United States
"Can I Have a Road Usage Fee with that 15-cent Gas Tax Increase, Please?"
Don't ever accuse Rep. Earl Blumenauer of not thinking big. Accompanying his gas tax increase bill, he has proposed a bill to study ways to charge drivers by the miles they drive. One takes care of the funding problem now, the other in the future.
Would Advanced Technology Have Prevented the Metro-North Derailment?
As federal investigators focus on the likelihood of human error being the cause of the Dec. 1 derailment that killed four passengers, attention has been placed on the federal requirement for all railroads to install positive train control systems.
Car Commuting Rates Decline in 99% of America's Large Metros
A new report by U.S. PIRG and the Frontier Group gives further credence to, and provides a more complete picture of, America's driving decline.
The Startup City You Probably Haven't Heard About
There are some cities that give you everything you need and others that make you work for it. This article profiles efforts to build a startup community in Tallahassee through the eyes of the city's growing network of entrepreneurs.
Blumenauer to Propose Deficit Commission's Gas Tax Increase
If it was good enough for Alan Simpson and Erskine Bowles, the Republican and Democrat authors of President Obama's deficit commission bearing their names, the phased, 15-cent fuel tax increase should be adopted, says Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.).
Will Backlash Block Technologies Meant to Increase Road Safety?
Self-driving cars may still be several years away, but federal officials are already looking to restrict the ability of drivers to operate their cars to improve road safety. They're pushing for the adoption of new technologies to reduce human error.
Correlating Driving Misbehavior with Crime
Is there a correlation between running red lights and more violent crime like robberies and homicide? Gabe Klein, Chicago's distinguished outgoing transportation commissioner, thinks so. It's been dubbed "the broken windows effect."
Big City School Systems Team Up for Eco-Friendly Food
An innovative alliance of urban school districts is working to lower the cost of eco-friendly supplies and source more sustainable food. Their efforts could provide a template for other schools and large institutions.
Exposing Black Friday's Parking Perversion
Parking lots across the U.S. are designed to accommodate the crowds of cars participating in the busiest shopping day of the year. By asking his readers to capture images of underutilized lots last Friday, Chuck Marohn set out to expose the fallacy.
HOT Revenue Generators?
States are increasingly looking to high occupancy toll lanes as a means of revenue generation as well as congestion management, as they deal with the shortfall in transportation revenue from federal and state governments. Ga. may provide a good test.
"Distress 'Burbs" are the Hot Political Battlegrounds of Today
Forget swing states, Richard Florida says, suburbs are today’s political battlegrounds.
Looking for Your Ideal Community? Try This New Census App
Dwellr is a new app from the Census Bureau that matches the top 25 U.S. cities and towns to your lifestyle preferences. And unlike other recent federal technology rollouts, this one seems to work pretty well.
Can Parking Apps Help Save the Mall?
Across the United States, brick-and-mortar stores are engaged in an existential war with online retailers. The newest weapons in the battle for customers are technologies that make the search for a parking spot a cinch.
Black Friday Ops
When millions of Americans venture forth from their food comas tomorrow to their nearest mall, the shopping environment may have changed from last year. By design, most shoppers are unlikely to notice the increased security measures.
In Sign of Improving U.S. Housing Sector, Building Permits Hit 5-Year High
New data from the Commerce Department reveals that more than 1 million residential building permits were issued last month. Though construction activity has reached a 5-year high, economists caution that other data indicates rates are slowing.
Why Many Cities Should Start Looking Beyond Eds and Meds
For many years, economists have touted the higher-education and health care sectors as powerful engines for local economic growth. However, a growing chorus of observers are warning about the continued validity of that premise.
The Enduring Allure of the Single-Family Home
Another of those highly-cited surveys of the living preferences of Americans is out and it finds support for (somewhat contradictory) elements of both smart growth and suburban development patterns.
College Towns Provide a Master Class in Bike-Friendliness
New data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that college towns are even better at encouraging bicycle commuting than the most notable big cities (Portland, Seattle, etc); even when excluding commuting for school. What's their secret?
Bucking National Trend, Homelessness Rises in N.Y. and L.A.
Despite a "remarkable" drop in homelessness across the U.S., sobering new data from HUD reveals that New York City's struggle with record high homelessness is getting worse, not better. Homelessness is up substantially in Los Angeles as well.
Do You Know What Year the U.S. Hit Peak Gasoline Consumption?
Michael Sivak of the Univ. of Michigan has published another key report documenting our waning love affair with the automobile. Sivak documents peak overall gasoline consumption occurring in 2004. Per capita fuel consumption may have peaked in 2003.
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
