Transportation

Smiling mother and child on busy public bus wearing Covid-19 protective masks

Making Transit More Family-Friendly

Public transit can often be inconvenient or unsafe for people with children in strollers and riders traveling for purposes other than commuting. Agencies are working on ways to fix that.

February 28, 2023 - Next City

View of empty concourse at Grand Central Madison train station in New York City

Grand Central Madison Trains Fully Operational

The station is the nation’s first new major rail terminal in over half a century.

February 28, 2023 - Mass Transit

Bus stop in downtown Los Angeles with billboard and no bench or shelter

Study: One-Quarter of L.A. County Bus Stops Equipped With Shelters

Bus riders in Los Angeles frequently lack protection from sun and extreme heat, with bus stops in some of the county’s hottest areas having the worst amenities.

February 27, 2023 - Smart Cities Dive

Resilience Matters: Collective Action For Healthier Communities

The Island Press Urban Resilience Project (URP) has published a new, free "Resilience Matters" e-book that contains fascinating articles, op-eds, and interviews that provide practical guidance for collective action to build a fairer, greener future.

February 27, 2023 - Resilience Matters: Collective Action for Healthier Communities

Rendering of California high-speed rail train viaduct with arches

How Consultants Drive Up Transit Construction Costs

A new report suggests that an overreliance on external consultants by U.S. transit agencies and other government entities is hollowing out the public sector and raising the costs of transit projects.

February 27, 2023 - Slate

Rural Traffic

Should We Continue to Ignore Induced Vehicle Travel Costs?

A recent Planetizen blog claims that urban highway expansions reduce traffic congestion and benefit everyone. That must be a joke! Most planners now recognize that such projects tend to be economically wasteful and contradict community goals.

February 26, 2023 - Todd Litman

An image of Washington D.C. with highways and the streaks from car head and tail lights in the foreground, and the Washington Monument in the background.

Federal Union: Remote Work Is Climate-Friendly

Federal workers are pushing back on a return to the office, citing the environmental benefits of eliminating daily commuting.

February 24, 2023 - The Washington Post

View of empty multi-lane freeway next to historic brick buildingin Richmond, Virginia

Virginia Receives Nearly $3 Million Reconnecting Communities Grant

Two Virginia cities were awarded federal funding aimed at improving connections between neighborhoods cut apart by freeway construction.

February 24, 2023 - WRIC

Gravel trail winds through grassy marshy field in Baylands Park, Palo Alto

Palo Alto E-Bike Ban Faces Local Backlash

Local cyclists are resisting a plan to prohibit e-bikes in all of the city’s open space preserves.

February 23, 2023 - Palo Alto Weekly

View of Ohio Statehouse with statue

Ohio Budget Could Fund Rural Roads, Ban Center Bike Lanes

Amendments proposed in the state budget would also prohibit automated traffic enforcement and allow residents to travel to Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean with Real IDs in lieu of passports.

February 23, 2023 - The Plain Dealer

Adult holding small child and holding hand of older child walking across crosswalk

Where Washington Students Lack Safe Walking Routes

In many rural and suburban Washington state communities, children who walk or bike to school don’t have access to safe, adequate pedestrian facilities.

February 22, 2023 - The Seattle Times

Dallas, Texas

Opinion: Hit the Brakes on Dallas Freeway Plan

A proposal to bury a Dallas freeway may not be the best way forward for the area’s residents.

February 22, 2023 - The Dallas Morning News

two riders wearing masks during the covid-19 pandemic exit a blue city bus in the Bronx in New York City.

All-Door Boarding Stuck in Neutral in New York City

MTA leadership has decided all-door boarding will lead to fare evasion and isn’t willing to adopt a program that was already well underway.

February 22, 2023 - StreetsBlog NYC

View of blurry speeding cars on freeway at sunset

Opinion: Induced Travel Demand Induces Media Attention

Induced demand is a popular concept among urbanists, but does its pervasiveness obscure the true costs of mobility?

February 22, 2023 - Steven Polzin

Silver DC Metro train in underground station with high arched ceiling

D.C. Red Line to Boost Weekday Service

Trains will arrive at shorter intervals during rush hours on the line’s busiest days.

February 22, 2023 - WTOP

Denver Union STation TOD

New Federal Grant Program Supports Transit-Oriented Housing

Local governments can apply for part of a $5 million program aimed at helping them identify appropriate sites, preserve affordable housing, and build more housing near transit.

February 21, 2023 - Route Fifty

Cars on highway in Colorado with snow-capped mountains in background

How Vehicle Ownership Impacts Roadway Design

New research assesses the potential implications of reduced car ownership on the design of roads and communities.

February 21, 2023 - The Washington Post

Washington, D.C. Bus Lane

D.C. Transit Recovery ‘Slow and Bumpy’

Transit service in the District has not yet recovered to pre-pandemic levels, with Black and low-income riders feeling the brunt of the impact.

February 20, 2023 - TransitCenter

View of Houston freeways and downtown skyline in the background against blue sky with white clouds

In Houston, Housing Loses Out to Freeways

TxDOT plans to demolish hundreds of apartments for its interstate widening project despite local calls to preserve the buildings as affordable housing.

February 17, 2023 - Streetsblog USA

Gray chemical cloud seen from a distance from train derailment in Palestine, Ohio

Friday Funny: ‘Deregulation Works’

A tongue-in-cheek piece from The Onion calls the disastrous train derailment in Ohio a “deregulation success story.”

February 17, 2023 - The Onion

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.