Transportation

Exploring the Abandoned Metro of Paris

Urban explorer dsankt offers an in-depth look inside abandoned sections of the Metro system of Paris.

December 28, 2010 - Sleepy City

Cities Too Dangerous for Kids? Maybe Not

Cities are commonly thought of as dangerous places for kids to grow up. But a new study challenges that perception.

December 28, 2010 - Grist

Beijing's Plan To Limit Traffic Antagonizes Auto Dealers

To reduce congestion, Beijing will follow in Shanghai's footsteps set 10 years ago by limiting new car registrations; only Beijing residents will be able to obtain one,and only vehicles with such plates will be allowed entrance to city center in 2011

December 27, 2010 - The Wall Street Journal: Autos

LaHood's Pitch To Florida: Go Forward With HSR

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood wrote a major address to the nation in support of high speed rail that appeared in Florida's Orlando Sentinel. Streetsblog notes the significance of that paper in light of events in Wisconsin and Ohio.

December 26, 2010 - Orlando Sentinel

Gas Price Shooting To $3.75/gallon

A tweet from the FuelFix folks indicates that gas prices may reach $3.75 in the spring having passed the crucial oil price of $90 a barrel earlier this month. Already gas prices are the highest on record for any December.

December 26, 2010 - Fuel Fix

Is SimCity Behind the Times?

Transportation consultant Garrett Walker asks, "Is SimCity still making us stupid?" Walker jumps into the Rush Hour 4 Expansion Pack to see if the user is rewarded for contemporary planning techniques or outdated, autocentric ideas.

December 25, 2010 - Human Transit

Ohio and Wisconsin's HSR Loss is California's Gain

By refusing federal stimulus funds for high speed rail projects in their states, incoming Republican governors in Midwest gifted California over $600 million in new funding for the state's planned 800-mile network, says the Fresno Bee.

December 23, 2010 - The Fresno Bee

D.C. Juggles Overhead Wires and Historic Views

Washington D.C. is planning to build a citywide streetcar network, but the overhead wires required for those plans would affect the city's historic views.

December 23, 2010 - NPR

Bogota's TransMilenio Turns 10

Bogota's integrated mass transit system has been operation for a decade and continues to grow, but faces challenges for the coming years, from the constant growth in ridership to irregularities in construction contracts.

December 23, 2010 - TheCityFix

The Head of New York's Streets Revolution

Grist's Sarah Goodyear talks with New York City Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan about her work in the city -- and what other cities can learn from it.

December 23, 2010 - Grist

U.S. Demand For Gasoline Has Peaked

As improbable as it sounds, the U.S. hit 'peak gas demand' in 2006 at 9 million barrels per day. By 2030, experts predict it will be 20% lower. The decline is attributed to driving less, more efficient vehicles, and the addition of ethanol to gas.

December 22, 2010 - The (Lehigh

Mapping Seattle's Bikeability

Comparing Seattle to Portland, transportation planner Adam Parast used GIS data to show the most bikeable parts of the city.

December 22, 2010 - Ballard New Tribune

For Women Only: Safety by Segregation

Women's safety on public transit is increasingly in focus worldwide. Many systems have turned to designating separate areas for women, but what happens after they get off?

December 21, 2010 - TheCityFix

The Walkable City of Death

San Francisco, one of the nation's most walkable cities, has one of the country's highest rates of pedestrian deaths.

December 21, 2010 - San Francisco Chronicle

To Helmet, or Not to Helmet

That is the question being debated among cyclists as a growing anti-helmet movement becomes more vocal.

December 21, 2010 - Grist

Opposing Seattle's Big Dig Project

Grist's Dave Roberts chats with Cary Moon, one of the key opponents to Seattle's version of the Big Dig, a tunnel to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct. Moon, urbanists, and environmentalists are supporting a multi-modal, surface boulevard alternative.

December 21, 2010 - Grist

New Appointees to Transportation Committee Not Urban

Sam Staley says that new Republican appointees to the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure are primarily from rural districts, which doesn't bode well for urban transit funding.

December 20, 2010 - Reason.org

The Motorist's Identity Crisis

Bicyclists and transit riders are losers - right? Or are they elitist, sneering yuppies? Brian Ladd says that people's attitudes and transportation choices are shaped by deep-seated feelings about respectability, and it planners should pay attention.

December 20, 2010 - Brian Ladd

You've Heard of Pocket Parks, but Pocket Airports?

A NASA-related agency envisions a future when people will commute from small neighborhood "pocket airports" in their "Suburban Air Vehicles" (SAVs).

December 20, 2010 - Gizmag

Streetcar the Savior?

Streetcars are increasingly seen as boons to local economies. And with a $130 million federal fund aimed at streetcar projects, some are expecting more systems to develop, according to this article. Others, though, still question the investment.

December 19, 2010 - CNN

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.