Automobile Dependence

A line of cars wait at the drive-thru window of a starbucks.

More Cities Ponder the End of Drive-Thrus

Drive-thru fast food restaurants might be a staple of American life, but several U.S. cities are actively considering prohibiting the development of new drive-thrus for the benefit of traffic safety, air quality, and congestion.

August 31, 2023 - The Denver Post

A highway sign reads with directions to reach San Francisco to the north and San Jose to the south--both on Highway 101.

101 Freeway in California Slower Than Ever After Widening, Locals Say

Induced demand strikes again.

April 19, 2023 - Streetsblog SF

Aerial view of Interstate 35 bridge over river into downtown Austin, Texas with skyline in background

Controversial Highway Widening Breaks Ground in Austin

Texas’ transportation priorities were on display in March—a few days after the gutting of a transit plan, a highway expansion broke ground depite years of local opposition.

April 3, 2023 - KUT

A crosswalk activation button is shown in the foreground with two pedestrians show blurred while crossing the street in the background.

Jaywalking Decriminalized in California

Another day, another historic planning-related bill signed into law in the Golden State.

October 4, 2022 - Los Angeles Times

Copenhagen Bikes

The Inflation Reduction Act's 'Inadequate' Reliance on Electric Vehicles

Electric vehicles can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but not enough to prevent the worst of climate change and not as much as walkable cities with far fewer cars on the road.

September 20, 2022 - Urban Institute

Self-Driving Cars

Skepticism for an Auto-Dependent Future

A new book makes the case that the promises of the transportation technology industry will fall short of the needs of cities and the planet.

September 11, 2022 - Vox

Pandemic Bike Lanes

Europe Building a Post-Car Future

While the United States mobilizes to transition to electric cars, cities and countries in Europe are transitioning to fewer cars.

September 6, 2022 - Yahoo News

Pedestrians

How U.S. Infrastructure Perpetuates Car Dependence

The assumption that it’s “impossible” to live without a car in many American cities perpetuates infrastructure projects that privilege and induce driving.

May 12, 2022 - The Urbanist

Congestion

What Is LOS?

Level of Service (LOS) defines how well vehicle traffic flows along a street or road. LOS is one of the most influential metrics in planning, with critical relevance for both land use and transportation planning.

April 27, 2022 - James Brasuell

Commute

The Disparate Racial Impacts of Commute Times

Commute times vary significantly depending on race, according to a recent study. The consequences of the imbalance have very real social and economic effects for already marginalized racial groups.

April 22, 2022 - Streetsblog USA

Main Street

The Conservative Case for Urbanism

Although walkable urbanism is often seen as a leftist priority, one writer argues that reducing car dependence actually closely aligns with conservative values.

March 8, 2022 - The Spectator World

Empty Road

What Is Car-Centric Planning?

'Car-centric planning' refers to urban planning that privileges the private automobile as a primary transportation mode, often to the exclusion of people who walk, bike, or use public transit.

February 17, 2022 - Diana Ionescu

Downtown Philadelphia

The Path to Hyperdensity

The federal government has an opportunity to make a generational investment in the country's infrastructure that could fundamentally shift the way we live and move around cities.

January 26, 2022 - Governing

Los Angeles Traffic - The Newhall Pass

Cities and Automobile Dependence: What Have We Learned?

Thirty years ago Peter Newman and Jeff Kenworthy introduced the concept of automobile dependency. In this article they reexamine the evidence, consider criticisms, and discuss how their insights changed—sometimes painfully—planning practices.

December 28, 2021 - Gasoline Consumption and Cities Revisited: What Have We Learnt?

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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.