The moment some advocates have been waiting for is inching closer—the Oregon Department of Transportation is acting on the enabling legislation of Senate Bill 880 to set a volunteer mileage fee system.
Joseph Rose reports that the Oregon Department of Transportation is looking for 5,000 volunteers to run a public trial of the state's expected, first-in-the-nation mileage tax. The state calls the program that "Road Usage Charge Charge" program.
Rose goes on to detail the trial, including the start date (July 1, 2015), the mileage charge (1.5 cents a mile), and the case for a fee system based on vehicle miles traveled rather than the state's 30-cents-per-gallon gas tax.
FULL STORY: Oregon mileage tax: ODOT wants 5,000 volunteer drivers; 7 things to know about program
North Carolina to Consider Vehicle Miles Travelled Fee
Bruce Siceloff reports that a North Carolina state Board of Transportation committee will receive a recommendation that the state consider a vehicle miles tax.
Michigan Considers Mileage-Based Road Usage Fee Pilot Program
Exploring alternative road funding options is a priority for Michigan legislators to make up the state’s road funding gap.
Road Pricing: Highway Tolling Suffers Huge Setback
One of the nation's most prominent projects that would have tolled all lanes on two urban interstate highways may have come to an abrupt end on March 11 after Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek pulled her support for the controversial Portland area projects.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.
Why Should We Subsidize Public Transportation?
Many public transit agencies face financial stress due to rising costs, declining fare revenue, and declining subsidies. Transit advocates must provide a strong business case for increasing public transit funding.
Paris Bike Boom Leads to Steep Drop in Air Pollution
The French city’s air quality has improved dramatically in the past 20 years, coinciding with a growth in cycling.
Why Housing Costs More to Build in California Than in Texas
Hard costs like labor and materials combined with ‘soft’ costs such as permitting make building in the San Francisco Bay Area almost three times as costly as in Texas cities.
San Diego County Sees a Rise in Urban Coyotes
San Diego County experiences a rise in urban coyotes, as sightings become prevalent throughout its urban neighbourhoods and surrounding areas.
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.
Smith Gee Studio
Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization
City of Santa Clarita
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service