Commuting
More Companies Moving Back to the City
The suburbanization of business headquarters may be coming to an end.
From Bedroom Communities to Jet Engine Communities
More and more people working in the San Francisco Bay Area are opting for cheaper housing outside the region. Some are going way outside the region, commuting by airplane from Portland or Seattle.
Extreme Commuting Still Commonplace
There are more extreme commuters (a minimum of 1.5 hrs round trip) than ever, with a 95% increase since 1990, says Michael Graham Richard at Treehugger.
'Drive 'til You Qualify' Foreclosures on the Rise
Long commute + High Fuel Costs = Home Losses in Exurbs.
American Commutes, in Font Form
Graphic designer Martha Kang McGill took commuting data from several American cities and made an easy-to-compare representation of the information using no more than a font and some colors.
Are Passenger-Miles a Valid Measure of Anything?
Every so often, one sees an article arguing that one mode of transportation is cheaper, more efficient, or less dangerous than another because it uses less energy/kills more people/costs more per passenger-mile. (1) It seems to me, however, that per passenger-mile comparisions are flawed in one key respect: they assume that trips on any mode of transportation will involve the same mileage, so that if the average driver lives 20 miles from work, the average bus rider will also live 20 miles from work.
The Longest and Most Frustrating Commutes
This chart from The Economist lists how frustrated international workers are with the commute times in their countries. The U.S. ranks surprisingly low.
Alternative Fuels Won't Change the Expense of Driving
One of the conclusions of a new study in the San Francisco Bay Area is that switching to electric and alternative fuel cars won't reduce the burden on households because ownership is the most significant expense. Thus, density is the only way out.
Transit Use is Growing, But Not Where You Think
Transit saw some big ridership increases over the past few years, but maybe not where you'd expect. Data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows the top ten metropolitan areas where transit use has increased the most.
Cities With the Shortest Commutes
U.S. News and World Report selects "15 Cities for People Who Hate Driving and Long Commutes," choosing the cities with shorter than average commuting times and high percentages of non-auto commuters.
Drive A Hot Rod, Save The Planet
How can a Porsche be better for the environment than a Prius? If you use transit to commute, and only take the hot rod out on the weekends. Slate writer Joe Eaton sold his Volvo for a combination of transit and fun.
Discounts for Off-Peak Riders?
NY MTA Head Jay Walder is considering lowering fares for off-peak hours riders in order to encourage people to change their habits.
Residents of Landmark TOD Still Driving
While more residents walk or bike for nonwork trips, Orenco Station residents are still driving to work at a rate comparable to other area suburbs.
More Solo Drivers in the South, Northeast
Richard Florida takes a look at a recent report showing connecting solo commuters with location and comes up with an interesting demographic breakdown.
Quality vs. Time in Transportation
Alex Marshall points out the fallacy of creating transportation policy based solely on figures like miles traveled per hour, average commuting times, and cost per passenger. Quality of the time spent commuting is rarely taken into account.
L.A. is Number One in Traffic Delays, Says Study
As part of a larger series, NY Times guest blogger Eric A Morris talks about traffic in LA, and how the city's structure affects ease of transportation.
The 10 Best Commutes
Density gives cities an edge, according to this study of commutes around the world. Hong Kong, Osaka, and Berlin all rank highly.
Bailout Gives Tax Break to Bicycle Commuters
The $700 billion bailout bill includes federal tax benefits for people who commute by bike.
Extreme Commuting: A 23-Mile Run
Gas prices are driving a select few die-hards to trade in their cars for running shoes.
Baseball Stars Commute By Bike
At last count, the Baltimore Orioles clubhouse includes six regular bike commuters including up-and-coming pitcher Jeremy Guthrie.
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
