Infrastructure

State Legislation Would Clear CEQA Obstructions for Road and Transit Projects
One legislator believes CEQA "is a key barrier to California meeting its ambitious climate change goals.”
Road Closures and Lawsuits: Local Roads Cause a Legal Controversy in New Jersey
It's a familiar story: local residents don't want commuters cutting through their neighborhoods, and commuters are pushing back.

A Progressive Gas Tax?
One of the criticisms of gas taxes is that it is regressive, i.e., everyone pays the same per-gallon price. A Mississippi legislator has a solution: Eliminate the income tax on the lowest income bracket in exchange for hiking the gas tax 12-cents.

Urban Design for Medical Students
A co-curricular program at a Philadelphia medical school integrates public health and city planning.

Road Diet, Protected Bike Lane Coming to the Heart of Sacramento
Major changes are coming to one of Sacramento's busiest commercial and commuting corridors.

Columbus' Planning Agenda Combines Land Use and Transportation
A discussion of the ongoing Regional Corridor Analysis, expected for completion later this year.

Transit to Star in the Super Bowl
Minneapolis officials are touting Super Bowl LII as "the most transit-reliant Super Bowl ever played."

Federal Plan for Renewable Energy Development in the California Desert on Trump's Cutting Board
The issue of wind and solar energy development has always been a hot button in the California desert, and the Trump Administration just pressed it.
Fulton County, Georgia's 40-Year Transit Plan Targets High Quality Bus Service
All of Fulton County, Georgia except Atlanta (which has its own transit plans) is moving forward with a new transit agenda.

As Cables on Dallas' Margaret McDermott Bridge Fail, State and City Play Blame Game
Santiago Calatrava has run into trouble over the maintenance of his bridge projects in the past—this time it looks like it's not his fault.

Connecticut Governor's Transportation Plan Raises New Revenue to Fund Road Projects
Tolls and gas taxes—that's how Connecticut Governor Daniel P. Malloy plans on raising revenue for the state's troubled Special Transportation Fund.
Will GOP Reconsider Redirecting Amtrak Funding After Train Crash?
Republican lawmakers got a first-hand lesson in train safety Wednesday when their chartered Amtrak train hit a trash truck at a grade crossing in Virginia, killing one in the truck. Trump's infrastructure plan redirects Amtrak and transit funding.

Partnership With Uber to Support Transportation Planning in Cincinnati
A partnership between the ride-hailing company Uber, the city of Cincinnati, the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority (SORTA) and the Transit Authority of Northern Kentucky (TANK) is sign that maybe transit and Uber aren't mutually exclusive.

State Plan to Expand a Downtown Indianapolis Intersection Meets Local Resistance
Local urbanists are opposing a plan to greatly expand a freeway intersection in neighborhoods adjacent to Downtown Indianapolis.

New Report: Rethinking Streets in an Era of Driverless Cars
"Rethinking Streets in an Era of Driverless Cars" presents ideas about how city planners, policy makers and community residents can begin thinking about street transformation in an AV era.

(By One Estimate) Chicago Has the Best Air Service
Despite being well-known and maligned for delays and overall service, Chicago is ranked the best city for air service.

What the State of the Union Revealed About Urban Planning Under the Trump Administration
President Trump's first State of the Union address followed the rhetoric of his campaign and first year in office, offering few details about promised infrastructure investments and avoiding substantive discussion about the future of cities.

Pollution Does Discriminate in Orlando’s Parramore Neighborhood
Poor air quality has decimated the health of residents in this predominantly black community ringed by highways.

Urban Planning Trends to Watch in 2018
Referencing three major themes can help make sense of urban planning news throughout 2018.

On the Life-Saving Potential of Leading Pedestrian Intervals
Giving pedestrians a head start at crosswalks is a simple fix that could save lots of lives. New York City has already seen a significant reduction in fatalities and injuries.
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.
EMC Planning Group, Inc.
Planetizen
Planetizen
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service