Transportation

D.C. Promises No More ‘Ghost Buses’
The agency says a new software update will remove out-of-service buses from maps so riders aren’t ‘ghosted’ by buses that never show up.

Federal Infrastructure Bill Accelerates Nebraska’s Plans for 600-Mile Expressway
Nebraska is in the process of criss-crossing the state with a new expressway system. According to state transportation officials, the final push to complete the multi-decade project will be aided by Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funding.

Planning Year in Review 2022: Downtowns, Transportation, Climate Change
Part two of a review of the major themes, debates, and events of the year in planning that was 2022.

Florida to Provide Toll Relief for Frequent Commuters
It will be cheaper to drive around Florida, starting January 1.

Can New York Legislators Make Buses Free While Improving Service?
A pair of state legislators hope to make buses free while improving service levels on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (MTA) bus system in New York City. The effort will require a new level of political will for transit.

Denver’s C and F Light Rail Routes Closed Permanently
The Regional Transportation District in Denver suspended two light rail lines at the onset of Covid-19 in March 2020. The routes have now been permanently discontinued.

New Jersey Transit Will Ban Riders Who Assault Workers
As part of a bill passed to protect transit operators from violence and abuse, NJ Transit is creating a policy for banning violent passengers, permanently in some cases.

California’s Year in Bike Policy
Bike and pedestrian advocates saw some big legislative and political wins in 2022.

What Will Highway Removal Funding Actually Fund?
The federal Reconnecting Communities program is aimed at supporting highway removal and reversing the damage caused by rampant freeway construction, but some watered down proposals from state agencies could fund road expansion instead.

Mapping Climate Impact at the Neighborhood Level
A consumption-based analysis illustrates the differences in average household emissions across census tracts.

Making Traffic Camera Programs Work
Although controversial in the United States, when deployed thoughtfully, automated enforcement can save lives and make roads safer for all users.

New York DOT To Fail Bus Lane Goals
The department expects to miss its bus lane construction target for at least 2022 and 2023, blaming staff and budget shortages for the shortfall.

Update: Chicago Red Line Extension TIF Approved
The long-anticipated project that will bring the Chicago Transit Authority rail system into transit deserts on the Southside of Chicago is making substantial progress.

Parking Reform for Affordable Housing Production
The Regional Plan Association published “Parking Policy Is Housing Policy: How Reducing Parking Requirements Stimulates Affordable Housing Production.”

Free Transit, But at What Cost?
Opinion: The movement toward fare-free transit might have more to do with optics and politics than planning.

Active and Micro Mobility Modes Can Provide Cost-Effective Emission Reductions–If We Let Them
What role can active and micro modes (walking, bicycling, e-bikes and their variants) play in reducing emissions? Far more than most current emission reduction plans will achieve. We can do better!

Minneapolis Leans Into Bus Rapid Transit
The city wants to become North America’s ‘bus rapid transit capital.’

Helicopter Noise Complaints Surge in New York
Residents argue the city and state must do more to regulate the hundreds of flights that criss-cross the area on a daily basis.

Chicago Makes ‘Pop-Up’ Bus Lanes Permanent
Even with the addition of 3.5 miles of permanent bus-only lanes, Chicago trails other cities in miles of dedicated bus lanes.

Baltimore’s Red Line Rail Project Back on the Table Thanks to New Governor
One of the most infamously anti-transit decisions of the past decade—Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan’s decision to cancel the Baltimore Red Line system expansion—could be reversed by the incoming governor.
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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