Georgia
Obama to Open Controversial Atlantic Region to Offshore Drilling
A mere day after the Interior Department announced it would permanently block drilling in much of the Arctic Refuge by designating it as wilderness, it proposed allowing drilling in the Gulf, along Atlantic coast, and surprisingly, offshore Alaska.
Op-Ed: Transportation Funding is Only One Part of a Fair Budget
A guest column on the Saporta Report offers a reminder of the many critical public needs that compete with transportation funding for state dollars.
Poll: Voters Remain Opposed To Raising State Gas Taxes
Notwithstanding plummeting gas prices, Keith Laing of The Hill reports on poll results that reveal an uphill battle for political leaders in Utah, Georgia, and New Jersey, who are advocating gas tax increases to fund roads, bridges, and transit.
Riding New Atlanta's Streetcar for a Week: a Commuter's Diary
The debate about the effectiveness of streetcars as an alternative form of transportation (rather than just a driver of property values) isn't going anywhere. The latest test case for the ongoing experiment: Atlanta.
A Small Town Supports Citywide 25-mph Speed Limit
One town in Georgia recently conducted a public opinion poll finding that most of its 19,000-plus citizens support reduced speed limits on all city streets.

Atlanta Streetcar Finally Opens
It's 'back to the future' for Atlanta's $98 million investment that opened Dec. 30, although these will be modern, not vintage, streetcars that operate on a small loop. Streetcars last operated here in 1949. Mayor Reed intends to lengthen the route.

RFQ Released for Atlanta's Planned 'Airport City'
The city of Atlanta is moving forward with a plan to upgrade the world's busiest airport to "Airport City" status.
The Georgia Transportation Funding Debate
Georgia's experience emerging from the recession as revenues increase after years of government belt tightening is common around the country. The question now: How to finance the improvements to the state's neglected transportation infrastructure?
Revealed: $400 Million Mixed-Use Development Adjacent to Cobb County Baseball Stadium
The Atlanta Braves Major league Baseball team made a splash last year by deciding to decamp to suburban Cobb County for a new ballpark. Still to be determined: Can the new ballpark spur development and integrate into the community?
The End of the Era of Cheap Water
In many places around the country, the price of water is increasing, quickly. While the reasons for the increase vary depending on the location, common to the issue is the ability of planning to either help or hinder the problem.
Walk Along with an Atlanta Road Safety Audit
Metropolitan Atlanta accounts for half of the pedestrian fatalities in Georgia. One pedestrian advocacy group is doing the legwork to begin the process of improving the city's pedestrian infrastructure.
Collisions Trouble Atlanta Streetcar Testing
Some would argue that introducing streetcars to auto-oriented streets is a recipe for collisions. Drivers in Atlanta are already having trouble mixing with streetcars, before the system even launches.
Report Details Best Practices for Land Banks
A recent report collects data from the experience of cities using land banks as a method for addressing vacant and blighted properties.
Switching to Transit in Atlanta—Affordable but Unlikely
Darin from ATL Urbanist picks up on a recent report by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) finding that residents of Atlanta can save big money by ditching their cars and riding transit.

The Biggest Transportation Winner on the Nov. 4 Ballot
The ballot measure generating the most new transportation funds approved by voters this month was in Alameda County, Calif. Voters chose to double an existing sales tax to one percent and extend it to 2045, raising $7.8 billion over 30 years.
MARTA Crowdfunds Bike Repair Facilities Near Stations
The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) turned to crowdfunding for a small project that could have big returns in luring bikers to go multi-modal on public transit.
MARTA to Expand into Suburban Clayton County
After a ballot measure approved the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority's (MARTA) expansion into a suburban county outside of Atlanta, the transit agency could set precedent on how to effectively adapt to sprawling suburbs.
Making the Case for Biking in Atlanta
The take of a large culture publication like Atlanta magazine can be helpful in assessing the traction of a movement—in this case, biking in the city of Atlanta.

How Cities are Overcoming Federal Roadblocks for Transportation Improvements
Tanya Snyder provides a thorough survey of the talking points of five U.S. mayors from a recent Washington Post forum on transportation.
The Business of Speeding Tickets
Small towns in Georgia, such as Doraville along I-285, are making millions of dollars a year by issuing traffic tickets.
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