Transportation

Trump supporting insurrectionists scale the walls of the U.S. Capitol Building on January 6, 2021.

Year in Review: Urban Planning in 2021

Part one of two of Planetizen's review of 2021—re-assessing failed predictions and daylighting the biggest planning stories of the year.

December 20, 2021 - James Brasuell

Downeaster train in Maine

What States Can Learn From the Success of Maine's Downeaster Train

As Amtrak gears up to plan expansion projects supported by new federal funding, states can take some advocacy lessons from Maine's popular Downeaster train.

December 20, 2021 - Governing

New York City Subway

How Rail Transit Ridership Changed During the Pandemic

Almost all heavy rail transit stations lost riders in 2020, but some stations lost far fewer riders than others. The data reveals lessons for transit planning beyond the end of the pandemic (whenever that happens).

December 20, 2021 - Urban Institute

Ghost Bike

Replacing Houston's Missing Ghost Bikes

A Houston couple is asking for help installing 'ghost bike' memorials, a stark reminder of the dangers of unsafe roads to cyclists.

December 19, 2021 - The Houston Chronicle

Bend, Oregon

Oregon DOT Projects Little Decline in Driving Despite Climate Pledge

Financial projections from the state's Department of Transportation suggest the agency does not anticipate a marked reduction in driving in the next decade.

December 17, 2021 - Willamette Week

Large pickup trucks are parked in neat rows extending into the fuzzy background of the image.

Friday Funny? Cartoon Lampoons the Growing Size of Trucks and SUVs

The Nib takes on the latest trend in car culture: massive vehicles.

December 17, 2021 - The Nib

A man pushes a snow blower to clear the ground of an outdoor parking lot filled with cars.

Toronto City Council Removes Most Minimum Parking Requirements

The parking reform movement has a major new feather in its cap: the Toronto City Council has this week adopted sweeping changes to the parking requirements of the city's zoning bylaws.

December 16, 2021 - Toronto Storeys

A man on a bike prepares to turn off a one way street onto a bike lane in Downtown Boise, Idaho.

Bike Lane Upgrade Planned for Downtown Boise

The Capital City Development Corp. is considering a plan to revamp and extend existing bike infrastructure on 8th Street in Downtown Boise.

December 16, 2021 - Boise Dev

Looking out over Port of LA. A low fog rolling in over the whole area.

Port Logjam Contributing to Dismal L.A. Air Quality

Emissions from container ships idling outside Southern California's ports are adding to pollution that has blanketed the region in a noxious layer of smog.

December 16, 2021 - Curbed

New Orleans Freeway

How Federal Funds Can Benefit Freeway Removal Projects

The recently passed infrastructure bill dedicates $1 billion to freeway removal and capping, but the sum is only a 'first step' toward redressing the injustices perpetuated by urban highway projects.

December 16, 2021 - Streetsblog USA

Community Transit buses at the University of Washington, Seattle.

How Inadequate Transit Harms College Students

A lack of access to affordable and reliable transit is being cited as a major reason why many college students don't finish school.

December 15, 2021 - The Washington Post

Washington State Electric Car Infrastructure

Biden Administration Plans for 500,000 Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

The Biden administration this week took ambitious steps toward a new era of automobile transportation in the United States.

December 15, 2021 - E&E News

Pedestrians

Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill Will Finally Make Carmakers Consider Pedestrian Safety

Pedestrian safety ratings for cars, drunk driving detection tech, and better headlights—these are just a handful of the automobile safety improvements that will benefit pedestrians as a result of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

December 15, 2021 - Angie Schmitt

New York City Subway

New York MTA to Cap Weekly Transit Fares

Public transit agencies are getting creative in the effort to bring riders back to buses and trains.

December 15, 2021 - The New York Times

Lyft

What Are Transportation Network Companies?

Transportation Network Companies (TNCs), provide on-demand transportation services through app-based platforms to create a new level of convenience for riders—and a host of challenges for policymakers and regulators.

December 14, 2021 - Diana Ionescu

Parking

Repurposing Car Parking Can Improve Commerce

In spite of concerns from business owners about losing parking, research shows that retail benefits from better bike and pedestrian infrastructure.

December 14, 2021 - Bloomberg CityLab

Sunstar electric bikes displayed during the japanese festival in Geneva on the 7th october 2012

Why Are U.S. Policymakers Ignoring Electric Bikes?

The singular focus on EVs is making U.S. cities miss out on the opportunity to promote e-bikes as a more efficient and sustainable transportation mode.

December 14, 2021 - Treehugger

New York City Transit

Historic Preservation Appeal Could Delay Penn Station Redevelopment

New York State's Historic Preservation Office has moved to place the notorious Penn Station on the National Register of Historic Places, potentially upending redevelopment plans.

December 14, 2021 - Bloomberg CityLab

Downtown Austin with Lady Bird Lake in the foreground. Multiple bridges are crossing the lake and small personal water-crafts dot the water.

Light Rail and Buses and More, Oh My!

A light rail bridge proposed for Lady Bird Lake, still pre-design, is causing controversies about whether adding buses to the bridge would be too dangerous for the other non-automotive modes.

December 13, 2021 - KUT

A aerial view of the Lobau floodplain, located to the north of Vienna, Austria and across the Danube River. Vienna is in the background.

Austria Halts Eight Highway Projects to Fight Climate Change

Austria's Greens political party has achieved a rare political victory against automobile dependence.

December 13, 2021 - Agence France Presse

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.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.