Transportation

COVID-19

One Year Later, Public Transit Still in Crisis

Public transit cities around the world are operating well below pre-pandemic ridership levels, with many cutting service and no real clear idea about how and when a recovery will begin.

March 29, 2021 - The New York Times

Coronavirus and Transportation

How to Maintain Open Streets After the Pandemic

With more people getting back in their cars, can pedestrian-oriented open streets survive?

March 29, 2021 - Politico

Fall Sprawl

Revised Requirements for Sidewalks and Bike Lanes at MassDOT

The new guidelines call for pedestrian and bike infrastructure as part of the design of new state-run projects.

March 29, 2021 - Streetsblog Massachusetts

St. Louis Metrolink

Five Principles for Good Infrastructure

American policymakers could improve the effectiveness of infrastructure projects by focusing on five key elements.

March 29, 2021 - Governing

Ocean Drive Open Streets

Miami Mayor Wants Federal Funding for Boring Company Tunnel

Mayor Francis Suarez thinks the tunnel could alleviate congestion, but critics argue the city's rising water table makes tunneling too expensive and impractical.

March 28, 2021 - Bloomberg Quint

Train Station Conceptual Renderings

New 'Capital Regional Rail Vision' Revealed

An idea to expand regional rail service around D.C. has new substance after the Greater Washington Partnership revealed the first details of a plan to convert the MARC and VRE commuter train systems into high-frequency, all-day regional service.

March 28, 2021 - The Washington Post

D2 Subway

Dallas Subway Project Gets a Key Green Light

The Dallas City Council kept the d2 subway plan on track with a vote this week.

March 26, 2021 - D Magazine

Interstate 84

Undoing the Destructive Legacy of Hartford's Interstates

A new plan would spend an estimated $17 billion to remove a huge chunk of the Interstate Highway System's footprint in Hartford, Connecticut.

March 26, 2021 - The CT Mirror

Houston, Texas

A New Metropolitan Blueprint for Texas

Traditionally associated with its wide-open spaces, Texas is now, undeniably, defined by the cities and suburbs that comprise its built environment.

March 25, 2021 - Rice Kinder Institute for Urban Research

Freeway Exit

Opinion: America's Infrastructure Doesn't Need a Federal Spending 'Binge'

Despite alarming claims about the nation's roads and bridges, a column in the Chicago Tribune argues that the administration's proposed infrastructure spending doesn't match actual needs.

March 25, 2021 - Chicago Tribune

7th Street, NW, Washington D.C.

Opinion: Post-Pandemic Recovery Cannot Privilege Car Owners

Robust investment in the region's public transportation network can ensure a more equitable and sustainable path forward.

March 25, 2021 - Greater Greater Washington

Seattle Gasworks Park

Seattle's 'Electrification Blueprint' Sets Ambitious Goals

The city's new transportation plan focuses on eliminating carbon emissions in its transportation sector, reducing congestion, and boosting public transit.

March 25, 2021 - The Seattle Times

Pedestrians

2020 Could Set Records for Pedestrian Fatality Rates

The novel coronavirus wasn't the only public health risk spreading around the United States in 2020.

March 25, 2021 - Governors Highway Safety Association

Bus Station Design Concept

Increasing the Ambition for an Atlanta-Area Express Bus Lane Project

The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority recently proposed ambitious station design concepts to supplement the Georgia Department of Transportation's plans for a 16-mile express bus lane system on Ga. Highway 400.

March 25, 2021 - Urbanize Atlanta

CTA Bus

For Better Transit: Fund Buses

Despite a preference among policymakers for high-tech transit solutions, the humble bus, with the right infrastructure and funding, has the potential to be the heart of a comprehensive, reliable, and cost-effective transit system.

March 24, 2021 - New York Times

Electric Car Charging Stencil

Chuck Schumer Proposes Big Investment in Electric Vehicles

The Senate Majority Leader's plan would pump more than $50 billion into direct incentives for consumers, manufacturers, and property owners.

March 24, 2021 - The Verge

Coronavirus and Transportation

The Post-Pandemic Future of Rideshare

With pooled services suspended through the pandemic and research showing most users prefer private rides, will shared rides continue to play a role in urban transportation?

March 24, 2021 - Bloomberg CityLab

Mass Shooting Protest

'Never Let a Good Crisis Go to Waste' and Planning in the Pandemic

The latest in a series of compendia collecting news and commentary focusing on the complexities of the COVID-19 pandemic's effect on communities.

March 23, 2021 - James Brasuell

Florida

Case Study: Florida Road Diet Reduces Crashes, Adds Minimal Congestion

A controversial road diet has faced disapproval from local business owners, but data shows a significant reduction in crashes and a minimal increase in congestion.

March 23, 2021 - WFLA

Infrastructure

Biden Administration Reportedly Crafting a $3 Trillion Infrastructure Package

Just a few days after signing the $1.9 trillion "American Rescue Plan," the Biden administration is reportedly putting together a massive infrastructure spending plan that could overhaul the nation's transportation an energy infrastructure.

March 23, 2021 - The New York Times

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.