Infrastructure
Designing Permeable Cities for Drought Resilience
Take a kayak trip on the Los Angeles River with KQED science reporter Amy Standen to understand why cities were built on the premise of endless potable water and how we can build cities sustainably in regions that receive low rainfall.
San Francisco Planners Study Extension of Central Subway to Fisherman's Wharf
San Francisco is hard at work on a Central Subway project expected to open in 2019 with a terminus in Chinatown, but planners have already been hard at work studying an extension of the subway to Fisherman's Wharf.
Detroit's Latest Power Outage: The Dark Before the Dawn?
Earlier this week a massive power outage struck Detroit. But that type of embarrassment might soon be a thing of the past because Detroit will soon undertake a $200 million upgrade of its electricity grid.
Details on Chicago's First Shared Street
Planners are crafting the details of Chicago's first shared street, where pedestrians will rule.
Bay Bridge Proposal: Turn Old Eastern Span Piers into a Park
Officials are considering a plan to preserve some of the eastern span of the bay Bridge as part of an effort to cut costs on the project—which is now well over its $6.4 billion budget.
Amtrak's Achilles Heel, Infrastructurally Speaking
Aging, obsolete, and deteriorating bridges affect both road and rail. The 104-year-old Portal Bridge, a swing bridge over the Hackensack River in New Jersey that frequently fails to close properly, tops Amtrak's list for replacement.
BART's Oakland Airport Connector Now in Service
Depending upon which Bay Area newspaper you read, the new 3.2-mile Oakland Airport connector, an elevated, driverless tram that takes eight minutes and costs $6, is either a huge success or a $484 million boondoggle. It began service on November 22.
To Understand New York's Needs, Think Beyond Manhattan
When most people think of New York City, says CUNY planning professor and activist Tom Angotti, they think of Manhattan. This excessive focus on a narrow slice of the greater New York metropolitan area needs to be reconsidered.
The Impact of Metro Freight Trade on Congestion
Although the holidays cause millions more drivers to hit the road, delays in traffic may also stem from the congestion of goods movements by truck, both locally and across the country.
Walk Along with an Atlanta Road Safety Audit
Metropolitan Atlanta accounts for half of the pedestrian fatalities in Georgia. One pedestrian advocacy group is doing the legwork to begin the process of improving the city's pedestrian infrastructure.
Only in Portland: the Bike-Pedestrian Plan for Portland International Airport
Michael Anderson reports on the new bike-pedestrian plan for the Portland International Airport.
Lake Powell: Threatened Water Supply; Recovered Landscape
Jonathan Waterman describes a kayaking trip into Lake Powell—the "reservoir formed by the confluence of the San Juan and the Colorado Rivers and the holding power of Glen Canyon Dam" above the Grand Canyon.
The Urban Water Blueprint Extends Well Beyond the City
A new project by the Nature Conservancy maps the impact of natural infrastructure—often found well outside the city limits—on urban water supplies.
Toronto to Narrow its Traffic Lanes
Toronto will begin rolling out a program to narrow traffic lanes on the city's streets. The new lane policy, recently completed, was in the works for the past year.
Massive Oil-By-Rail Facility Proposed for Port of Vancouver
A proposed oil-by-rail facility proposed for the Port of Vancouver could set a new standard for capacity.
London School of Economics: Cities Should Adopt '3C Model' for Growth
A report from the London School of Economics focuses on the growth of cities around the world between 2012 and 2030, proposing a "3C model" for growth to ensure economic prosperity and to limit emissions.
Bus-Friendly Signaling, Bulbouts Coming to Haight Street in San Francisco
The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Authority approved a collection of changes to San Francisco's famous Haight Street. The proposal provoked political debate that expresses the complexity of multi-modal transportation planning.
60 Minutes Examines America's Failing Infrastructure
Steve Kroft of 60 Minutes reviews road, rail, bridges, and ports to see how much investment is needed to improve the country's infrastructure, beginning in Pittsburgh and ending at a key Amtrak rail bridge in New Jersey.
Collisions Trouble Atlanta Streetcar Testing
Some would argue that introducing streetcars to auto-oriented streets is a recipe for collisions. Drivers in Atlanta are already having trouble mixing with streetcars, before the system even launches.
An In-Depth Look at the Indiana Toll Road Bankruptcy
Angie Schmitt and Payton Chung have created a three-part series on the Indiana Toll Road and how its example informs the use of private finance to build and maintain highways.
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
