Transportation Planning

Planning Trends for 2025: Creative Housing Solutions, Ongoing Transit Woes, and the Ever-Creeping Tentacles of AI
Urban planners have no shortage of urgent issues to delve into, from a deepening housing crisis to an increasingly unpredictable climate to a new federal administration bent on slashing key funding for everything from electric cars to housing assistance.

‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.

California Environmental Leaders Call on State Agencies to Prioritize Multimodal Transportation
Even before President Trump took office, California was not meeting its emissions reduction goals.

Looking for the Light in a Dark Age
Professor Glenn Lyons offers insights about the challenges facing planners in times of rapid technological, cultural, and social change, in Local Transport Today's first ‘Deep Thinking Initiative’ article.

‘Safe Land Use:’ A Key to Road Safety
How approaching transportation planning through a public health lens can reduce traffic deaths.

USDOT Releases Climate Strategies Playbook
The USDOT's new Climate Strategies that Work Playbook provides detailed information concerning benefits and implementation requirements for 27 transportation-related emission reduction strategies.

Olympia Draft Transportation Plan Zeroes in on Complete Streets, Bike Infrastructure
The city’s comprehensive plan update could signal a shift in transportation planning priorities to a more comprehensive approach that ensures safer roads for all users.

California Transportation Commission Reluctant to Incorporate Complete Streets Guidelines
The agency plans to update its road design guidelines by the end of the year — before a new law that prioritizes pedestrian and cyclist safety takes effect.

DC’s Traffic Cameras Are Working, but Not a Panacea
Automated enforcement is reducing speeding, but bigger changes to street design and the built environment are needed to make the District’s streets safer and more pleasant for people walking.

State of Curbs & Parking Report Reveals Glut of Data
As the uses of curb space become more diverse, city officials are working to understand how to best manage this increasingly important urban amenity.

Is Cracking Down on Fare Evasion the Answer to Lagging Transit Ridership?
Transit agencies hope to reassure riders concerned about crime by boosting security at transit stations.

US Street Design Manual Inches Toward Safer Roads
The guiding document for U.S. road design is starting to recognize the needs of people walking and biking, but safe streets advocates say more significant changes are needed to reduce the high number of pedestrian deaths and improve connectivity for all road users.

Seattle’s New Overlook Walk Offers Ample Park Space Near Pike Place Market
The elevated park and event space replaces part of the demolished Alaskan Way Viaduct, connecting the city’s famous Pike Place Market to the waterfront.

Dallas, Suburbs Clash Over DART Funding
The city voted to ‘fully fund’ its rapid transit system, but northern suburbs are moving to reduce funding.

Developing a Common Language for Microtransit Providers
New data specification technology could help rural agencies streamline their operations and coordinate efforts to improve service delivery.

How Does Air Quality in a Philly Subway Station Compare to the Outdoors?
A team of researchers found much higher levels of particulate matter inside the City Hall subway station than on the street-level sidewalks directly above the station.

How “Walking Audits” Can Improve Neighborhood Mobility
A simple walk through your community can reveal infrastructure gaps and highlight where cities can make streets safer for pedestrians.

‘Modular Roundabouts’ Offer Quick-Build Traffic Safety Solution
The prefabricated roundabouts can be installed more quickly and at a much lower cost than traditional concrete traffic circles.

Will Voters Fund Transportation Measures in November?
An overview of key transportation-related ballot measures that will be decided in November’s election.

California Room to Roam Act Prioritizes Wildlife Connectivity
A new state law requires new development and infrastructure to minimize disruption to local wildlife habitats and migration patterns.
Pagination
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