Virginia

How One City Cultivates its Bike Culture
As a case study of bike culture, in which riding bikes is a normal and respected decision, Jeremy Holmes studies the example provided by Roanoke, Virginia.
Plans for a 550-Mile 'Atlantic Coast Pipeline' Announced
A trio of natural gas providers is planning to build a 550-mile pipeline from West Virginia to North Carolina. The companies are hoping to secure approval for the project from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission by 2016.
The Danger of Federal Money for Local Projects
Scott Beyer provides four reasons why federal money is the wrong policy mechanism for delivering the best possible transportation outcomes in the United States.
The Sunny Places that Prohibit Solar Power
An examination of the challenges facing the solar industry in Southeastern states, like Virginia, South Carolina, and Florida, where utilities and governments have largely blocked residents and businesses from tapping their solar resources.
Commuter Rail Station in Virginia Central to 'Transit-Oriented Sprawl' Plans
Among proposed examples of new urbanist communities, Greater Greater Washington calls out one, located along Prince William's Potomac riverfront, as particularly experimental, sprawling, and centered on a Virginia Railway Express station.
Lukewarm Architectural Review for New Silver Line Stations
Although the D.C. Metro's new Silver Line stations in Northern Virginia are designed for functional rather than high aesthetic ideals, Philip Kennicott's review for the Washington Post focuses on the benefit of the line to the region.

Crosswalks Not Included for New Silver Line Stations in Tysons Corner
The Silver Line's intended impact on Tysons Corner in Virginia has been described as the "Great Suburban Retrofit." It looks like the retrofit will have to start with crosswalks near the line's new stations.

Mapping the Happiest Places in the United States (Disneyland Not Included)
Researchers from Harvard and the University of British Columbia used "self-reported life satisfaction data" from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to locate the cities and regions where Americans are most happy (or unhappy).
D.C. Metro's Silver Line Launches Passenger Service
After no small amount of debate, delay, and controversy, the first phase of D.C. Metro's Silver Line will launch passenger service today. The line will connect Washington D.C. to northwestern Virginia, including four stops in Tysons Corner.
Virginia Takes First Tentative Steps toward Climate Change Adaptation
A combination of environmental factors exposes Virginia’s coastal dwellers to some of the nation’s most severe climate change-related hazards, yet the state has almost zero plans for adaptation. Could that be about to change?

The Suburb of the Future: Arlington, Virginia
The successes of Arlington, Virginia as a suburb have been discussed by planners and urbanists before, but the model has taken on new meaning as the current urban boom send ripple effect out into nearby suburbs like Long Island and Palo Alto.
Parking Garage—Site of the Nixon Administration's Demise—Scheduled for Demolition
Reuters reports that the famous location where an FBI informant known as "Deep Throat" met with Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward during the Watergate scandal will soon be replaced with a new mixed-use development.
Riding D.C. Metro's Silver Line: the Great Suburban Retrofit
CityLab provides an in-depth analysis of the planning efforts surrounding the D.C. Metro's forthcoming Silver Line in Tysons Corner, Virginia. At stake, according to the article: "the future of the American suburb as we know it."
Algonquin Site and Capital City for Powhatan Considered as National Park
Algonquian political leader Powhatan called Werowocomoco home when the English arrived at Jamestown in 1607. If a proposal by the Obama Administration is successful, the site will open to the public, managed by the National Park Service.
In Search of the Right Fit for Bus Stops on Virginia's Columbia Pike
A controversy over the "million-dollar bus stop" in Arlington prompted one writer to examine the size and scale of bus stops. It's a cost consideration that can determine the choice, in some cases, between bus rapid transit and streetcars.
Missouri Legislators Vote to Cut Income Tax, Raise Sales Tax for Transportation
After voting to override Governor Jay Nixon's veto of an income tax cut, legislators agreed to allow voters to determine whether to increase the state sales tax by .75% in November for ten years to increase funding for transportation programs.
Safety Program Launched to Combat Distracted Driving in I-95 Work Zones
Some 1,500 workers are building the 95 Express Lanes in Virginia, south of Washington D.C. Meanwhile, most of the drivers commuting the corridor are using their cell phones while they drive.
Mapping the D.C.'s Region's 267 Miles of Proposed Transit
Proposals for light rail, streetcar, and BRT lines spread in every direction from Washington D.C. into nearby climes. Although some are more realistic than others, one blog dares to dream about what the full extent of the proposals would look like.
A Primer on Effective Bike Parking
Two writers share the secrets to Arlington County's multi-modal success—especially with regard to the importance of well-designed bike parking at locations residential and commercial.
DOT's Emergency Actions on Shipping Bakken Crude by Rail Fall Short
In what is being billed as the first emergency order of more to come, the Department of Transportation (DOT), the federal regulator of transporting crude oil by rail, hopes to quell the growing national furor over what some call 'ticking time bombs'.
Pagination
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions