Transportation

Minnesota Courting Bicyclists' Billion-Dollar Business

With bicycling a $1 billion (with a 'B') industry in the State of Minnesota, a coalition of eight public partners are joining together to raise the profile of biking and make it easier to pedal through the already spoke-friendly state.

August 2, 2012 - Co.Design

Five Years Later: What Lessons Have Been Learned From I-35W Bridge Collapse?

Part 4 of this multi-part series on the 5-year anniversary of the August 1, I-35W bridge collapse by David Levinson, U. of Minnesota Professor of Civil Engineering, deals with the three vetoed gas tax measures before and after the bridge collapse.

August 2, 2012 - Streets.MN

Plans for Elevated Roadway in Oklahoma City Encounter 'Buzz-Saw of Criticism'

According to Steve Lackmeyer, traditional highway design, aimed at the automobile, is clashing with modern urban planning trends, of 'complete streets' and multi-modes, over a new proposal to build an elevated highway in Oklahoma City.

August 2, 2012 - NewsOK

Bloomberg's Broadway Gamble Gets Standing Ovation

Nicole Gelinas reports on the effects of Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s controversial 2009 transportation reforms, which have unexpectedly lightened the traffic and dangers on New York’s streets.

August 1, 2012 - City Journal

Atlanta Rejects Transpo Tax

Voters in the Atlanta metro area overwhelmingly rejected a 1% sales tax increase to fund $7.2 billion in transportation improvements. The result is being framed as a victory for anti-government Tea Party allies and a loss for the region's economy.

August 1, 2012 - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Mega Miami Development Seeks to Tame the Car

You know things are changing in Miami when the most notable aspects of the $1 billion Brickell CitiCentre development are its parking and transit access strategies. Douglas Hanks provides the details.

August 1, 2012 - The Miami Herald

Biker's Ed Class Debuts in NYC for Cycling Scofflaws

As a penalty for certain offenses, a new sentencing option sends New York City's cycling scofflaws to a remedial class to learn about bicycles and traffic, reports J. David Goodman.

August 1, 2012 - The New York Times

UC/ASU Study: CA High Speed Rail Brings Environmental Benefits

A new academic study has determined that California's beleaguered high speed rail project may meet at least one promise if fully built - it can bring the environmental improvements that supporters boasted when travelers ditch planes and cars for HSR.

August 1, 2012 - The Daily Californian

'Distracted Walking' Becomes an Epidemic

Likely of little surprise to anyone who's found themselves among the few pedestrians not gazing down at a cell phone on a busy urban street, 'distracted walking' is fast becoming a major public health hazard across the U.S., reports Deborah Netburn.

July 31, 2012 - Los Angeles Times

Midwest Rail Upgrades Speed Ahead, Creating Divide

Increased speeds for passenger rail lines in the Midwest bring along economic baggage, but can the pros outweigh the cons? As higher-speed rail, and expected economic growth, come to Illinois and Michigan, neighboring states see pitfalls.

July 31, 2012 - The Wall Street Journal

Edible Bus Stops Sprout in London

I'm sure your mother had good reason to tell you not to eat on the run. But times have changed, and one group in London is utilizing the city's public transportation network to help popularize the benefits of healthy eating and urban greening.

July 31, 2012 - The Guardian

Mystery Surrounds Delayed Launch of NYC Bike-Share

With Citi Bike, New York's landmark bike-share program, set to miss its expected July launch, city officials and the company running the program are giving few clues as to what's causing the delay and when the program may actually become operational.

July 30, 2012 - The New York Times

Tomorrow's Transit Tax Vote is a Historic Day for Atlanta

Whatever Atlanta area voters decide when they head to the polls tomorrow to vote on a proposed 10-year, 1 percent sales tax to fund transit and road projects, the outcome will be a historic moment in the area's history. Ariel Hart puts it in context.

July 30, 2012 - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

A New Tool for Measuring Walkability

Steve Mouzon finds fault with the uniform application of the 1/4 mile walkability radius, regardless of context. And, in the first in a series of articles, he introduces a new tool for understanding and building walkable places.

July 30, 2012 - Original Green

Once Common, Do Jitneys Have a Future in L.A.'s Transportation Mix?

In the latest entry in its fascinating series on the "Laws That Shaped L.A.", KCET's Jeremy Rosenberg looks at the city's brief, but golden, age of the Jitneys, and whether they deserve a return to L.A.'s growing mix of transit modes.

July 29, 2012 - KCET Departures

The American West's Transportation Revolution

After decades of planning and development of its urban rail networks, will the American West change its image from car cornucopia to transit paradise?

July 29, 2012 - The Architect's Newspaper

How to Promote TOD When There's no Room for Infill

Many new light rail lines have been built in western cities in the hopes of attracting new development to greenfields. Los Angeles' Expo Line, however, is threaded through a heavily built-up area, thus complicating dreams of TOD.

July 28, 2012 - California Planning & Development Report

Friday Funny: Honda Helps the World Become Even Lazier

For those who thought having to stand to use a Segway required far too much exertion, Honda has introduced the Uni-Cub, a radical new way for humans to avoid ever having to be upright again.

July 27, 2012 - Los Angeles Times

Can a New App Prevent Traffic Jams?

Zak Stone spotlights a new app being tested in Germany that can predict and prevent traffic jams, and promises to reduce CO2 emissions in the process.

July 27, 2012 - Good

Capturing the Dance of the NYC Subway Rider

In a short video, part comedy/part anthropological study, The New York Times documents "The Subway Shuffle": that "daily gamble" as NYC commuters dash "to victory, or despair" between local and express trains arriving on the same platform.

July 27, 2012 - The New York Times

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.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

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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.