Congestion

Funding Expected for TxDOT Road Projects by 2018

The new transportation funding formula approved by voters in Texas will bring new funding to the Texas Department of Transportation.

January 21, 2016 - The Dallas Morning News

China Announces New Planning Policies to Improve Urban Life

National leaders in China have recognized urban challenges like pollution and public safety as threats to residents of the country's cities, and have released a policy statement to begin a new era of urban policies.

December 31, 2015 - China Daily

405 Traffic

The 50 Worst Traffic Bottlenecks in the United States

This list of the worst places for traffic congestion in the country might cause some rubbernecking of its own.

November 24, 2015 - The Washington Post

DC Pope Visit

How the Pope's Visit Reduced Traffic in Washington, D.C.

Pope Francis' much-publicized visit to the capital in late September saw reductions in congestion and better travel times. Event-specific telecommuting policies and transit route changes appear responsible for the minor miracle.

November 12, 2015 - The Washington Post

Fixing the Flood of Congestion at its Source

In pursuit of an honest conversation about congestion, Charles Marohn produces a comparison between roads and stormwater infrastructure.

October 20, 2015 - Strong Towns

Traffic Light

Good Congestion and Bad

The phrase "traffic congestion" can be misleading; some reductions in traffic speed are less harmful than others.

October 13, 2015 - Michael Lewyn

Congestion as an Economic—Not an Engineering—Problem

Thinking about congestion as an economic problem generates new solutions for the problem as well as a response to accusations of social engineering.

September 29, 2015 - Urban Kchoze

Debate: When Should California Switch to VMT to Measure Development Impacts?

In an effort to shift from car-centric planning and incentivize eco-friendly transportation options, California is revising the way it measures traffic impacts of development projects under its Environmental Quality Act.

September 21, 2015 - The Planning Report

Congestion versus mobility

Carbon-Saving Urban Development Makes Economic Sense

A new report stresses the importance of international cooperation on low-carbon development.

September 14, 2015 - The Guardian

Capital Bikeshare

Study: Capital Bikeshare Reduces Congestion

A new study finds evidence of a causal link between bikeshare and congestion in Washington, D.C.

August 26, 2015 - Resources for the Future

Bay Bridge Toll Traffic

When a Freeway Goes Bad

At some point, in places all over the country, freeways stopped working as they were intended. What can be done to improve one of the great frustrations of life with a car?

August 23, 2015 - Pacific Standard

Los Angeles Density

NIMBY Obstruction and the Density Paradox

An op-ed describes a paradox produced by the ongoing debates over density while also presenting potential solutions for overcoming the resulting impasse.

August 6, 2015 - Gerhard Mayer

The Congestion Impacts of Transportation Network Companies Are Still Unclear

There are two schools of though t when it comes to whether Uber and other companies like it are making traffic better or worse. A new study by new York City will endeavor to clear the air.

July 28, 2015 - FiveThirtyEight

New York Won't Cap Number of Uber Drivers

This story broke, moved toward City Council action, then broke again—all in a New York minute.

July 23, 2015 - New York Times

Mayor de Blasio Op-Ed Supports New Regulations for Uber

An op-ed by Mayor Bill de Blasio declares that the time has come to regulate transportation companies like Uber.

July 20, 2015 - New York Daily News

The Exorbitant External Costs Caused by the Trucking Industry

A new report from the Congressional Budget Office places the spotlight on the trucking industry in terms of the social, health ,and environmental costs it imposes on society but does not pay for, i.e., externalities.

June 8, 2015 - City Observatory City Commentary

Palo Alto Stalls on Controversial Measure to Cap Commercial Development

In some places, it might be hard to imagine even considering a cap on the development of commercial development. Palo Alto, home to Stanford University and a hot bed of California's tech industry, did just that in City Council earlier this week.

March 4, 2015 - Palo Alto Weekly

Austin Texas

How Austin Paved Paradise and Put up a Parking Lot

A local blogger takes umbrage with claims that Austin's density is causing its traffic problems. The obvious problem with that argument: Austin is 68% as dense now as it was in 1950.

February 18, 2015 - Car Free Austin

Private Cellphone Data and the Next Frontier of Urban Planning

A survey of the quickly broadening reach of data about the movement of traffic reveals the next step necessary to achieve congestion nirvana: unfettered access to private cell phone data.

January 28, 2015 - Next City

Traffic 'Crisis' in the Birthplace of Jesus

If Jesus and Mary came to Bethlehem in 2014, they'd be frustrated by high levels of congestion before finding a place to settle down for the night.

December 25, 2014 - AP via Yahoo News

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.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.