Transportation

Redirecting Bridge Funding Could Create Citywide Light Rail for Vancouver

A public-private partnership that would have built a new 10-lane bridge in British Columbia has fallen apart, leaving the $3.1 billion tab on the BC government. Researchers say that much money could build a 200-km light rail system instead.

March 27, 2009 - The Tyee

Krieger: Bike Registrations Improve Bike Safety

BikePortland.com editor Jonathan Maus interviews Rep. Wayne Krieger about his legislation requiring cyclists to register their bicycles.

March 26, 2009 - BikePortland.org

Why the Streetcar Beat Out "Green Lines"

Matt Fikse calls attention to a Seattle transit plan, which has few drawbacks but has been left to die by officials. Why the streetcar beat out the Rapid Trolley Network.

March 26, 2009 - Crosscut

Boston Neighborhoods to See Rail-Related Upgrades

New stations for the Fairmount rail line in Boston has made its surrounding neighborhoods targets for redevelopment by community organizations, which may rebuild up to a dozen properties.

March 26, 2009 - The Boston Globe

San Francisco Plans Pedestrian Street

San Francisco is looking to follow New York City's lead as it moves forward with plans to convert a portion of street into a pedestrian plaza.

March 26, 2009 - Streetsblog SF

Reinventing Infrastructure with Tech

According to Kazys Varnelis, architects should spend less time worrying about the little funding that the stimulus allots to highways and rail, and spending more time focusing on new technologies that supplement typical infrastructure.

March 25, 2009 - The Architect's Newspaper

Staten Island Rail on the Drawing Board

A year-long study of the proposed West Shore Light Rail finds that the borough could draw nine stations and about 13,000 riders traveling within Staten Island or to Manhattan.

March 25, 2009 - Staten Island Advance

The $2,200 Car

Tata Motors of India released their much anticipated $2,200 car yesterday, with 1m people already on the waiting list. Environmentalists fear that the surge in cars, even tiny ones, will make India's cities more autocentric.

March 25, 2009 - Los Angeles Times

Not Quite the Urban Utopia

When Andres Duany planned the village of Cornell, he built in walkability, density, and mixed-use. The outcome, however, falls short of the New Urbanist vision; driving is the norm and retail is scarce. What happened?

March 25, 2009 - Posted Toronto

Japan's Bullet Trains to Top 310 MPH by 2025

High speed train technology is progressing at a rapid pace in Japan, where mag-lev bullet trains are planned to travel at speeds of more than 310 miles per hour by the year 2025.

March 25, 2009 - Los Angeles Times

A Nation Goes Carbon-Neutral

The Maldives has pledged to be entirely carbon-neutral by 2020. The president has hired a team of environmentalists to put the pledge into action.

March 24, 2009 - The Economist

Unappreciated Cyclists In Sausalito

Marin County has a reputation to live up to. In this column, Sausalito does just that in its treatment of hordes of cycling tourists who rent bikes on Fisherman's Wharf, pedal across the GG Bridge to have lunch in Sausalito, and return on the ferry.

March 24, 2009 - San Francisco Chronicle

OK City Not OK for Walking

Jeff Speck takes a walk in Oklahoma City and finds too-wide streets, too-low density and too much danger for pedestrians.

March 24, 2009 - The Oklahoman

Time May Be Right for Mag-Lev From Vegas to SoCal

A magnetic levitation train link between Anaheim and Las Vegas has been on the table for 30 years. Now could be the time the project finally gets enough traction to go from idea to reality.

March 24, 2009 - Las Vegas Sun

San Francisco Rail: A Living History

S.F. historian Carl Nolte examines S.F.'s vibrant streetcar history and today's modern light rail replacements.

March 24, 2009 - San Francisco Chronicle

Signs of Spring for Smart Growth

The $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act that President Obama signed on Feb. 17 left advocates of compact and transit-oriented development practically biting their tongues.

March 24, 2009 - New Urban News

A Carbon-Neutral City?

A region known more for carbon emissions strives to create a carbon-neutral city powered by renewable energy and designed to reduce overall energy demand.

March 23, 2009 - Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Texas Prairie Endangered By Stimulus Funding

A proposed toll road near Houston exemplifies an unintended effect of the stimulus: encouraging sprawl.

March 23, 2009 - The New York Times

Virginia Bans the Cul-De-Sac In New Subdivisions

Through streets in new neighborhoods will reduce traffic on and the cost of maintaining overburdened arterials, but builders and residents say it'll make their communities less safe and attractive.

March 23, 2009 - The Washington Post

O'Toole Says Trains Are For Tourists

Randall O'Toole- in a curiously non-audio opinion piece from NPR- says that trains around the world are fun but are otherwise overly expensive transportation systems used mainly by the elite.

March 23, 2009 - NPR

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.