Transportation
Kansas City Light Rail Plans Fail
A sales tax plan to fund light rail in Kansas City has failed.
CA High Speed Rail Proposition Appears To Win Narrow Approval
A $10 billion high speed rail bond is winning with 52.2% voting 'Yes' with 95% of the precincts reporting. This would be the first state bond measure supporting high speed rail to be supported by voters in U.S., though it only funds 1/3 of costs.
TOD Gets Green Light in Utah
Draper, UT will soon be seeing new transit-oriented development, where there will be no building height restrictions or population caps.
The New Age of Trains
Passenger rail is on the minds of voters and politicians more than ever. Some say the next train era is on its way.
Bike Racks as Public Art Gaining Popularity
Quirky, artistic bike racks are cropping up in cities around the country--a trend that benefits more than just cyclists.
News Summary: Urban Policy and the Obama Presidency
The balloons have fallen, and the yard signs have been yanked up. The people have chosen, and in a historic win, Senator Barack Obama will soon be our next president. Now the hopes and promises of the campaign must harden into reality. Managing Editor Tim Halbur summarize what we can expect from an Obama presidency in regards to urban issues.
Blumenauer Tapped as Likely Secretary of Transportation
Democratic insiders have mapped out the possible face of an Obama presidential cabinet. Shortlisted for Secretary of Transportation are Oregon Congressman Earl Blumenauer and Minnesota Congressman Jim Oberstar.
NYT Columnist Urges Two Infrastructure Stimulus Packages
David Brooks is dismayed at all the failed 'stimulus packages' and those yet to come. Instead, he points to short and long term infrastructure plans, mostly in transportation, that will help the country in addition to any stimulus to the economy.
No Go On Hybrid Taxi Mandate
A federal judge has put the kibosh on New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's plan to require taxi companies to use mostly hybrid vehicles by 2012.
Bicycle Infrastructure = More Bicyclists
New York City has released new bicycle counts that demonstrate a 35% increase from 2007 to 2008. Many believe this dramatic rise has much to do with the city's renewed commitment to alternative transportation.
Washington's 'Lexus' Lanes Light on Luxury
High Occupancy Toll lanes, long derided as 'Lexus Lanes', may have to be re-dubbed. Statistics kept by the Washington State DOT on a new Hwy 167 HOT lane show that most users are not driving fancy luxury cars.
Light Rail Brings Housing Values Up in Denver
While home values in the rest of the region decline, homes near Denver's light rail system have experienced an increase in values over the past two years.
Washington D.C.'s Metro Given More Time to Pay Up
A major financier of Washington D.C.'s Metro system has agreed to give the transit system an extra 10 days to collect more than $40 million from the troubled system, complying with a judge's ruling that forcing Metro to pay could cause great harm.
Freeway Freefall
Next American City takes a look at freeways and sees the end coming -- for some, anyway.
Transit Agencies Facing 'Unprecedented' Financial Crisis
The financial woes of AIG are impacting American public transit agencies for whom it acted as a loan guarantor: now as many as 30 agencies are in technical default on their loans and could face catastrophic losses.
Complete Streets Act Signed Into Law In California
Huge victory for road safety and the California Bicycle Coalition was scored when CA Gov. Schwarzenegger signed 'Complete Streets Act' in September.
Tolls On the Way for New 18-Laner in Texas
After speeding construction by using county toll revenues, a 23-mile long, 18-lane freeway has opened in Texas.
Ailing Chrysler Drops Hybrid SUV Just As It Goes On Lots
No sooner had Chrysler released its new hybrid SUV- a Dodge Durango 40% more efficient than its gas-only counterpart- than it has been forced to close the factory where both versions are produced in order to save on costs.
Driving Habits Revert as Gas Prices Drop
Gas prices are falling, and drivers are going right back to their gas-guzzling ways.
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
