Transportation

Washington D.C.

Vision Zero on the Streets of D.C.

Bike and pedestrian deaths have been on the rise in D.C. despite a Vision Zero commitment. New legislation will pave the way for new infrastructure and safety improvements.

September 25, 2020 - The Washington Post

Texas Bike Lane

Bike Ridership Booms in Some Unlikely Cities

A fitness tracking app reports dramatic increases in bike ridership since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.

September 24, 2020 - Bloomberg CityLab

Oil

Gone by 2035: Gas-Powered Car Sales Have an Expiration Date in California

California Governor Gavin Newsom announced yesterday an executive order that would ban the sale of cars powered by internal combustion engines by 2035. California is the first state in the country to take such action.

September 24, 2020 - Palm Springs Desert Sun

Valley Metro

Phoenix's Valley Metro Works on Three Light Rail Project During Pandemic Lull

Construction continues on three Phoenix light rail projects set to be completed in 2024.

September 24, 2020 - Arizona Republic

CTA Buses

Pop-Up Bus Lanes Coming to Chicago

New pop-up bus lanes on two of the most heavily traveled bus routes in Chicago will help move essential workers more efficiently during the pandemic.

September 24, 2020 - Smart Cities Dive

Maryland Transit Administration

Purple Line Construction Halts in Maryland as Contractor Woes Deepen

Purple Line Transit Partners, the contractors managing construction of the beleaguered Purple Line in Maryland, have begun to walk off the job as a dispute about cost overruns brings the project to a screeching halt.

September 23, 2020 - The Washington Post

Strip Mall

How Typical Economic Development Kills Community Character

An economic development pro makes an argument for an approach to economic development that prioritizes the urban design decisions that favor community character.

September 23, 2020 - Proud Places

Metra train stopped at station

Moving Forward with Metra's Equity-Guided Transit System Plans

Metra's significant drop in ridership has forced the agency to adapt to a new transit landscape and plan for equitable fare offerings and service changes.

September 23, 2020 - Active Transportation Alliance

Silicon Valley aerial view

Calthorpe Makes the Case for a Corridor-Based Approach to Affordable Housing

Peter Calthorpe's case study of El Camino Real in the Silicon Valley shows the potential for affordable housing development in the land surrounding side right-of-ways.

September 22, 2020 - CNU Public Square

Car-Centric Planning

The Causes of California's Development Malaise

A spate of recent articles has taken a critical look at the regulatory obstacles to a progrssive planning vision in the state of California.

September 22, 2020 - San Francisco Chronicle

Highway Construction

Tolls Not Included: Toll Proposals Keep Ending Up in the Dustbin in Texas

Another example of the growing political and planning opposition to the idea of tolling new roads in Texas.

September 22, 2020 - Houston Chronicle

Texas Central

Texas Central High-Speed Rail Gets Green Light From Feds

The Federal Railroad Administration has granted two key permissions for Texas Central to operate a high-speed trail between Houston and Dallas.

September 21, 2020 - Houston Chronicle

Regional Transportation District

Pandemic Casts a Shadow Over Today's Big Rail Line Opening in Denver

The N Line between Denver and its northern suburbs opens today to the public, but N Line trains are expected to carry far fewer passengers, and lower frequencies, than originally planned.

September 21, 2020 - The Denver Post

Uber Autonomous Vehicle

Back-Up Driver of Autonomous Vehicle Charged With Negligent Homicide of Pedestrian

The broader safety implications of the death of Elaine Hertzberg after being struck by an Uber autonomous vehicle in Tempe is still being litigated. Last week, the back-up driver of the vehicle was charged with negligent homicide.

September 21, 2020 - NPR

Recreational Vehicle

Constitutional Amendment Would Shift Some Gas Tax Revenue to Transit Spending in Nevada

Democratic legislators in Nevada are considering a constitutional amendment that would allow the state to use gas tax revenues for transportation projects other than road construction, maintenance, and repair.

September 20, 2020 - The Nevada Independent

Capital Bikeshare

D.C.'s Capital Bikeshare Turns 10

D.C.'s Capital Bikeshare is celebrating its 10th birthday today, September 20.

September 20, 2020 - Greater Greater Washington

Bike Light

This is How the British Started Cycling More

Cycling has never felt more relevant or encouraged in the UK. Since May, the London Councils have upgraded 60 km of bike lanes in the capital city, added 20,000 square metres of extra pavement space, and installed 1,500+ additional cycle parking.

September 18, 2020 - Cities of the Future

Arlington to D.C.

Key Virginia Rail Bridge Project Completes Environmental Review

A $1.9 billion project to add a second set of rail tracks to the Long Bridge that connects Virginia to D.C. is ready to move forward with a recently completed Environmental Impact Statement.

September 17, 2020 - The Virginia Mercury

Green Bike Lane

A Tour of Portland's New Neighborhood Greenways

BikePortland publisher and editor-in-chief Jonathan Maus took a ride along two new neighborhood greenways to report on successes and opportunities for continued improvement.

September 17, 2020 - BikePortland

Racing Cars

New Research Documents the Tragic Consequences of Noise Pollution

In the United States, busy roads shorten lives in more ways than one, but when it comes to the ill effects of noise pollution, almost no efforts are made to reduce the damage.

September 17, 2020 - Streetsblog USA

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.