United States
Malcolm Gladwell on Transportation Safety
Looking at the history of car recalls, Gladwell recognizes a tension between the way engineers see malfunctions and how the public sees them. It's easy to blame the machine, but that doesn't always solve the problem.
House Republicans Slash Amtrak's Budget Hours After Seven Die in Derailment
The timeliness of the debate on Amtrak's budget could not have been worse for House Republicans who appeared insensitive at best in approving almost a 20 percent cut in funding after the fatal Philadelphia derailment that sent 200 to hospitals.
Friday Eye Candy: Maps as Pop Art
A creative cartographer has created a series maps in the cartoon style of pop art.
Friday Funny: City Wants to Skip the Hard Parts of Revitalization
The Onion provides a fake dispatch from a city that wants lobster roll stands and high-end noodle bars on every corner, like now.
Seattle Lowers Transit Fares for Low-Income Residents
Joining Chicago, Cincinnati, Denver, and Kansas City, Seattle now offers reduced bus fares to low-income residents. Some worry the program entrenches class differences and doesn't truly aid social mobility.
Should You Rent or Should You Buy? Trulia Maps the Question
Real estate website Trulia has released its most recent Rent vs Buy report, breaking down the value proposition of buying a home relative to renting one for cities around the country.
Speed a Major Factor in Tuesday's Fatal Amtrak Derailment
The death toll has risen to seven in the May 12 derailment in Philadelphia. NTSB confirmed the train was traveling over 106 mph on a curve where the speed limit is 50 mph. Positive Train Control, which would have stopped the train, was not present.
How Developers Can Help Make Streets Safe for Children Again
It will take a broad coalition of interests to once again make it safe for "free-range kids" to walk and bike on the streets of American communities.
Op-Ed: Microtransit Shouldn't Replace Public Transit
Halfway between public transit and private cars, new and varying forms of 'microtransit' threaten to out-compete traditional public services. Concerns about equity, inclusion, and employee compensation follow.
On the Pros and Cons of Driveways
Whether driveways are anti-urban or 'anti-pedestrian' depends on how we segregate street uses. As shared spaces where they cross sidewalks, driveways inform the wider question: what makes for a good street?
What Droughts Say About Planners and Water Officials
When water policy and land use planning operate in separate spheres, it's more difficult to design for efficient resource use. Better communication is needed in the drought-stricken southwest.
Three Steps to Fix Infrastructure
In commemoration of Infrastructure Week, Bookings provides a three-step program to changing the direction on America's bad habits when it comes to infrastructure investment.
Amtrak Train Derails Near Philadelphia—At Least Six Confirmed Dead
A northbound Amtrak Northeast Regional train derailed after leaving the Philadelphia Amtrak station around 9:30 p.m, on May 12. The scene was called a disaster, with the first of the seven cars that derailed severely crushed. No cause was given.
What Makes Left Turns So Dangerous?
After breaking down the reasons why left turns are so dangerous, it's also obvious how difficult a problem they are to solve.
The Real Story Behind the Death of Streetcars in the United States
Yes, there was a conspiracy led by General Motors to replace streetcars with their buses in the 1930s. But streetcars were dying well before then, due to competition with the automobile and other reasons apart from nefarious corporate collusions.
U.S. Cities Find Right Sizes for Their Greenbelts
A favorite in Europe but rare in the United States, urban growth boundaries are intended to keep cities compact and hinterlands green. The few American cities with UGB's are trying to figuring out how to use them effectively.
ULI Takes the Country's Pulse with 'America in 2015' Report
With the recently released America in 2015 report, the Urban Land Institute undertakes a broad survey to discover what Americans are looking for in their communities.
Household Solar Popularity Builds, As Does Utility Industry Discomfort
Utilities and regulators should be looking forward, not backward, to find ways to invest in progress, rather than trying desperately to cling to yesterday's business model, which is based on encouraging consumption of polluting sources of energy.
Regulation Not Keeping Pace with the Popularity of Drones
The use drones for planning and its related fields has obvious and immediate potential. So far, however, the use of drones lacks a coherent regulatory framework.
Surveying the Biking Gender Gap
A survey of the relevant studies, articles, and ideas about why women ride bikes so much less than men.
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.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie
