United States

Ever travel to a foreign country and gaze longingly at their sleek modern rail stock? Pardon my wandering eye, but passenger trains in the U.S. are undeniably ugly. New rules being developed by the FRA could ease the import of foreign beauties.

November 1, 2013 - Next City

As localities increasingly pursue public-private partnerships to fund much-needed infrastructure projects, Ryan Holeywell explores the promise and pitfalls of this popular financing arrangement. Are dissenting voices being stifled?

October 31, 2013 - Governing

Jonathan Hull, a 37-year-old graphic designer from Salt Lake City, has assembled an horrific catalog of America's "demonic, hellish, and Satan-flavored" appellations.

October 31, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

Once again, the fine people at the real estate web portal Zillow have assembled their top 20 cities for trick-or-treating. This year they've gone one step further and identified the top 5 neighborhoods in each city for enterprising candy collectors.

October 31, 2013 - Zillow

With urban populations growing, an interesting phenomenon is spreading in cities across the U.S. - the rise of the (often congested) reverse commute. It brings with it new challenges, like how to provide transit riders with last mile connections.

October 30, 2013 - NPR

Might a recent agreement to fund water projects pave the way for more transportation spending? That's what positive signals out of Washington seem to indicate. Just one small obstacle stands in the way: how to finance road and bridge projects.

October 30, 2013 - The Wall Street Journal

Regulations and a natural gas boom have helped reduce America's CO2 emissions to their lowest level since 1994. But CO2, and plenty of other toxic particles, continue to pollute our urban air. Brentin Mock looks at 5 highly polluted urban areas.

October 29, 2013 - Grist

Though research has been piling up on the adverse health impacts connected with driving long distances every day, it turns out that no matter how you travel to work, "having a job far from home can undermine health."

October 29, 2013 - The New York Times

Across the United States, more than 15.3 million residents have become neighbors to a new gas or oil well since 2000. The fracking-based energy boom is bringing "unprecedented industrialization" to backyards throughout the U.S.

October 29, 2013 - The Wall Street Journal

Phoenix is getting set to roll out a regional bike-share program, in partnership with CycleHop and Social Bicycles. After its initial rollout, the city will expand the service to reach Mesa and Tempe.

October 29, 2013 - Future Cities

Southern California's powerful regional planning association is one of the many public agencies across the United States that sees the future of road funding in a new technology called a 'black box'.

October 29, 2013 - Los Angeles Times

Against a backdrop of increasing spatial segregation of incomes, Robert J. Sampson looks at how neighborhood inequality influences multiple aspects of everyday life. How we address such inequality indicates what kind of society we want to be.

October 28, 2013 - The New York Times

According to the AIA’s third-annual progress report on its 2030 Commitment, the number of firms signing on to the environmental program is up. At the same time, the proportion of firms reporting progress toward their goal is underwhelming.

October 27, 2013 - Ecobuilding Pulse

Originally intended for permanent farmland and open space, Davis, CA will consider whether 391 acres along its eastern edge should instead be used for a business technology park, reports Mark Anderson.

October 25, 2013 - Sacramento Business Journal

A dispute over ownership of a strip of abandoned Pacific Railroad Company line in Wyoming will test the legal underpinnings of thousands of miles of rail-trails throughout the Unites States.

October 25, 2013 - DC.Streetsblog

The U.S. House of Representatives has nearly unanimously passed a new bill! While that's news in itself, the bill facilitates infrastructure improvements (water-oriented in this case), an often divisive issue.

October 25, 2013 - Governing

Bike infrastructure is often viewed with skepticism in minority neighborhoods across the U.S. Jay Walljasper looks at how to extend the benefits of biking to communities that often have fewer options for transportation and exercise.

October 24, 2013 - People for Bikes

Freed from the political constraints of holding a cabinet position, former Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood told a university audience that the increase is necessary to meet multi-modal infrastructure needs, not just road construction.

October 24, 2013 - WAMU

Though vehicular deaths have been declining across the U.S., pedestrian and cyclist deaths have risen. While intuition might say our ubiquitous cell phones are to blame, hard data has been scarce. A new study seems to support this conclusion.

October 23, 2013 - DC.Streetsblog

Are you exceedingly agreeable or exceptionally conscientious? If so, there's a good chance you live in Utah or South Carolina. At least that's according to the findings of a 13-year study into American attitudes conducted by a team of researchers.

October 23, 2013 - Time