Transportation
Light Rail Extensions in the Works in Seattle
Seattle transit planners are working on a light rail extensions to West Seattle and Ballard, and trying to figure out which development alternatives are worth the cost.
D.C. Metro Wants Buy Lots of New Railcars
D.C. Metro recently announced its intentions to buy anywhere from 256 to 800 new 8000 series railcars to replace the oldest cars in the system.
Next Train ETA: Never
The Onion feels the pain of everyone who takes the train.
Transit-Area Tax Increment Financing Bill on Gov. Jerry Brown's Desk
Transit, affordable housing, TODs, active transportation and local governments should all come out ahead should Brown sign SB 961. The bill follows in the path of earlier legislation that created enhanced infrastructure finance districts.
Friday Eye Candy: All 1,000 Miles of Southern California's Historic Rail Network
An intrepid mapmaker has created a stunning map of the Pacific Electric Railway System, the old public transit system for L.A. and surrounding environs, once the largest trolley system in the world.
Colorado Voters to Decide How to Fund Roads on Election Day
Two transportation bonding initiatives will appear on the ballot on Nov. 6: A $3.5 billion measure would have debt repayments come from the general fund, while a $6 billion initiative would create a revenue stream by hiking sales taxes.
Ensuring the Benefits of Multiple Mobility as a Service Options
Vertically integrated mobility as a service options can offer great benefit to users, but unless cities create the right framework, it could stifle innovation and competition, as well as making the playing field too difficult for small companies.
Report: Transportation Emissions Sully California's Environmental Reputation
There's good and bad news from an annual assessment on the Golden State's economy and environment. Gross domestic product per capita increases as emissions per capita decrease, with the major exception of emissions from transportation.
Walkable Suburbia
It's not impossible to reshape the suburbs to be more walkable, but it does require careful planning and design.
Evaluating Departing Mayor Rahm Emanuel's Planning Record
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel made a surprise announcement this week that he would not seek a third term in office.
Seattle's Residents Pick Funding for Streets, Park Projects
The "Your Voice Your Choice" program of participatory funding is in its second year in Seattle.
Sacramento Will Lower Transit Fares
Sacramento Regional Traffic has seen a dip in its ridership, so they are making the uncommon move of cutting fares.
Weekly Electric Scooter Media Brief: Aug. 29 – Sept. 4
The second installment "Weekly Electric Scooter Media Brief" presents a veritable cornucopia of breaking news, opinions, and insights into the wild west of electric scooter regulation.
Ontario Could Take Control of Toronto's TTC Subway
The Ford administration is moving forward with a scheme to "upload" control of Toronto's TTC subway to provincial control.
Opinion: Bike Lane Funding in Dallas on the Line
As the Dallas City Council prepares to vote this month on a general fund budget, the future of bike lanes is not looking good.
More Rights, Fewer Responsibilities, for Electric Scooter Riders in California
A bill that would toss the helmet requirement for adult e- scooter riders and allow them to ride on roads where the speed limit is 35 mph, up from the current limit of 25 mph, is on Governor Jerry Brown's desk. He has until Sept. 30 to decide.
Another Reason Motorists Should Support Road Tolling
Two things motorists detest: tolls and congestion. Tolls, if effectively applied, lessen congestion, but at a high cost to drivers. However, steep tolls also provide a political incentive to "fix the bottlenecks," as shown by the 66 Express Lanes.
Bus Lanes: the City Pays, Should Tech Companies Benefit?
Bus lanes built and policed by the city of San Francisco will be open to private transit buses. Sue Vaughan argues that's a mistake.
Editorial: Why Elon Musk’s Tunnel to Dodger Stadium Is a Very Bad Idea
A closer look at a plan for Los Angeles linking Dodger Stadium to the subway points to the proposal’s many flaws.
Study Details the Traffic Safety Benefits of Public Transit
A new study concludes that not only is transit a safer way to travel, but communities oriented around transit are also safer. As a result, planning approaches that encourage transit also increase traffic safety.
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.
EMC Planning Group, Inc.
Planetizen
Planetizen
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
