Transportation
If A German Town Can Go Car-Free, Why Not America?
An article in the New York Times this week profiled Vauban, Germany, a town without cars. NYTime's Room for Debate Blog asked planners and developers to envision a car-free town in America.
A TOD Grows in Trenton
At the sixth busiest stop on the busiest train line in the country, developers are realizing the potential for transit-oriented development around the station.
Can Charlotte Overtake Atlanta as Powerhouse of the South?
Atlanta is seen by many as the economic powerhouse of the South. But some say Charlotte's progress in providing transit and reducing traffic may begin to tip the scales.
A New Suburb Without Cars
Vauban, Germany is a new suburb that is part of the 'smart planning movement'. It is car-free, i.e. the streets are car-free, while car ownership is allowed but restricted to two garages, and the cost unbundled. Only 30% of families own cars.
Can Dimples Improve Fuel Efficiency?
A company called Fastskinz thinks so. They've created a vinyl car wrap based on the aerodynamic evidence from golf balls that an uneven surface creates less drag. Popular Mechanics puts the theory to the test.
High Speed Rail Funds on the Way for California and Florida
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said recently that California and Florida are likely to be the first recipients of stimulus funding for high speed rail projects.
Best American Cities for Walking
Prevention magazine has pulled together a list of the top 25 American cities for walking.
A City Without Cars
Michigan's Mackinac Island has been car-free since 1898. GOOD Magazine pays a visit to the island and finds that far from being Luddite, the island is very progressive, from extensive wifi to hydroelectric power.
Making the Case for HOT Lanes
In this column, CA Lt. Gov. John Garamendi supports a regional plan to create a HOT lane network in the Bay Area, permitting single occupant vehicles to buy into the fast lanes, creating a new source of regional revenue to fund express bus service.
Ground Zero Plans Taking Shape, But Still Troubled
The long-delayed and troubled design for Manhattan's Ground Zero site has undergone some improvements and been revealed in a new model. But as New York Times architecture critic Nicolai Oroussoff notes, the design is still lacking.
Electricity from Biomass More Efficient than Ethanol
A new study by researchers at the University of California, Merced suggests that using biomass to create electricity to power cars could be more efficient than using the same biomass to create ethanol to power cars.
Car is #1 Necessity, Say Americans
A new study from the Pew Research Center says that even though Americans are driving less, they still see a car as the most necessary item they own. Air conditioning and TV are a good 10% less necessary.
Capturing the Value of Transit
With stimulus funding creating new transit projects across the country, now may be a great time to use innovative methods for funding development around transit, say Nadine Fogarty and Gloria Ohland of the Center for Transit-Oriented Development. Portland and Denver are just two communities that have seen property values rise around rail.
Train to Run on Sunshine?
An Arizona company is proposing a solar-powered elevated train running between Tucson and Phoenix.
BART Planning Huge Investment in New Cars
BART is set to embark on a $3.4 billion project to replace its existing trains with 700 new cars that will carry more people, move passengers through stations faster, and meet the needs of suburban and urban riders.
D.C. Considers Retail in Train Stations
Washington D.C. transit officials are planning to allow retail vendors to set up shop in some of the city's train stations. Proponents say the move could aid security by putting more "eyes" on the system.
Obama's High Speed Rail Plans
Neal Peirce looks at President Barack Obama's ambitious plans for high speed rail and the significant obstacles that stand in its way.
10-Cent Gas Tax Needed for Dallas-Fort Worth Transit
It would take at least an additional 10-cent tax on gasoline to fund transit and transportation projects in metropolitan Dallas-Fort Worth, according to city officials who want to ask voters to allow the increases.
High-Speed Rail Means Real Estate Boom
Peter Gertler of HNTB says that the Obama administration's high-speed rail investments will attract new development around stations.
The Most Bicycle-Friendly Cities
The League of American Bicyclists has released their Spring 2009 list of the most bicycle-friendly cities in the U.S. Davis, CA is one of only three cities given Platinum status, along with Portland, OR and Boulder, CO.
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
