Transportation

Transit Breaks Ground in Honolulu, But Will Development Follow?

Ground has broken on Honolulu's long-planned rail system, but locals still worry that the new transit won't lure new development to town.

February 24, 2011 - The Honolulu Star Advertiser

Student Entrepreneur Tackles Traffic Congestion

Frustrated by inadequate public transportation and environmental degradation caused by traffic congestion in the city, a Mumbai MBA student attempts to introduce bike-sharing to this mega-city.

February 23, 2011 - Fast Company

WiFi Coming To California's Capitol Corridor Trains

Amtrak California's Capitol Corridor service will soon be adding WiFi to its list of customer amenities thanks to a $20 billion transportation bond passed by voters four years ago.

February 23, 2011 - The Sacramento Bee

Where Will The Transportation Money Come From, Mr. President?

Transportation consultant and analyst Ken Orski looks into the transportation provisions of President Obama's proposed 2012 budget and beyond and notices some major shortfalls - and poses questions to the administration as to how they will be funded.

February 23, 2011 - InfrastructureUSA

Bay Area MPO Cleared Of Racial Bias Charges

A federal appeals court upheld a federal district court ruling that the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, the Bay Area's transportation planning and funding agency, does not discriminate against minorities in the way it funds buses and trains

February 22, 2011 - San Francisco Chronicle

Tunnel Digs Deep and Runs Long

Construction is nearing completion on the longest railway tunnel in the world.

February 21, 2011 - National Geographic

Forget The Automobile, More Streets for Pedestrians and Cyclists Coming to L.A.

Despite the city's heavy dependence on cars, a newly-approved project in Los Angeles will transform a Downtown street into a better experience for pedestrians, cyclists, and transit-riders.

February 18, 2011 - GOOD Magazine

On the Bicycle as Transportation

Accompanying a bike commuter on his 50-mile ride to work, this article from Outside looks at the state of bicycle transportation today.

February 18, 2011 - Outside

Considering the Viability of an Infrastructure Bank

The idea of a federal infrastructure bank has been floating around Washington for years, and has recently gathered significant support. But with debates underway about the federal budget, some wonder whether the idea stands a chance.

February 18, 2011 - National Journal

American Want Transportation Projects, But Not Their Costs

A new survey shows that the majority of Americans place high value on transportation projects, but even more of them say they're not willing to pay any more for it than they already do.

February 17, 2011 - The Washington Post

Salt Lake City's Transit Era

Salt Lake City, Utah has rapidly expanded its public transit system. In this Q&A, Mayor Ralph Becker talks about making those investments and how well they have worked.

February 17, 2011 - U.S. News And World Report

Can an Airport Drive an Economy?

A new book suggests that airports can be the driving factor that creates vibrant global cities in the future. This review from Metropolis holds some doubts.

February 17, 2011 - Metropolis

CarSharing Association Has Ambitious Agenda

Eighteen companies from around the globe have formed a CarSharing Association to reduce car-ownership and promote a more sustainable transportation model.

February 17, 2011 - Sustainable Cities Collective

Florida Governor Rejects HSR Funds

Florida Governor Rick Scott has announced that he will refuse $2.4 billion from the federal government to complete the Tampa-Orlando Intercity Rail Project.

February 17, 2011 - the transport politic

Obama's Exploding Transportation Budget

When you look at Obama's $3.73 trillion, 2012 budget proposal, with EPA down 11% and HUD down 16%, one department stands out - transportation, increasing 68%. Yonah Freemark looks at some of the details in his transportation budget proposal.

February 16, 2011 - theTransportPolitic

"Commissioner of Bicycles" Makes NYC a Leader on Sustainable Transportation

New York City's savvy transportation commissioner, Janette Sadik-Khan is using data-backed policy initiatives and local governance to boost bicycle and public transit facilities, despite a conservative media backlash.

February 16, 2011 - AlterNet

Hybrid Vehicles, A Threat to Cyclists and Pedestrians?

A recent study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration concluded that Hybrid vehicles were involved in a higher incidence rate of collisions involving cyclists and pedestrians compared to gasoline powered vehicles.

February 15, 2011 - StraightOuttaSuburbia.blogspot.com

Back-and-Forth on Downtown Vancouver

The Tyee presents a conversation between two Vancouver urban thinkers about the city's downtown and how some efforts to improve the city's core have worked while others have fallen short.

February 15, 2011 - The Tyee

Urging Sponsorships to Fund L.A. Transit

One way to help build an expensive new extension of L.A's subway system is to accept corporate sponsorships, argues Joel Epstein in this op-ed.

February 15, 2011 - Los Angeles Business Journal

Let's Be Smart About Intelligent Cities

"Intelligent cities" is picking up steam as the new buzzword in planning and a potentially game-changing way of using data to drive decisions. But we need to be sure we don't lose the human intelligence in planning.

February 13, 2011 - Next American City

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.

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.