Transportation
Streets Improved, And Now the Bill
A variety of road and streetscape improvement projects in San Francisco are reviving the city's streets. But now, the city has to ask itself whether it wants to keep paying for these improvements.
Want Rail? Let Private Business Build It
Christopher B. Leinberger proposes that privatized rail could stimulate the economy and help increase property values.
Raleigh Untangles Three Rail Lines
The City of Raleigh, NC is proposing to fix a messy knot of three rail lines with a new transit center that will connect the rail with local bus transit and other modes.
Making Mecca a "Mecca" for Public Transit
Already a substantial city of 1.5 million, Mecca more than doubles its population during the annual hajj pilgrimage -- which is expected to bring in 8 million people by 2030. Moving so many people will require a world-class public transit system.
Microsoft Knows Where You're Going
Microsoft uses GPS data collected from your trips to predict where you're going and give you advice on how to get there more efficiently.
Ceding Local Control to Highway Planners
Roger Valdez looks back at the history of highways, and the switch from local control to state and federal control due to the burden of financing and maintaining roads.
New Housing/Mobility Measurement For Affordability Is 45%
The housing affordability rule of thumb is that you should not pay more that 30% of your income in rent or mortgage payment. Yet that ratio doesn't include the transportation costs that vary by community. What would it be if it was included?
The World's Longest Ped Bridge
It's 1.28 miles long, spans 212 ft. above the Hudson River only 80 miles north of Manhattan, and a state park, no less, officially titled "Walkway Over the Hudson". Initially a railroad bridge that opened in 1888, it closed after a fire in 1974.
Transit and Car-Sharing Get Boost from Technology
The increase in transit ridership and carsharing isn't just due to the rise in gas prices, but also the rise in new technologies providing up-to-the-minute reports on location and ride availability.
The Sustainable Transportation Divide
Grist's David Roberts attended a national conference on the future of transportation at Ohio State in early May and noticed a divide in the concluding discussion on how panelists approached the issue of sustainability in transportation.
Asleep at the Wheel of a High-Speed Train
The driver of a high-speed train in Taiwan fell asleep while going 190 miles per hour with hundreds of passengers on board.
Electric Buses Wear Out
Almost one-fifth of the transit rides in Kings County, Washington are on electric trolley buses. Unfortunately, the county hasn't bought a new trolley since 1979, and when these wear out they may not be replaced.
The Infrastructural Benefit of South Africa's World Cup
Next month's World Cup in South Africa will bring a lot of attention to the country, and a lot of opportunity. Though many hope the country will see an economic benefit, the biggest impact is likely to be the creation of urban infrastructure.
Iron Man 2 and the Future of Energy
The plot of the summer blockbuster Iron Man 2 revolves around a fictional 1974 Expo, with the slogan "Better Living Through Technology." Managing Editor Tim Halbur says the film reflects the misplaced faith in technology and innovation that still drives Americans optimism.
Gainesville Tracks Drivers Yielding to Pedestrians
Police in Gainesville, Florida are trying to encourage drivers to be more cautious of pedestrians with a new sign and driver tracking program that tracks how many drivers are yielding to pedestrians.
How to Fix the Highway System
Two major reports released in the last couple of weeks detail very different approaches to fixing the highway system in the U.S. At the National Journal, experts weigh in on who has the right approach.
Peak Hour Parking Pricing Working In Greenwich Village & Brooklyn
Marketplace reports on the parking market from NYC. Peak hour parking is being applied on Sixth Ave in Greenwich Village as a trial to increase parking availability and decrease congestion. Due to positive results, it's now being tried in Brooklyn.
Turning Freeways Into Parkways
Across the country, grey-to-green transformations are in the works, capping freeways to reconnect neighborhoods with urban parks.
Learning From Cleveland's Healthline BRT
With a plan to distribute $775 million in federal funding for urban bus projects, Next American City's Yonah Freemark suggests using it to fund projects like Cleveland's Healthline BRT.
Vancouver Considers $25 Million Investment in Bike Lanes
The city of Vancouver is looking to expand its bike network with the proposal of a $25 million investment in bicycle infrastructure over the next two years.
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.
City of Wisconsin Rapids
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
KFH Group Inc.
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
