Transportation

Barriers to Walking

This report from NPR briefly looks at causes for concern, when it comes to the decline in walking in the US, including safety and obesity.

November 11, 2009 - NPR

Saudi Arabia's Light Rail

Construction has begun in Riyadh, capital of Saudi Arabia, on its new light rail system.

November 11, 2009 - Arab News

Cycling Safety for All

The Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition and Kaiser Permanente are teaming up to offer safety training, bike helmets, and lights to day laborers.

November 11, 2009 - Daily News Los Angeles

Trucking 2020

A new report from IBM looks into the future of the trucking industry. The report predicts that new technologies for systems monitoring will become standard.

November 10, 2009 - Fast Company

FasTracks Hitting Fiscal Bumps in Denver

Denver's FasTracks light rail system was set to be the nation's most aggressively constructed transit system when it was approved in 2004. But five years into the 12 year plan, budget issues and delays are calling the system's future into question.

November 10, 2009 - The New York Times

Chrysler Bails on Electric Cars

Despite taking billions in stimulus funds with the promise of forging ahead on electric vehicles, Chrysler has dissolved the engineering team working on their three proposed electric offerings.

November 10, 2009 - USA Today

A Sea of Infrastructure

An ex-pat American returns home to Milwaukee, and is overwhelmed by the extensive auto-oriented infrastructure needed to support the U.S. lifestyle, very different from his life in Almeria, Spain.

November 9, 2009 - Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

CAFE Or Gas Tax? How Best To Increase Fuel Efficiency.

The current government strategy to increase fuel efficiency is to mandate it through increases in the Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards, currently set for 35.5 mpg by 2016. In this piece, auto executives suggest a better way - using gas taxes.

November 9, 2009 - Automobile

The Unlikely Savior Of NYC Cabs

Private industry often points to governmental regulations as a source of added expense that makes them less competitive. In this case, NYC's requirement two years ago that taxis accept credit cards has resulted in growth in ridership and revenue.

November 9, 2009 - The New York Times - N.Y/Region

Alternative Vehicles Evolve, Infrastructure Still Lags

A group of industry and policy leaders discuss the current state of the technology and infrastructure that will drive change for the auto industry.

November 8, 2009 - The Planning Report

Walkscore to Get Bus Points

Transit stops are now included on Walkscore, the map-mashup website that scores neighborhoods based on their accessibility and walkability.

November 7, 2009 - NRDC Switchboard

Talking 'Bout a RailVolution

The Urbanophile reports from RailVolution in Boston, including a video interview with John Robert Smith, CEO of Reconnecting America.

November 7, 2009 - The Urbanophile

The History of the Parking Lot

An exhibit currently at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C. explains how the architecture and design of parking lots evolved, and why. Meanwhile, the Parking Show of Shows conference takes place nearby with a different take.

November 6, 2009 - The Washington Post

Driverless Cars are the Solution, Says Randal O'Toole

Promoting his upcoming book on transportation planning, Randal O'Toole says his central argument is that rail is a dead end and driverless car technologies are the answer to our congestion problems.

November 6, 2009 - The Antiplanner

When The Auto Columnist Gives Up His Car

What's this? The Wall Street Journal's 'car guy' - the reporter who writes about cars and roads, is .....without a car? As difficult as it may be to believe, Joseph White is now a carless urbanite in DC. Here is his first column in his new lifestyle.

November 6, 2009 - The Wall Street Journal

The True Cost of Commuting from the Exurbs

A new study from ULI details the transportation costs for households around the San Francisco Bay Area, and finds that SFers spend on average $500 less each month than suburban dwellers in the area.

November 5, 2009 - The San Francisco Chronicle

Car-Free Sundays Coming to L.A.?

A group of cyclists in Los Angeles is hoping to move forward in talks with the city to establish car-free days, based on the ciclovia street closures originated in Colombia.

November 5, 2009 - Los Angeles Times

Maryland's Smart Growth Law A Dud According To University Study

Maryland's 1997 landmark smart growth, hailed as one of the most innovative policies in the nation, has turned out to have failed in what it hoped to accomplish - preserve open space and cluster urban growth, according to a just-released report.

November 5, 2009 - Washington Post

Bus Becomes Bus Stop

Sculptor and designer Christopher Fennell takes scrapped school buses and repurposes them into bus shelters.

November 5, 2009 - The Design Blog

Changes Ahead for Rails and Air

Changes to a 75-year old rule, which says nonvotes must count as 'no' votes in labor elections, could make it easier for workers to organize in the railroad and airline industries.

November 5, 2009 - The Wall Street Journal

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.

Community Development Director

City of Wisconsin Rapids

Professor of Urban Planning

Harvard University Graduate School of Design

Transportation Planner I

KFH Group Inc.

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.