Transportation

Two young children crossing street at a crosswalk in front of black car.

US Street Design Manual Inches Toward Safer Roads

The guiding document for U.S. road design is starting to recognize the needs of people walking and biking, but safe streets advocates say more significant changes are needed to reduce the high number of pedestrian deaths and improve connectivity for all road users.

October 16, 2024 - Streetsblog USA

Automated traffic enforcement camera.

Iowa Outlaws Most Automated Speed Cameras

The Iowa Department of Transportation has rejected a majority of applications to continue speed camera programs in cities across the state based on a new state law that requires state-issued permits for automated traffic enforcement.

October 16, 2024 - Iowa Public Radio

Marathon branded gas station with red, blue, and white color scheme in Providence, Rhode Islad.

Providence Could Ban New Gas Stations

The city could prohibit the construction of new fueling stations within city limits to discourage driving and pave the way for more renewable transportation infrastructure.

October 16, 2024 - The Washington Times

Aerial view of suburban sprawl with large single-family homes near Dallas, Texas.

Zoning for Good

A new book highlights the power of zoning to change communities for the better.

October 15, 2024 - Governing

White and yellow DART streetcar on bridge in Dallas, Texas with skyscrapers in background.

Dallas, Suburbs Clash Over DART Funding

The city voted to ‘fully fund’ its rapid transit system, but northern suburbs are moving to reduce funding.

October 15, 2024 - KERA News

Chicago police car with blue lights on stopped on street in evening.

Study: Chicago Speed Cameras More Equitable Than Police

The city’s automated traffic enforcement cameras are issuing tickets at rates more aligned with the community’s racial makeup — unlike human police officers, according to a new analysis.

October 15, 2024 - The Conversation

View of colorful dense buildings in Mexico City from aerial cable car.

Mexico City Aerial ‘Cablebus’ Provides Key Connection to Peripheral Neighborhoods

Unlike many aerial gondolas, Mexico City’s Cablebus is largely used by commuters and residents from communities farther from the city center.

October 14, 2024 - Bloomberg CityLab

People, cars, bikes and buses traveling through a busy intersection on 5th Avenue and 23rd Street in New York City with shining sunlight background.

How Much Does the President Influence Transportation Funding?

Whether it’s a preference for highway expansion, passenger rail, or bike infrastructure, different administrations can shift grantmaking priorities at the federal level.

October 13, 2024 - Smart Cities Dive

AMtrak train passing through dense green forest in Index, Washington.

Feds Open $1B Grant Round for Intercity Rail

The Federal Railroad Administration will award funding to projects aimed at improving and building new intercity rail connections.

October 11, 2024 - Smart Cities Dive

Banner for urban planning creators with logos.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know in 2024

Whether you’re a TikTok enthusiast or a Substack reader, you can find plenty of valuable and engaging urban planning content in the new media landscape.

October 11, 2024 - Planetizen

White minibus with yellow "On-Demand" logo parked in an asphalt lot with grass field and dry fall trees in background in Edmonton, Canada.

Developing a Common Language for Microtransit Providers

New data specification technology could help rural agencies streamline their operations and coordinate efforts to improve service delivery.

October 10, 2024 - GovTech

Aerial view of stacked shipping containers at golden hour at Port of Long Beach, California.

AI and 5G Could Advance Port Automation

A vision for the future of automated ports with AI and 5G: harnessing technology for enhanced efficiency, reliability, and safety.

October 10, 2024 - Cities of the Future

Pedestrians and cyclists in busy city crosswalk with blurred motion

20 Safest and Most Dangerous US Cities for Pedestrians

Pedestrian safety is a vital component to a walkable city. Which large cities in the United States have a leg up, and which are trailing behind?

October 10, 2024 - Kuru Footwear

Empty hallway lined with white tile in subway station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

How Does Air Quality in a Philly Subway Station Compare to the Outdoors?

A team of researchers found much higher levels of particulate matter inside the City Hall subway station than on the street-level sidewalks directly above the station.

October 9, 2024 - The Conversation

Close-up of bottom half of three people walking down city sidewalk paved with paving stones.

How “Walking Audits” Can Improve Neighborhood Mobility

A simple walk through your community can reveal infrastructure gaps and highlight where cities can make streets safer for pedestrians.

October 9, 2024 - Strong Towns

Workers in safety vests installing a black modular roundabout ringed with yellow.

‘Modular Roundabouts’ Offer Quick-Build Traffic Safety Solution

The prefabricated roundabouts can be installed more quickly and at a much lower cost than traditional concrete traffic circles.

October 9, 2024 - Equipment World

White self-driving car at stop sign coming down hill with Coit Tower in background in San Francisco, California.

California Governor Vetoes Autonomous Truck Ban, Approves New Guidelines for AVs

A new law will allow police to issue citations to self-driving car operators and create stricter guidelines for crashes and interactions with first responders.

October 8, 2024 - The Verge

Black-and-white 1924 photo of a street in Los Angeles with a street car, cars driving in the other lane over street car tracks and pedestrians walking on sidewalk and middle of street.

The 100-Year Road to Car Dependency in the US

October 8, 2024, marks the centennial of the publication of what would soon become the Los Angeles Traffic Ordinance — a landmark on the road toward our car-dominated status quo.

October 8, 2024 - Peter Norton

Red car turning right on red light.

Banning Right Turns on Red Just One Step Toward Vision Zero

Experts caution that blanket bans on right turns on red make only a slight contribution to reducing fatal crashes, and other interventions are needed to bring down traffic fatalities.

October 8, 2024 - Smart Cities Dive

View of downtown Houston with elevated freeways in foreground at dusk.

Reimagining the Space Beneath Houston’s Freeways

Opportunities abound for Houston to capitalize on otherwise unused space beneath its wide network of freeways.

October 7, 2024 - Houston Chronicle

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.