Jacksonville's transportation authority has proposed a flashy public transportation service designed around autonomous busses. The proposal does little to improve the public transit system of a growing, Sunbelt city.
The Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) embarked on a mission to finally upgrade downtown's oft-maligned and long-suffering Skyway monorail system. JTA proposes the Ultimate Urban Circulator, or "U2C" to replace the Skyway's monorail train with autonomous vehicles—essentially small, driverless busses—that would travel the ramps and also run on city streets to provide access to adjacent neighborhoods. Local transit advocates are beginning to believe that the U2C is simply an elaborate PR stunt designed to make JTA look more "innovative" and "forward-thinking" than it really is.
FULL STORY: It's Time For Some Real Talk On JTA's Skyway Plans
Jacksonville To Replace Monorail With Autonomous Shuttles
The city’s aging monorail system will be repurposed as part of an expanded 10-mile shuttle system.
Keep Calm. Carry On. AVs Are Just the End of Parking.
Opinion: As autonomous vehicles continue to appear on roads around the world, planners and engineers must be proactive in devising new and creative uses for soon-to-be-obsolete urban parking.
Still No Flying Cars: The Underwhelming Progress of Autonomous Vehicles
While we're still far from a Jetsons-style reality, understated autonomous features could be the key to safer transportation.
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