Transportation

Linking UK Centres with High-Speed Rail

Eleven major cities in the UK, including council leaders representing all three major political parties, have begun a campaign for a high-speed rail network linking them together to serve the entire country.

September 9, 2009 - The Guardian

Dubai's Metro Rail Starts Rolling

Citywide metro rail service is set to begin operations today in Dubai. The system will start out with ten operational stations, but eventually include 47 stops along 70 kilometers of track.

September 9, 2009 - Business 24/7

MTA Struggles to Relocate Residents

As construction on the Second Avenue subway in New York City is set to begin next year, MTA and current residents struggle to answer the question of where to relocate the people in its way.

September 9, 2009 - The New York Times

U.S. Oil Consumption On The Decline...Permanently

For political, technological, and even demographic as well as economic reasons, don't expect American oil consumption to increase over 2007 levels. $3 gas is here to stay, and the days of the petrol-gulping SUVs and guzzlers may be numbered.

September 8, 2009 - Barrons

Rail Riders Discover that Going the Extra Mile is the Hardest Part

Many would-be train riders are frustrated by poor transit options at their destination city.

September 8, 2009 - National Public Radio

San Francisco Upgrading Railway Safety Standards

Coming off the heels of two high-profile crashes with dozens of injuries, the San Francisco Municipal Railway is working to ensure operators are trained and accidents can be avoided.

September 8, 2009 - San Francisco Chronicle

A Region-by-Region Look at "Shovel-Readiness"

NPR looks at a few of the areas that have submitted proposals for high-speed rail funding.

September 8, 2009 - National Public Radio

London's Naked Street Experiment

London is attempting to make streets safer for cyclists and motorists by turning off traffic lights in one part of the city for a short amount of time.

September 7, 2009 - The New York Times

Ticket to Ride Now Needed in L.A.

Turnstiles are coming to the Los Angeles subway. Some say the move will help raise revenue for the city's transit authority, given its recent increases in ridership.

September 7, 2009 - Next American City

Union Pacific Proposal Causes Controversy in Illinois

Union Pacific has proposed an increase in its freight and high-speed rail traffic in Springfield, including a route running through the heart of the city. It calls for nine overpasses, which would cost millions and block homes and landmarks.

September 6, 2009 - The State Journal-Register

New Amenity for D.C. Bike Commuters

NPR's Ari Shapiro bikes from NPR headquarters to a new D.C. bike storage center outside D.C.'s Union Station. The City of Washington hopes that it will encourage more commuters to use transit and bikes to get to work.

September 6, 2009 - NPR

Friday Funny: Honolulu Tackles B.O. on The Bus

The Honolulu City Council is considering a bill that will make it illegal to bring "odors that unreasonably disturb others" onto the bus.

September 4, 2009 - Honolulu Advertiser

Results Of California Court Ruling On High-Speed Rail Debated

A California judge rules that the California High Speed Rail Authority's environmental impact report was inadequate. Plaintiffs celebrate ruling as a victory, but the Authority doesn't see it as a setback.

September 4, 2009 - Streetsblog Los Angeles

How the Economy Could Hurt Atlanta's Beltline

Atlanta's Beltline project is one of the most ambitious transportation plans the city has seen in decades, but the downturn in the economy could wreak havoc on its progress.

September 4, 2009 - The Signal

Quality vs. Time in Transportation

Alex Marshall points out the fallacy of creating transportation policy based solely on figures like miles traveled per hour, average commuting times, and cost per passenger. Quality of the time spent commuting is rarely taken into account.

September 3, 2009 - Governing Magazine

New Study on the Benefits of Density

A new report from the National Research Council seeks to establish the scientific basis for the relationships among development patterns, VMT, and energy consumption. So what did they find?

September 3, 2009 - Reconnecting America

BRT Gets Rolling in Johannesburg

A new dedicated-lane bus rapid transit system has begun operations in Johannesburg, South Africa. The system is part of a nationwide plan to update public transit facilities as the country prepares to host the 2010 World Cup next June.

September 1, 2009 - AFP

Chicago Schoolchildren to Ride Greener, Safer Buses

As the new school year starts, Chicago Public Schools yellow buses will be upgrading to new technologies including GPS, mobile data terminals (MDT), and adding hybrid buses.

September 1, 2009 - Chicago Sun-Times

Balancing Rail Passengers, Freight, and Sustainability

Caltrain, the California passenger rail train, intends to electrify its rail system by the time high-speed rail comes online. This is at odds with freight railroads, however, and may lead to an increase in trucks on the road.

August 31, 2009 - San Jose Mercury News

Don't Call Them 'Roads'

Mary Newsom at the Charlotte Observer argues that until Charlotte residents stop calling streets 'roads', they will be stuck in a rural mindset and fail to see the broader picture of transportation in their city and county.

August 31, 2009 - The Charlotte Observer

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.