Transportation

Marquam Bridge

Audit Faults Oregon DOT for Lack of Public Engagement

Faulted for lack of attention to pedestrian and bike advocates, the Oregon Department of Transportation will soon have opportunities to redeem itself.

September 6, 2020 - The Oregonian

Cincinnati, Ohio

Major Street Redesign Planned in Cincinnati

The Court Street corridor in Cincinnati is getting a comprehensive makeover, with money approved last week by the City Council.

September 6, 2020 - WCPO

Crash

Traffic Fatalities Increase Dramatically in 2020

Despite a huge drop in vehicle miles traveled, there have been more traffic fatalities in the first six months of 2020 than the same period in 2019.

September 4, 2020 - StreetsBlog NYC

Sports Utility Vehicle

The Onion: SUV Drivers Buy Into 'Them Versus Us' Mentality at All Costs

The headline of the latest foray of The Onion into the tragic world of traffic safety: "Conscientious SUV Shopper Just Wants Something That Will Kill Family In Other Car In Case Of Accident".

September 4, 2020 - The Onion

D.C. Metro System

Smartphone Fare Cards Now Available for D.C. Metro

The future is now.

September 3, 2020 - DCist

Jersey City

Costs, Delays Ballon on Hudson River Tunnel Project

Developers are baling the latest delays and cost increases for the Hudson Tunnel Project on uncertainty surrounding federal environmental review.

September 2, 2020 - ENR New York

Sidewalk Parking

Parking on Sidewalks Could Be Prohibited Throughout the U.K.

The United Kingdom could preempt local laws that allow drivers to park cars on sidewalks. The policy would provide clearer paths for people with disabilities and people choosing active transportation modes.

September 2, 2020 - The Guardian

Transit Planning

East Link Light Rail Plans Provoke Controversy in Seattle Suburb

A proposal to link local and regional buses with the East Link light rail expansion in Mercer Island, already under construction, threatens to boil over into the courtroom.

September 1, 2020 - Mercer Island Reporter

Social Distancing

Gas Tax to Climb More Than 9 Cents a Gallon in New Jersey

A 2016 law that locked in a specific amount of gas tax revenue for project funding every year has required a boost in the tax rate in New Jersey as drivers leave their car at home during the pandemic.

September 1, 2020 - WPVI

Traffic

The Outdated Models That Continue to Guide Transportation Planning

Transportation demand models offer predictions that are used to make important decisions, but their accuracy is questionable. The real issue, however, might be about the goals of planning and how urban life and livability are quantified.

August 31, 2020 - Vice Magazine

Allston Interchange

Imagining Alternatives to an Enlarged I-90 Viaduct in Boston

Massachusetts Department of Transportation plans to heighten and widen the Allston section of I-90 viaduct do not align with the community's desire for an environmentally friendly and pedestrian- and cycling-oriented new solution.

August 31, 2020 - CommonWealth

Walking

Professional Planners Anticipate Post-Pandemic Active Commuting

Many planners say they want to try out active commutes when in-office work becomes possible. How will a fresh look at their local streets influence planning professionals and planning practice?

August 27, 2020 - Streetsblog USA

New York City Subway

Destroyed Subway Car Windows Contribute to MTA Budget Deficit

As the Metropolitan Transportation Authority grapples with a $16 billion deficit, smashed train windows are adding to the cost.

August 27, 2020 - The New York Times

New York City Pedestrians

How to Produce Equitable Pedestrian Plans

The majority of pedestrian master plans consider how to make equitable walking infrastructure. Less than half of plans implement strategies to address the fact that people of color are disproportionately represented in pedestrian fatalities.

August 27, 2020 - Streetsblog USA

Autonomous Vehicle

Book Review: 'Ghost Road' and Visions for Autonomous Transporation

Anthony M. Townsend's new book goes beyond autonomous automobiles to examine autonomous transportation in a larger context.

August 26, 2020 - Inside Higher Ed

New York Subway

MTA Spending Millions on Cleaning, but Disagreement Over the Need

Deep cleaning of the New York City subway and bus system is part of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s coronavirus response. But it is costly and time consuming, and the public health benefits are not entirely clear.

August 26, 2020 - Politico

Northern California Toll Lane

Tolling All Freeway Lanes in the Bay Area?

What's more surprising is seeing who is making the proposal and why. The first step would be to have the concept included in Plan Bay Area 2050.

August 26, 2020 - San Mateo Daily Journal

Rockaway Beach Bus

Racism Has Shaped Public Transit, and It’s Riddled with Inequities

Former Houston METRO Board Member Christof Spieler highlights the racism embedded even in the way transit agencies were created.

August 25, 2020 - Urban Edge

Railroad

First Steps for Virginia Eastern Shore Rail Trail Project

A 49-mile length of railway in rural Virginia is at the start of the process of becoming a rail trail.

August 25, 2020 - The Virginia Mercury

New York Street

Owning a Car in N.Y.C. More Appealing Than Ever Before

In the past, owning a car in New York City made little sense for most people. But the pandemic has many residents reconsidering their transportation options.

August 25, 2020 - 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.