But why is that the measure, and is it accurate?

May 1, 2011 - Human Transit

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.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.