Transportation

Recession Forces Charlotte to Cut Down Light Rail Construction

Two new light rail projects near Charlotte were planned to get built at the same time, but the economic recession is forcing officials to choose one and delay the other.

April 24, 2009 - The Charlotte Observer

Fed Money Announced for CA's National Parks

Twenty-two national parks in California will get a portion of $97 million to repair historic buildings, install solar panels, and fix trails.

April 24, 2009 - San Francisco Chronicle

Silver Line Expansion Hits a Speed Bump

The second phase of a rail line extending to Dulles International Airport is slated for completion in December 2016--later than expected--thanks to delays in getting Congressional funding for the first half of the project.

April 24, 2009 - The Washington Post

Berkeley Mayor Goes Car-Free

In order to reduce his carbon footprint, Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates is providing an excellent example for all municipal leaders by giving up his car.

April 23, 2009 - San Francisco Chronicle

In Miami, A Greenway May Rise From Developers Vision

As a developer turned bicycle activist, Brad Knoefler is trying to bring an urban greenway to one of Miami's most blighted neighborhoods. However, a myriad of red tape remains to be cut.

April 23, 2009 - Miami Herald

The Nitty-Gritty on Obama's HSR Plan

The ARRA has committed $8 billion to high speed rail. President Obama promised an addition $1 billion per year in future budgets. But how will the money be allocated? How will projects be selected? Details can be found in a new plan from the FRA.

April 23, 2009 - Federal Railroad Administration

Bogotá, Champion of BRT

GOOD provides a glimpse of TransMilenio, a Colombian bus rapid transit system and shining example of BRT done right.

April 22, 2009 - GOOD Magazine

The Bridges are Alright

America's infrastructure isn't as fragile as current media coverage has made it out to be, according to Jack Shafer.

April 22, 2009 - Slate

Conservative or Liberal, Transit Matters

After years of being unfairly associated with conservatism, auto-dependence should be an issue of concern for all Americans--largely because of what it means to the fabric of their communities.

April 22, 2009 - The Witherspoon Institute

Calming Traffic With Zig-Zag Lines

The Virginia Department of Transportation is painting zig-zag lines in the middle of traffic lanes in an effort to get motorists to slow down as they near a bike trail and pedestrian path.

April 22, 2009 - WTOP

The Train in Spain

By the end of the year, Spain is on course to have a more extensive high-speed rail system than both Japan and France. The system is changing hearts and minds across this usually home-bound nation.

April 21, 2009 - The Wall St. Journal

Inside L.A.'s High-Tech Traffic Control System

Streetfilms goes behind the scenes at Los Angeles' Automated Traffic Surveillance and Control office, which monitors and actively controls L.A.'s signalized intersections.

April 21, 2009 - Streetsblog

The Urban Impact of Bicyclists

As urban cycling increases, cities like Seattle are finding that they need to change the way they think about users of the road.

April 21, 2009 - The Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Transportation and Housing Linking Up at Federal Level

The silos are breaking down in the federal government as the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Transportation are embarking on a shared plan to increase interdepartmental collaboration.

April 21, 2009 - Citiwire

The New Survivalist Utopians

Locals in Sandpoint, Idaho are banding together to join the Transition movement, which started in the U.K. and is geared towards creating new, ecologically-planned communities to survive peak oil and climate change.

April 20, 2009 - The New York Times

Small Airports Becoming No-Fly Zones

Until recently, small regional airports were seen as the wave of the future. But the ailing economy and a variety of other factors are hitting the industry hard, causing closures across the country.

April 20, 2009 - Governing Magazine

Peak Oil Supply Or Peak Oil Consumption?

'Peak oil' refers to a belief that growing oil demand will outstrip finite oil supplies. Peak U.S. oil consumption is premised on the belief that 2007 marked the peak, population increase notwithstanding, due to efficiency, biofuels and batteries.

April 20, 2009 - The Wall Street Journal

A Monorail for the Senate?

No, it's not some stimulus package boondoggle- it turns out there truly was an underground monorail carrying public servants from the Senate Office Building to the Capitol Building. It opened in 1912 and lasted until 1961.

April 20, 2009 - Paleo-Future

Pedestrian Airbags

Researchers in Europe are seeking ways to keep pedestrians safe in traffic accidents. One idea is an airbag that shoots out from under a raised 'bonnet' (the hood, in the States).

April 19, 2009 - NewScientist

Lessons from Germany

Germany, while similarly autocentric, has managed to create a much more sustainable transportation system than the U.S., according to a study commissioned the by Brookings Institution Metropolitan Policy Program.

April 18, 2009 - Brookings

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.

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.