Transportation

Lifting Parking Requirements

As part of its series looking at improving transportation in the U.S., Slate delves into the intricacies of parking requirements and how they impact transportation and traffic in cities.

June 29, 2010 - Slate

Redesign To Cut Traffic in Tysons Corner

A recently approved plan to redesign Tysons Corner, Virginia, to be more transit- and pedestrian-friendly would help reduce traffic, according to this column from The Washington Post.

June 29, 2010 - The Washington Post

Suburbia Isn't The Problem

John Jensen at the Seattle Transit blog makes a persuasive argument that the suburbs themselves aren't the problem - depedency on the automobile is.

June 29, 2010 - Seattle Transit Blog

Jan Gehl's Ten Principals For Liveability

Kaid Benfield introduces Jan Gehl and Walter Hook's principals to promote "environmentally sustainable and socially equitable transportation worldwide."

June 28, 2010 - Sustainable Cities Colletive

Illegal NYC Commuter Vans Could Become Legitimate

Private transit in the form of livery vans are now sanctioned as part of a year long pilot pushed by Mayor Bloomberg that will compete with public bus and taxi for areas not well-served by the city's extensive, but hard-hit transit network.

June 28, 2010 - The New York Times - N.Y. / Region

Battle Over Closure of Paris Expressways

A political battle is brewing in Paris, where the city's mayor wants to close off sections of roadway along the River Seine, a move that President Nicholas Sarkozy is against.

June 28, 2010 - The New York Times

CalTrans Shells Out $17 Million to Rename Pasadena Freeway

The first freeway in California is being renamed back to its original designation, the 'Arroyo Seco Parkway.' Known more recently as simply 'the 110,' it was considered a "marvel of engineering," when construction began in 1938.

June 27, 2010 - Los Angeles Times

Priority Seating for Chatters

A public art project that appeared in Brisbane, Australia proposes a "priority seating area for people who want conversation" in order to encourage friendly chatter on public buses.

June 27, 2010 - I (heart) Public Space

MTA Drops Two NYC Subway Lines

In the face of an $800 million budget gap, the MTA just blinked, closing the W and V lines on Friday night. More than 30 bus routes are also scheduled to close in an effort to save $93 million.

June 26, 2010 - Associated Press

Should Cities Sell Naming Rights to Transit Stations?

Philadelphia is considering renaming a stop on the Broad Street Subway 'AT&T Station' for $3 million. With transit agencies hurting, is this a solution or a sell-out?

June 26, 2010 - the transport politic

Public-Private-Partnership Ready To Build Rail To Denver Airport

Known as PPPs, these consortiums combine the best of public and private sectors to finance, build and operate large projects quickly and efficiently. The 23-mile rail line from downtown's Union Station is expected to start soon and open in 2016.

June 25, 2010 - The Denver Post

Redesigning Cities for Better Mobility

A new project aimed at reducing car reliance in world cities has paired ten architects with ten cities to create a redesigned public space that encourages a mix of transit modes.

June 25, 2010 - WNYC

A Driveable Future

An auto company has a new design competition to imagine a future city that is car-friendly.

June 25, 2010 - Scientific American

Are You a Narrative or Spatial Navigator?

Jarett Walker finds out how many people can recognize north in the subway. The survey is used to explain the distinction between narrative and spatial navigation, which appear to be the two predominant forms of human navigation.

June 24, 2010 - Human Transit

Jews and Transit: "Like a Bagel and Schmeer"

Joel Epstein at the Jewish Journal argues that Jews should support mass transit measures, and the 30/10 plan in particular. "Without 30/10, I fear my kids may be sitting shiva for me before I ride the Subway to the Sea," he writes.

June 24, 2010 - Jewish Journal

Controversial BART to Airport Being Built Anyway

Back in February, the Federal Transportation Administration revoked $70m in funding from the proposed BART airport connector over civil rights violations. Streetsblog reports that BART is forging ahead anyway and looking for other funders.

June 24, 2010 - Streetsblog

The Dangers of Drinking and Riding

The perils of drinking and driving have been well documented - but what of drinking and riding the subway? While the latter only endangers oneself for the most part, crashes can still happen - in this piece, a $2.3 million award was overturned.

June 24, 2010 - The New York Times - N.Y. / Region

Study Shows Mixed Use Reduces Car Travel More Than Density

Smart Planet talks with transportation researcher Reid Ewing about a new study he co-authored about how different development patterns can reduce auto use.

June 23, 2010 - Smart Planet

Reversing California's Sprawl with SB 375 and TOD

A new report from the Urban Land Institute finds that California's VMT-focused Senate Bill 375 can potentially reverse the state's sprawl. Transit-oriented development is seen as a strong strategy.

June 23, 2010 - The City Fix

Chicago to Join the Ranks of Bike-Sharing Cities

A pilot bike-sharing program will debut this summer in downtown Chicago.

June 22, 2010 - Chicago Now

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