Transportation

Fancy New Subway Cars Join the New York Subway System
New York has been planning on adding these new subway cars for years, finally achieving their goal in March 2023. More than a thousand of the new R211 trains will be running in New York within two years if all goes according to plan.

The Perilous Future of Bay Area Transit
Bay Area Rapid Transit, a hugely successful system pre-pandemic, is now struggling to close a massive projected budget gap, with no certain solutions on the table.

A Serious Critique of Congestion Costs and Induced Vehicle Travel Impacts
Some highway advocates continue to claim that roadway expansions are justified to reduce traffic congestion. That's not what the research shows. It's time to stop obsessing over congestion and instead strive for efficient accessibility.

Amtrak To Study New York-to-Dallas Service
A proposal to extend the Crescent line would bring rail service through Mississippi and Louisiana to the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

How Houston’s Highways Impact Neighborhoods
A chapter in a new book highlights how highway construction forced changes and caused displacement in communities that included public housing developments.

Austin Debates Parking Reforms Near TOD Projects
City officials are deciding how to change parking requirements for transit-oriented developments that are meant to discourage private car ownership.

Driving Still Below Pre-Pandemic Levels in the U.S., Study Says
Congestion is increasing much faster than vehicle miles traveled, suggesting that the “new normal” of hybrid work and an influx of suburban residents is taking a toll on the nation's transportation system.

MARTA Scales Back Expansion Plans
Atlanta’s transit agency is slowing its plans to extend its bus and rail lines, prompting criticism from city officials.

Maryland Toll Road Project Loses Key Operator Amid Lawsuits, Shifting Political Landscape
The loss of toll operator Transurban could be a death knell for the controversial I-495/I-270 Managed Lanes Project in Maryland.

Transit Workforce Dashboard Promotes Employment in Public Transit
A new online tool aims to help transit agencies recruit and retain workers.

Friday Funny: Tired of Walkability? Try the ‘15-Hour City’
Worried that a 15-minute city will restrict your freedoms? Welcome to the alternative.

How Oversized SUVs Are Killing Us and the Environment
A video from Not Just Bikes describes the impacts of increasingly large vehicles on road safety, public health, and the environment.

With Travel Behavior Still in Flux, Transit Ridership Projections are Harder to Make
Transit agencies use complex models to predict future ridership, but these have not yet caught up with the still-changing post-pandemic travel needs of transit users.

Banning Right Turns on Red Can Improve Road Safety
Taking a second look at the widespread, but dangerous, practice.

MARTA Reveals Renderings for Bus Rapid Transit Stops
The agency released a set of plans showing proposed station infrastructure as it works to expand BRT to a larger area around Atlanta.

Calls to Stop Relying on Sharrows Grow Louder
The painted symbols can not only fail to protect bike riders, but can actually make riding conditions less safe.

Chicago Advances Smart Streets, Complete Streets Ordinances
Two proposed laws would enhance road safety for bicyclists and pedestrians and improve the city’s multimodal infrastructure.

Decatur Reveals Proposed Downtown Master Plan Updates
The city wants to boost economic development in its historic core, improve transit and connectivity, and encourage more housing near its MARTA rail station.

Study: L.A.’s Wealthier Residents ‘Export’ Air Pollution to Poorer Neighborhoods
Residents of Los Angeles who drive less are exposed to higher rates of air pollution due to policies that have encouraged commuting through low-income neighborhoods.

Oregon Could Let Schools Fund ‘Bike Buses,’ Transit
A proposed bill would pave the way for school districts to use their transportation budgets to support chaperones for biking or walking, public transit passes, or other modes.
Pagination
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