Infrastructure
More Evidence that a Fully Funded MAP-21 Reauthorization is Possible
Rep. Bill Shuster, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, is the second powerful congressman to state that a fully funded, five to six year reauthorization bill can be done, acknowledging that funding challenges lie ahead.
How to Solve the Looming Water Crisis
David Sedlak, author of "Water 4.0: The Past, Present, and Future of the World's Most Vital Resource," explains how the deepening obsolescence of our water infrastructure is reaching crisis status.
California Refineries Prepare to Receive Cheaper Crude-by-Rail
The surge in oil production has not benefited California, but that's about to change. Shale oil from North Dakota and other states costs $15 less than imported oil. After transportation costs, California refineries would save $3 per barrel.
Exploring the 'Finesse of the Avenue'
In his fourth "place-decoding" essay from France, Chuck Wolfe illustrates how a traditional placemaking intervention is especially powerful when underlying urban fundamentals align.
Chicago's First Shared Street Planned for Uptown's Argyle Street
Following one failed attempt at a similar plan, a popular neighborhood for shopping will soon become a shared street project. The effort is part of a trend in Chicago looking for ways to transform streets into pedestrian friendly destinations.
Ranking the Best and Worst Cities to Live and Work with Special Needs
WalletHub recently released the "2014 Best & Worst Cities for People with Disabilities" to highlight the economic power of providing employment opportunities and livable communities for people with special needs.
ARC Cancellation Leaves New Jersey-New York Rail Connections in Race Against Time
Dana Rubinstein writes that New Jersey Chris Christie may have to answer for more than just the Bridgegate scandal if he throws his hat into the ring in the 2016 presidential campaign.
Study: Domestic Responsibilities Contributing to Biking's Gender Gap
Answering the question of why more women in the United States don't bike, researchers find that infrastructure and design only explains some of the gender gap. Another obstacle for women: a higher share of chores and child-supporting car trips.
Wyoming Reports Road Improvements From 10-Cent Gas Tax Increase
Wyoming legislators passed its gas tax hike in Feb. 2013, an incredible 71 percent increase when the state then had the second to lowest tax. AASHTO reports that the WYDOT has already completed 12 projects with the additional revenue.
Three Technological Innovations that Could End Asphalt as We Know it
As more municipalities are shutting off lights for energy savings, technological innovations are leading the way in new lighting and paving systems to make up for these economic and environmental constraints.
Will New Jersey Raise Its Gas Tax?
New Jersey's gas tax has been stuck at 14.50 cents per gallon since 1988; only Alaska's is lower. An Assembly committee began hearings on increasing the tax to fix crumbling roads and improve transit. It's high-end benchmark: a 31-cent increase.
LADOT Releases 'Great Streets for Los Angeles' Strategic Plan, Sets Vision Zero Goal
Following a year when 80 pedestrians were killed by cars in the city, the Los Angeles Department of Transportation has proposed a new strategic plan that sets Vision Zero goals for pedestrian fatalities and reflects new priorities for the city.
'Trees in Hard Landscapes': Guide for High-Performance Urban Infrastructure
A new cross-disciplinary report cites 32 case studies to offer practical solutions for integrating trees into civic spaces and surface car parks.
Streetscape Improvements in The Castro Include New, Improved Rainbow Design
Not to be outdone by West Hollywood, San Francisco's premier gay neighborhood has painted crosswalks on Castro Street in rainbow colors. However, it's only one part of a much bigger streetscape improvement project that involved huge community input.
The Look and Feel of 'Inherently Urban'
Greek orators, current solution-based efforts, and 25 photographs remind us of the central role of human opportunity in the urban environment.
Why Design Matters in Transportation Infrastructure Design
New Jersey School of Architecture Director Darius Sollohub writes that transportation planners and engineers should consider what their infrastructure designs will say to today's users and future generations in an essay in InTransition magazine.
State Funding Sends Divvy Bikeshare to the Suburbs
Divvy—Chicago's popular bikeshare system—is expanding to farther flung areas of the metropolitan area, thanks to state funding approved by the governor.
Mixed Reviews on New Passenger Rail Reauthorization Act
Six years ago Congress passed the first Passenger Rail Reauthorization Act, known as PRIIA. Reauthorization was introduced on September 11, in a bill (known as PRRIA) praised by some but also criticized for decreasing Amtrak funding by 40 percent.
RiverBend Project Begins New Chapter for Buffalo, NY
Solar panel company SolarCity unveiled plans for one of the largest solar panel factories to open in Buffalo, New York, forecasting almost 3,000 jobs for the factory alone.
Underground: The Next Frontier of Urbanization
With rapidly urbanizing metro areas, some cities are not looking to build up, or spread out, anymore. Rather they have begun to grow into underground spaces.
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
