Traffic

Seattle Train

Buzzing Job Market Means More Transit Riders in Seattle

Solo drivers are down and transit commuters are up in Seattle.

February 21, 2017 - The Seattle Times

Amazon Warehouse

Quick Internet Delivery Services Clog City Streets with Delivery Trucks

Services like Amazon Prime and other quick delivery online retailers are creating more demand for short trip delivery, the result is streets jammed with vans. Bikes may offer an alternative.

December 2, 2016 - Quartz

Step Away from the Vehicle (And Take Back the Journey)

Walkability’s greatest gifts to health are most accessible when we encounter one another in the flesh. In pedestrian-friendly environments, others amenitize space. On the highway, they encumber it.

December 1, 2016 - PlaceShakers

London Truck

Making the Most Dangerous Trucks Illegal in London

Commercial vehicles, and heavy trucks in particular, cause a disproportionate number of pedestrian and cyclist fatalities, London Mayor Sadiq Khan is proposing to ban the most dangerous trucks from entering the city.

November 9, 2016 - Streetsblog USA

London

London Bridges Going Up

London Mayor, Sidiq Kahn, authorizes two new bridges and a tunnel in eastern part of the city.

October 13, 2016 - City Lab

Charlotte, North Carolina

Study: Bad Arterials Poison Good Residential Streets

It's something we feel intuitively: poorly-designed arterial roads make for less comfortable neighborhoods. That remains the case even if the adjoining residential streets are quiet and safe.

August 23, 2016 - Streetsblog USA

Traffic Jam

65-Year-Old Disney Cartoon Perfectly Explains the Craziness of Driving a Car

In 1950 the Walt Disney Company released a cartoon called "Motor Mania". Starring Goofy, the film chronicles the metamorphosis of the mild-mannered "Mr. Walker" into the terror of the streets, "Mr. Wheeler". It was ahead of its time.

August 19, 2016 - Community Builders

Traffic

Friday Funny: An Old Meme Scores Points Against New Transportation Tech

You remember the one showing the amount of space occupied by 60 people on a bike, 60 people on a bus, and 60 people in cars? It's also helpful for making a convenient point about Uber and self-driving cars.

July 1, 2016 - Twitter

La Rambla

Barcelona 'Superblocks' Aim to Cut Down on Cars

Seeking relief from noise, pollution, and incessant traffic, the city of Barcelona has a bold plan to repurpose street space. "Superblocks" will route cars around the perimeter, leaving interior streets open for walkers and bikes.

June 16, 2016 - The Guardian

Waze

Waze vs. Residential Neighborhoods

Accounts of disgruntled residents responding by any means necessary to the flood of cars beckoned by the whims of navigation apps like Waze are spreading across the country.

June 7, 2016 - The Washington Post

The fronts of three double-decker buses in London

What If Buses Could Pass Over Cars?

The latest from China: a concept for street-straddling buses that cars could pass underneath. The giant vehicles could improve worsening traffic and already-dire pollution levels, taking the place of many conventional buses.

May 31, 2016 - CityLab

Beer

Friday Happy Hour: A Beer Pipeline in Belgium

What was once a "pipe dream" will soon be reality.

May 6, 2016 - The Wall Street Journal

Experts Weigh in on Decision to Move California to VMT as Metric for Impacts

In a significant effort to shift from sprawl toward incentivizing low-carbon transportation options, California is revising the way it measures traffic impacts of development projects under its Environmental Quality Act.

April 29, 2016 - The Planning Report

Traffic Light

Slot-Based Design Could Eliminate Traffic Lights

An MIT study determined that traffic lights, and their inefficiencies, could be eliminated if all vehicles were equipped to regulate their speed and "batch" together as they approach intersections.

April 12, 2016 - Fast Co. Design

How Not to Measure Traffic Congestion, Redux

The 2015 Inrix Traffic Scorecard provides less useful information about traffic problems than previous editions, as discussed in this City Observatory Commentary.

March 18, 2016 - City Observatory

New Orleans Fire Truck

Why So Big? Rethinking Fire Truck Design

When they're not extinguishing actual flames, fire trucks can seem comically over-sized on city streets. Replacing portions of the fleet with smaller response vehicles might save money without sacrificing capability.

February 7, 2016 - CityLab

Satirical Ad Campaign Pitches Belgian Traffic Jams as World Heritage Sites

The "war on cars" and its pushback has a achieved a singular pitch in Belgium, where the national rail service has canvassed the country with a satirical ad campaign excoriating the country's horrible congestion.

January 23, 2016 - The Wall Street Journal

'Bridge-Gate' Attorneys Make Their Case: You Can't Sue Over Traffic

Attorneys representing the state of New Jersey responded to the allegations of a class action lawsuit rising from the "bridge-gate" scandal.

January 3, 2016 - The Record

Las Vegas The Strip at night

Las Vegas Transit Plan Includes Light Rail

To alleviate tourist traffic and serve residents, the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada has unveiled a long-term plan to invest billions in transit improvements including light rail and an expanded monorail.

January 2, 2016 - Las Vegas Sun

Uber Car

Uber's Impact on the New York Rush Hour

Researchers found a small uptick in Manhattan traffic during rush hour, as Uber gains more riders from 4 to 7 p.m. than taxis lose. Uber also holds general sway over the other boroughs when it comes to for-hire vehicles.

December 23, 2015 - FiveThirtyEight

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