Access

The Right to Mobility
As we consider how to decarbonize transportation, preserving mobility, especially for lower- and middle-income people, must be a priority.

New York City Subway Pledges To Increase Accessibility
After two lawsuits, the New York subway system has announced a 33-year timeline for making 95 percent of its stations fully accessible.

How the Pandemic Is Reshaping Cities
The social and economic upheaval of the last two years accelerated a shift in thinking about how we use public space and organize the urban realm.

Opinion: To Increase Equity, Make Buses Free
With buses as a dominant transport mode for low-income households and "essential workers," free fares would increase access to economic opportunities and free up limited income for cash-strapped commuters.

An International Comparison of Transportation Modes
Access (the ease of reaching desired destinations) is a key factor in transport, sustainability, and urban planning. This new study applies multimodal accessibility analysis to 4 modes in 117 cities in 6 countries, illustrated graphically.

Transport Access Manual: A Guide for Measuring Connection between People and Places
This new Manual is a guide for evaluating peoples' ability to access services and activities, and therefore the performance of transportation and land use configurations.

$5.5 Billion Plan for More Elevators in the N.Y.C. Subway
The city’s subway system is lagging in station accessibility, but the MTA has a plan to add elevators to 70 stations.

L.A. Metro Report Examines How Women Travel
Findings from a new study about the mobility needs and concerns of women in Los Angeles will inform future initiatives and planning.

Richmond Bus Redesign Faces Equity Complaints
Residents charge the Greater Richmond Transit Company (GRTC) with making service worse for low income residents.

A Comprehensive Survey of the Scope and Effects of Land Use Policy in California
A survey of land use policies in cities and counties of California is designed to inform a more complete understanding of the housing market, sustainability, and economic mobility in the state.

Growing Madison Seeks BRT
Besides addressing mobility needs, activists hope a new transit option will make more of the city accessible for the disabled.

A Plan for More Low-Cost Lodging on the California Coast
The promise of the California Coastal Act—to maintain public access to the Pacific Coast—is challenged by the extreme costs of coastal property. A new plan aims to put vacations and overnight stays on the coast in reach for more Californians.

How Texas Could Create Equity for the Disabled
Twenty-eight years after the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Texas has plenty of work to do if it's going to provide opportunity to Americans struggling with disabilities.
Houston Metro's Beacons Serve Visually-Impaired Population
A system of beacons will send signals to cell phones in Houston to help bus riders find stops and navigate public transit safely.

E-Scooters and Dockless Bikeshare Could Deliver Transit Access to the Underserved
Instead of focusing on the potential of new forms of for-hire personal transportation to level the mobility playing field, every article about scooters and dockless bikeshare seems to go something like this: "Deadly Scooter Craze Scoots On."

House Bill 'Guts' ADA Enforcement for Public Places
Designed to thwart predatory lawsuits, the bill could make it easier for businesses to ignore barriers to access, disability rights advocates say.

Op-Ed: L Train Closure Offers 'Once-in-a-Generation' Opportunity to Improve ADA Compliance
The New York subway might lead the nation in terms of reach and ridership, but it still lags behind other rail systems in the country on one critical point: access to people with special needs.

Mapping the World's Proximity to Urban Areas
When it's said that most people live in cities, a significant portion of that number are people living in suburbs near cities. A new map shows just how far everyone travels to get to a big city.

House Bill Would Add Red Tape to Americans With Disabilities Act Protections
An underreported bill in the current congressional session would create a waiting period for Americans with Disabilities Act claims.
Court Decision Forces Seattle to Improve Sidewalk Infrastructure
The city of Seattle has finally been compelled to maintain pedestrian infrastructure in keeping with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
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.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research