Transportation

The Environmental Impact of New Cars

The new "Eco-Drive Index" offers a mode of comparing the average monthly environmental impact by an individual U.S. driver who has purchased a new vehicle that month.

July 5, 2011 - TheCityFix.com

Cash for Transit Independence

The DOT awarded a billion and a half in grants to transit projects on the Fourth of July. Eric Jaffe has the lowdown on projects from Connecticut to Colorado.

July 5, 2011 - The Infrastructurist

70's-Era Personal Rapid Transit System Still Operating in West Virginia

The only true PRT in the United States, the system serves 15,000 students of West Virginia University each day when school is in session. Some even credit the school's growth to the effectiveness of the PRT.

July 5, 2011 - Governing Magazine

Obama's Mileage-High Ambition

The Obama administration is proposing new mileage and emissions standards for U.S. vehicles. By 2025, American automakers will have to manufacture cars that achieve 56.2 miles per gallon (mpg).

July 4, 2011 - The New York Times

More U.S. Cities Launching Bike Sharing Programs

More American cities are following successful European cities' leads and launching their own bike sharing systems.

July 3, 2011 - McClatchy

Injured Cyclists Team Up to Fund Fix for Heavy Accident Area

An accident-prone section of bike path in Seattle has prompted dozens of lawsuits and resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars in payments to injured cyclists. Now the cyclists themselves are trying to fix the infrastructural problem.

July 2, 2011 - The Seattle Times

Detroit Finalizes Light Rail Route

The City of Detroit has finalized the route of a planned light rail line traveling down one the of the city's main corridors and linking to downtown.

July 1, 2011 - The Detroit News

Bike Projects Putting Americans Back to Work

Based on cost estimates data of 58 projects from 11 cities across the U.S., research shows that bicycle infrastructure creates more jobs per dollar spent than projects that focus exclusively on road infrastructure.

July 1, 2011 - Smart Growth America

From LaHood with Love

In a DOT press release this week, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood makes a $1.58 billion commitment to fund the New Starts program.

July 1, 2011 - U.S. Department Of Transportation

Marketing 101: How to Brand Public Transit

Campaigning blindly to encourage people to relinquish cars and take public transit is not enough. Policymakers need to develop business school marketing strategies to brand their campaigns, experts say.

June 30, 2011 - THE DIRT

Sao Paulo Plans Monorail

Sao Paulo, Brazil has awarded a contract to build a new monorail system connecting the airport to the city's transit system.

June 30, 2011 - Smart Planet

Interstate for Bicycles Edging Closer to Reality

Long-stalled plans to build a countrywide network of interstate routes for bicycles appears to be moving forward.

June 30, 2011 - Sustainable Business Oregon

Controversial Commuter Rail's Surprising Backer

He's the most powerful congressman on transportation issues: none other than Florida's John Mica, chair of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Mica is backing the 61-mile, $1.2 billion Orlando Sunrail Line.

June 29, 2011 - The New York Times - Politics

Tolls Could Be Key to Rebuilding Highway System

With the cost of maintaining highways growing exponentially, Peter Samuel of TollRoadsNews comments on the real possibilities for using tolls to fund highway projects.

June 29, 2011 - TOLLROADSnews

China's Experiments with Financing and Building Transit

The Economist is fascinated by China's experiments in public-private financing in which the government gives land to private transit developers in exchange for greater mobility.

June 29, 2011 - The Economist

Stockholm's Transportation Remodel

In Stockholm, Sweden, planners are moving ahead with a broad central city redevelopment plan that seeks to continue the city's trend of reducing car traffic and congestion, and making it easier for bikers, walkers and transit takers to get around.

June 28, 2011 - Citiwire

High Speed Rail Planned Between Malaysia and Singapore

Officials in Malaysia and Singapore have high hopes for the high speed rail link planned between the two countries.

June 28, 2011 - The Star

European Transportation Policy: Make Life Difficult For Motorists

It's the opposite of conventional transportation policy in American cities that places motorist convenience in high priority (think 'level of service'). This story shows what European cities are doing to get motorists out of cars.

June 27, 2011 - The New York Times - Environment

New Research: Do Americans Really Oppose Increasing The Gas Tax?

Politicians say it all the time - "Americans will never stand for a gas tax increase", but how do they know? A survey of 1,500 adults under the direction of Mineta Transportation Institute found otherwise. A VMT fee and sales tax was also surveyed.

June 27, 2011 - Mineta Transportation Institute

Two-Year Transportation Reauthorization Bill To Be Introduced In July

The Senate Environment & Public Works Committee is set to introduce a $97 billion, two-year transportation bill after the July 4 recess that will have a deficit of $12 billion. The House is said to be working on a six-year bill.

June 27, 2011 - The Journal of Commerce Online

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.