Transportation
States Enjoying Lower Bids for Construction Projects
The recession is causing construction contractors to branch out -- from subdivisions to road projects. And the market is now flooded, giving state more and lower bids to choose from.
CO Springs to Bring Downtown Back to Life
Colorado Springs planners have put two ambitious plans on the table: The first, a brand new Master Plan for its downtown, and the second, a form-based code.
How to Rekindle America's Love Affair with the Car
The Daily Show's resident "problem solver" John Hodgman offers his advice on renewing America's "love affair with the car": eliminate public transit and bomb foreign auto makers. [Video]
Transportation Reauthorzation Bill Is MAP-21
"Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century", or MAP-21, follows the path of predecessors SAFETEA-LU, TEA -21, and ISTEA. In this press release by the Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works, Chairman Barbara Boxer of CA launches the bill.
The I.O.U. Tollbooth
The Northwest Parkway in Denver has very little traffic in the wee hours, so officials decided to experiment with I.O.U. forms left at the booth.
A Vehicle For The Times
While auto sales are in the toilet, bicycle shops are having a banner year. The Infrastructurist reports on the pedaling revolution.
Beijing Extends Car Restrictions
A slightly watered-down version of the traffic reduction methods the Chinese city of Beijing instituted in Summer 2008 to reduce congestion and pollution during the Olympics has been extended for another year.
GM and Segway Team Up For Small Street Vehicle
The P.U.M.A. is an experimental prototype that takes Segway technology and fits it to a two-person commuter car frame.
The Auto Bailout's "Policy Paradox"
The American and Canadian governments are caught in a "policy paradox:" they want to promote green vehicles but they need to save their domestic auto industries. Both may not be possible, says Konrad Yakabuski.
TOD Boom Goes Bust in Seattle
A transit-oriented development boom in Southeast Seattle is coming to a halt, as the economic recession sets in.
Lagos BRT Seen As Success
Officials in Lagos, Nigeria, are praising the recently installed Bus Rapid Transit system as making distinct improvements in mobility for the crowded and growing African city.
Obama Announces Federal Highway Administration Pick
Former Arizona Department of Transportation director Victor M. Mendez has bee chosen by the Obama administration to head the FHA.
Forget Closing the Freeway Loop, Fund Transit
Charlotte politicians have been pushing for the completion of a freeway loop around the city -- a $220 million project. Mary Newsom argues that road funding would better serve the city and the region if it were directed to Charlotte's transit system.
The Next 30 Years of Portland Transit
Portland's Metro authority is mapping out the region's transit plans for the next 30 years, and the public is getting involved.
The City Makes a Comeback
Nicolai Ouroussof uses four cities--New Orleans, Los Angeles, The Bronx, and Buffalo--as case studies on how America's urban areas, long neglected, can once again be great.
Reclaiming Milwaukee: John Norquist on the Politics of Urbanism
In the second part of this Streetsblog interview, CNU President John Norquist discusses his tenure as mayor of Milwaukee and the politics behind making cities more transit-oriented and walkable.
Urban Bicycle Theft, a Fact of Life
In this City Room post, J. David Goodman blogs about his observations on bicycle theft in New York City--arguably the bike theft capital of the world.
A Meaner, Greener Recipe for Concrete
Concrete in a Minneapolis bridge replacing that which collapsed in 2007 is made of a concoction that boasts less environmental impact and durability. And it's self-cleaning.
Jerusalem Mayor Wants BRT Finish for Light Rail System
The mayor of Jerusalem is seeking to cancel plans for expanding the city's light rail system in favor of buses, which he is calling a less expensive and more flexible alternative.
Colorado Stimulus Projects Steer Clear of Sprawl
Despite some states using stimulus money to fund sprawl-inducing projects, Colorado seems to be avoiding projects that encourage exurban growth, according to this review.
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 Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS)
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
City of Cambridge
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
