Transportation

Hyperloop

Pneumatic Tube Trains and AVs to the Rescue? Smarter Planning for New Mobility

New mobility modes and services have tantalizing potential, but they can also impose significant costs and risks. We need objective and comprehensive analysis to determine how—and how not—to incorporate these new technologies.

August 24, 2021 - The City Fix

Aerial view of the Great Highway, San Francisco

Battle Over San Francisco's Pedestrianized 'Great Highway'

Although the project has been hugely successful with local residents, the mayor and some county supervisors wanted to revert the road to vehicle use.

August 24, 2021 - San Francisco Chronicle

A bus stop in Philadelphia, where people wait under a glass shelter for a bus as it arrives.

Calculating Bus Stop Spacing for 43 U.S. Cities

New research documents the distance between bus stops in U.S. cities—a key question for service designers that determines a lot about the public transit user experience.

August 24, 2021 - Transport Findings

Climate Change

Vote for 'America's Most Toxic Car Commercial'

From the same website that brought us the "Parking Crater Award" and the "Sorriest Bus Stops in America."

August 23, 2021 - Streetsblog USA

Hubway Data Visualization

How Data and Tech Can Support Transit Planning

Agencies can use data resources to improve their decision-making and provide more responsive service.

August 23, 2021 - Government Technology

Saint Paul Minnesota

St. Paul Does Away With Minimum Parking Requirements

The city is one of the first in the nation to completely eliminate parking mandates citywide.

August 23, 2021 - St. Paul Pioneer Press

Manhattan, New York City, New York

Environmental Assessment for Manhattan Congestion Pricing Scheduled Until December 2022

An idea approved in 2019 which spent the last two years stuck in Trump and Covid limbo, will only now begin a slow march toward final approval.

August 23, 2021 - StreetsBlog NYC

Amtrak Cascaded

Revised Amtrak Mandate Could Allow for 'Paradigm-Shifting' Changes

Language in the new infrastructure bill calls for the agency to prioritize ridership and service levels over profitability.

August 22, 2021 - Governing

Atlanta

Atlanta Business Group Unhappy With City's Inaction on Transportation Projects

The Midtown Alliance is urging the city to give more control to community improvement districts to speed up procurement or risk losing out on federal funding.

August 22, 2021 - Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Texas Highways

Op-Ed: Instead of a New VMT Tax, Raise the Gas Tax

Implementing a tax based on miles traveled could disincentivize purchasing more efficient cars and would do little to improve road safety, one columnist argues.

August 20, 2021 - The Hill

Vermont BRT

To Regain Transit Ridership, Policymakers Must Address Land Use and Housing

More buses and trains alone won't bring back riders; other incentives are needed to boost ridership and encourage new users.

August 20, 2021 - Governing

Road Construction

Proposed Colorado Rule Calls for Mitigating Climate Effects of Road Projects

State and local agencies would be tasked with evaluating and offsetting the carbon emissions caused by new transportation projects.

August 20, 2021 - Colorado Public Radio

Los Angeles Protected Bike Lane

Study: Bike Lanes Don't Cause Displacement

A longitudinal study shows that bike facilities don't precede neighborhood change or displacement of residents.

August 19, 2021 - Bike Portland

San Francisco, California

Ranking the Top 15-Minute Cities of the United States

The rankings in a recent report are about the potential of U.S. cities to become more like the 15-minute city model provided by Paris.

August 19, 2021 - The Urbanist

Washington, D.C. Bus Lane

NRDC Releases 'Bus Priority Toolkit'

The kit, designed in collaboration with five U.S. cities, aims to provide lessons and tools for building a compelling case for bus priority and identifying measurable benefits.

August 19, 2021 - NRDC

AirTrain Newark Airport

How Cuomo's Resignation Affects Transit Projects

With the governor stepping down, the state's transit agencies have an opportunity to reevaluate controversial projects and shift their priorities.

August 19, 2021 - Curbed

Aerial Texas Hill Country at sunset, with an aerial view of a highway interchange and Interstate 35 in Austin, Texas.

TxDOT Moving Forward With Plan to Widen I-35 in Austin

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) wants to spend $4.6 billion to expand Interstate 35 in Austin despite alternative plans proposed by local groups.

August 18, 2021 - KUT

A maglev train undergoing testing by Central Japan Railway at the Yamanashi Maglev Test Track.

D.C. Has Concerns About Parking and the Cost of Maglev Proposal

Washington, D.C. officials are urging modifications to key components of a proposal to build a maglev system between D.C. and Baltimore, citing disruptions to neighborhoods and cost concerns.

August 18, 2021 - The Washington Post

Singapore Electric Bus

What’s the Fairest Way to Deploy Electric Buses? Ask This Open-Source Map

While the deployment of electric buses can help mitigate the air quality impacts of public transportation, transit authorities often face budgeting constraints that center cost reduction rather than equity—until now.

August 17, 2021 - Next City

Capitol Hill

Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill Heads to the House: Details and Reactions From the Planning World

Planetizen gathered explainer posts and advocacy responses that continue to shine a light on the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, approved by the U.S. Senate earlier this month.

August 17, 2021 - James Brasuell

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.