Light Rail

Heavy Rail to Link Denver and Airport

Work has begun on a long-sought rail line linking downtown Denver to the city's international airport.

August 31, 2010 - USA Today

Detroit Light Rail Questioned

An environmental impact study will be launched to look at a possible 9.3-mile light rail line in Detroit. Time's blog questions whether it's really such a smart move to build the line.

August 6, 2010 - Time

Preserving Business During Construction Clutter

New transit facilities attract lots of foot traffic, but while the facility is being built the construction clutter drives potential customers away. A new program in Minneapolis attempts to preserve local businesses through the debris.

August 5, 2010 - Next American City

Crazy Bus Concept from China

With mounting traffic and road space at a premium, a Chinese company is proposing a unusual new idea for public transportation -- a bus/light rail system that cars can drive underneath.

August 3, 2010 - Geek.com

TOD Boom in L.A.

Light rail is expanding to Los Angeles' Westside, and with it is coming a wave of transit-oriented developments.

July 11, 2010 - The New York Times

The Keys To Charlotte's Successful Light Rail

Many things came together for light rail to come to Charlotte, starting in 1996. Key was perseverance by a conservative mayor, a volunteer group that started a historic trolley, voters who supported a sales tax, and experienced transit professionals

July 8, 2010 - Grist: Cities of the Future

Baseball Team's Move Could Spark Light Rail

A proposed move of the Tampa Bay Rays professional baseball team has officials in the region scrambling to make plans for a new rail line to accommodate the team's future home.

July 7, 2010 - St. Petersburg Times

Charlotte's Light Rail Extension Faces Decade of Delay

Plans to expand Charlotte's CATS light rail system to a nearby university could be delayed by a decade or more.

May 27, 2010 - The Charlotte Observer

Funding Delays Add Slightly to Toronto's Light Rail Timeline

Despite uncertainties about funding and objections from the city's mayor, Toronto's light rail plans are moving ahead, according to transit officials.

May 20, 2010 - Global Toronto

Light Rail and High-Speed Rail Conflated and Confused

In Tampa, voters can't seem to untangle an upcoming one-cent sales tax to fund light rail with the Obama administration's recent $1.25 billion award for high-speed rail, though the funding is completely separate.

April 27, 2010 - The St. Petersburg Times

'Desprawling' the Suburbs

Tysons Corner, Virginia, represents an unlikely pilot project for "desprawling" America's suburbs, but the expansion of Metro rail through the town has been seized by local officials as an opportunity to revamp the city's urban form and density.

April 22, 2010 - Good

Transit Officials Broaden Vision for Phoenix Light Rail

Changing demographics and transit demands in the Phoenix area are causing transit planners to rethink where the region's light rail system should expand.

April 20, 2010 - The Arizona Republic

Denver Area Considers Sales Tax Boost for Light Rail

Denver's transit agency is considering a plan to ask voters to make a further increase to the county's sales tax in order to fund the region's FasTracks light rail system.

April 13, 2010 - The Denver Post

DOT Rethinks Selection Process for Funding

When Charlotte's new light rail line opened, it vastly exceeded anticipated ridership figures. As the city plans an extension of the system, the federal government is revising how it distributes funding to avoid making the same mistake again.

April 8, 2010 - The New York Times

Mass Transit Wins Big in St. Louis County

A half-cent sales tax increase to fund transit passed handily yesterday in St. Louis County, Missouri.

April 7, 2010 - St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Feds Put Faith in L.A. Transit Plan

Federal officials are looking at an unlikely city as a model for urban public transit: Los Angeles.

March 29, 2010 - Los Angeles Times

Overdue Debut of Austin Light Rail Line

Austin's Capital MetroRail Red Line opens today after two years of delay and budget overruns. Intended as a showcase line, Yonah Freemark claims the line will see very few riders.

March 22, 2010 - the transport politic

Waterfront Rail Plans Advance in Philadelphia

Plans to construct a waterfront rail line in Philadelphia are moving forward, with the recent approval of a $6.5 million contract to perform environmental reviews.

March 19, 2010 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

Rail Plans Move Forward in Philadelphia

Plans to create a waterfront rail line in Philadelphia are moving forward, as the city approves funding for environmental studies and early design work.

February 19, 2010 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

Reinventing Mobility in Detroit

PBS documents Detroit's attempts to overcome its history as "the Motor City" to create new ways of getting people around. Transit advocates play a big part in this preview, which includes renderings of projected transit options.

February 10, 2010 - PBS

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.

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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.

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