Transportation
Honolulu Eyes Light Rail As Savior of Local Economy
With plans for a $4 billion light rail system, the city of Honolulu is hoping to boost its economy and create more jobs by contracting a number of smaller firms to do the project's work instead of one big firm.
Bicycling in U.S. is Risky Business
The US has never encouraged cycling as a practical mode of travel, and as a result, biking to work is a rare and hazardous activity, with four times the fatality rate of some European countries. A Rutgers University study shows how that can change.
Oklahoma's Car Culture Forced to Adapt
Oklahoma City residents used to 70-mile commutes are turning to carpooling as gas hovers at $4 a gallon. But with the largest land area of any U.S. city, providing public transit remains a major challenge.
Zurich, Geneva and Vienna: Best Quality of Life?
Central European cities lead the world in this assessment of 'quality of living.' The survey is oriented towards companies who could locate workers in those countries and need to calculate 'hardship allowances.'
A Billion Dollars in Injuries Makes Transit Pricey
Riders of the New York MTA hit the transit agency with $1.2 billion in injury and damaged property claims, seriously impacting the affordability of transit.
Golf Carts on Main Street
Soaring fuel costs are seeing more people turning to non-conforming vehicles, such as golf carts. But studies show that they are a risky mode of transportation.
The Sudden Death Of The SUV
Gas-guzzling SUVs no longer rule the U.S. auto market.
Rural U.S. Hit Hardest By Gas Prices
Gas prices have just surpassed the $4 mark, but the impact is far from uniform throughout the nation- poor, rural counties, particularly in the south and west, suffer disproportionately.
New Yorkers Can Now Find the Best Bike Routes Online
A new web site that generates directions for cyclists could supplant the New York City Bike Map.
Ad Hoc Ferry System Keeps Businesses Afloat
After MNDOT closed the Highway 43 bridge connecting Winona, MN to western Wisconsin, locals worried about the economic fallout from an extended closure. Within a week, a ferry and bus system was put in place.
Federal Funding At Risk If KC Alters Plans
Streetcars and rail in place of bus rapid transit said to jeopardize federal funding.
Propane: Cheaper and Cleaner Than Gasoline?
The California Air Resources board is expected to approve a new propane-fueled engine this week, opening the door for an alternative fuel source for cars and trucks. Supporters say its also convenient because distribution channels already exist.
Boise Hopes to Bring Back Trolley
Boise is hoping to follow on the coattails of Little Rock in bringing back a long de-commissioned trolley system to the city's downtown.
Obsessive Behavior Saves Gas
NPR reports on 'hypermilers', drivers who practice active gas-saving techniques like braking lightly and combining trips. One hypermiler says he isn't doing it to be green: 'The environment I'm concerned with is my wallet.'
A Bicycle Strategy for Canada?
Toronto environmental lawyer Albert Koehl believes that Canada's Conservative government should embark on a national bicycle strategy.
Now That People Are Using Transit, Improve It
Driving is down, transit ridership is up, but few are serisouly talking about how to improve America's transit system, according to this article from Grist, which wonders why.
First Toll on a Surface Road Under Consideration
A suburb of Dallas ponders charging a toll on a surface road, perhaps the first such plan for a surface road in the United States.
Drivers Cling to Their SUVs
Even as SUV sales have dropped 33% this year, some drivers hang on to their gas-guzzlers. "You've got to have that room when you're moving around," says a Georgia man. The cost of switching is another major factor for families.
Transportation Weaknesses Hurting Chicago's Olympic Bid
Chicago has come in second-to-last place in the selection of finalists seeking to host the 2016 Olympics. The city's bid was criticized for not having a strong transportation plan.
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
