Rail Transit

China High Speed Rail

Rail Opening Spree in China

New rail lines are operational in seven cities in China.

October 4, 2019 - International Railway Journal

Rock Island Line

Another New Commuter Rail Station for Chicago's South Side Transit Deserts

A South Side Chicago neighborhood with a history of neglect and disinvestment will soon be adding a new train station on the regional commuter system.

October 2, 2019 - Chicago Tribune

Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center

Proposal Would Shift CA High-Seed Rail Funding to Southern California

A new proposal for building high-speed rail in California would refocus funding to the urban ends of the complete, state route, by funding rail improvements first in Southern California.

August 5, 2019 - Los Angeles Times

Hamburg, Germany

German Greens Want Domestic Air Travel to Be Obsolete by 2035

Alliance 90/The Greens, a political party in Germany, wants the country's domestic travel to shift completely to rail. Achieving that goal will require making air travel more expensive and rail travel cheaper and easier.

July 29, 2019 - Euractiv

Westside Los Angeles

New Price Tag for L.A's Biggest Rail Dream: $13 Billion

The Sepulveda Transit Corridor could offer tens of thousands of Los Angeles commuters an alternative to the infamously congested I-405 freeway, if local officials can find the funding.

July 24, 2019 - Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority

Feds Release Capital Investment Grants for Three Rail Transit Projects

Three major public transit projects in the western United States received a major infusion of funding from the federal government this week.

July 12, 2019 - Progressive Railroading

President of the United States

Trump Pulls $1 Billion from California High Speed Rail Project

The California High Speed Rail Project is a political pawn in a contentious back and forth between the Golden State and the Trump administration.

May 17, 2019 - San Francisco Chronicle

Amtrak

Amtrak Connection Between Indianapolis and Chicago Cut by State Budget

The state of Indiana didn't have $3 million to spare to keep the Hoosier State Amtrak passenger rail line operational.

May 1, 2019 - Chicago Tribune

Denver Union Station

G-Line Commuter Rail Opens Today, Connecting Denver to Suburbs

A new commuter line is open today in Denver, after facing challenges and delays that continue to plague other previously opened rail lines in the region.

April 26, 2019 - The Denver Post

Chicago Commuter Rail

New Policy Would Likely Close Commuter Rail Stations on the South Side of Chicago

A new station evaluation policy, expected for adoption by the Metra Board of Directors in May, would make it easier to shut down "underperforming" stations.

April 19, 2019 - Streetsblog Chicago

Washington DC Metro

Density Increases Near Transit Station in D.C. But Ridership Does Not

D.C.'s ridership is down even as density around stations is up. More residents are choosing to drive or bike.

March 19, 2019 - The Washington Post

TTC Subway

Plan to Speed Up Relief Line Construction Pitched in Toronto

Toronto Mayor John Tory is intervening in transit plans with a call to speed up spending and the construction timeline for the relief line, designed to relieve crowding on the city's subway system in the urban core.

January 19, 2019 - The Star

Delayed Opening for TEXRail Blamed on Federal Shutdown

Trinity Metro ended up delaying the opening of the new TexRail line for five days—from Saturday, January 5, until Thursday, January 10.

January 9, 2019 - Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Multi-Modal Commute

D.C. Metro Allows Bikes At All Hours

The agency hopes that allowing more bikes on trains will boost ridership for both.

January 7, 2019 - Streetsblog USA

Imaginary Maps

Friday Funny: Imagining Taco Bell-Oriented Rail Transit

A Reddit user created a transit map of the San Francisco Bay Area that connects Taco Bell locations, which, unlike rail public transit, have reached every corner of the region.

January 4, 2019 - Reddit

D.C. Metro

Showdown Over Late Night Hours on D.C. Metro

The general manager of D.C. Metro wants to extend limited late night rail service, in place for two years, into 2019 and beyond. Metro board members have had enough.

December 12, 2018 - DCist

Expo Line

All of L.A.'s Rail Lines Will Get New Names

Goodbye, Blue Line. Welcome, A Line. Goodbye, Red Line. Welcome, B Line.

December 11, 2018 - LAist

Sunday Fun: Take a Google Earth Flyover Tour of Tokyo's Yamanote Line

A key ring route in Tokyo's massive collection of rail lines, the JR Yamanote Line is a public transit aficionado's wildest dream. Reece Martin offers a guided tour of the line, available from the comfort of any YouTube-enabled screen.

November 18, 2018 - YouTube

Empty MARC Train

Commuter Rail From Clayton County to Atlanta Planned by MARTA

The Atlanta region could soon gain a commuter rail line similar to those found in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles.

October 20, 2018 - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

D.C. Metro

D.C. Metro Wants Buy Lots of New Railcars

D.C. Metro recently announced its intentions to buy anywhere from 256 to 800 new 8000 series railcars to replace the oldest cars in the system.

September 8, 2018 - Greater Greater Washington

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.