Transportation Planning

The Onion Has a Blistering Take on Congress' Idea of a Social Safety Net
The latest foray by The Onion into the world of planning satirizes the American tendency to prioritize highway spending over housing and the homeless.

Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Maryland's Big Highway Widening Project Released
The state of Maryland is moving forward with a highway widening plan that would spend $11 billion in a private-partnership to add toll lanes to two Capital Beltway highways.

Federal Inaction Delays Congestion Pricing by at Least a Year in New York City
Bad news for one of the most innovative transportation planning schemes in the country, with long-term impacts on planning and construction in New York City.

London to Replace 2,000 Car Parking Spots With Bike Storage
London announced another sweeping round of changes to its transportation priority, further cementing the future of active transportation both during and after the pandemic.

More Bus Lanes Coming to the Nation's Capital
Three new stretches of street will prioritize bus traffic in Washington, D.C. in the name of faster service and social distancing.

New Governor, Same Billion Dollar Freeway Expansion Plan
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers is picking up a plan previously championed and abandoned by former Gov. Scott Walker: The North-South expansion of I-94 west of Milwaukee.

Cars Retake Their Place on Ocean Drive in Miami Beach
Ocean Drive in South Beach is the site of an ongoing pilot project in making space for pedestrians and businesses in space previously devoted to cars. Advocates and some local politicians don't like the direction that the experiment is headed.

Michigan to Study Feasibility of Toll Roads
The search for new road funding continues in Michigan.

Richmond 300 Plan Update Includes New Cap Park, Form-Based Code
Richmond, Virginia is hoping to make some big changes in time for its tricentennial in 2037, including a new cap park and a new form-based code.

Plan to Widen I-5 in Portland Loses Critical Local Support
The I-5 Rose Quarter project has proven controversial throughout the study and planning process, and now it's losing key local political support.

Failing to Account for Induced Traffic, Even When the Public Demands It
Induced traffic occurs when new highway capacity speeds up traffic, allowing travelers to drive further, increasing sprawl. A review of major highway project plans finds that most fail to accurately account for induced travel effects.

When Discussing Racist Monuments, Don't Forget Urban Freeways
The racist history of planning in Los Angeles is particularly evident in the way Interstate freeways were planned in the region.

First New Bridge to Manhattan in Decades Proposed Just for Pedestrians and People on Bikes
Introducing the proposed Queens Ribbon Bridge, a $100 million idea to connect Manhattan to Long Island City in Queens, by way of Roosevelt Island.

North Lake Shore Drive Redo Falls Short of Bus Priority Expectations
Strong criticisms of the project alternatives under consideration by the Illinois Department of Transportation for the closely watched North Lake Shore Drive project.

Bike-Centered Brooklyn Bridge Redo Under Consideration
City officials in New York are discussing the possibility of converting a car traffic lane on the Brooklyn Bridge for use by people on bikes.

Five Borough Bikeway Plan Released
The Regional Plan Association is calling on New York City to implement an ambitious plan to transform the city into a world class city for biking—for the benefit of the public health and economic realities of the pandemic and beyond.

Economic Stimulus: Another Chance for High-Speed Rail in the U.S.?
High-speed rail advocates in the Pacific Northwest are pushing for a high-speed link between Vancouver, Seattle, and Portland to be part of future economic stimulus spending in the United States.

Biking Takes Off in Toronto
People in cities all over the world are choosing the bike as their preferred mode of transportation as the coronavirus shakes up work and travel patterns. Residents of the largest city in Canada are no exception.

Interstate 94's Legacy of Racial Injustice in the Twin Cities
The symbolism behind highway protests brings demonstrators to occupy Interstate 94 between St. Paul and Minneapolis.

Researchers Analyze Pandemic Transportation Patterns for Planning Lessons
An article details the efforts of Madison-area researchers to glean lessons from the transportation patterns of March and April to inform better planning for the future.
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