Europe

Dockless Bikeshare

'Today’s Dockless Bike-Sharing Systems Are Wild Systems'

Dockless bikes offer the unexpected and help users navigate and understand the urban environment in new and different ways.

February 16, 2020 - Next City

Berline, Germany

Berlin Caps Rents as Anti-Gentrification Measure

The capital city, known for its artists and party scene, is aiming to reduce gentrification by capping rent prices for a period of five years.

February 3, 2020 - The New York Times

Car-Free Street

The End of Auto-Dependence

Enough European cities have shown it can be done. It's time for U.S. cities to follow suit.

February 3, 2020 - Curbed

Body Scanners

EU Could Ban Facial Recognition Tech in Public

The European Union is preparing to take a strong position in the global debate surrounding privacy and data rights.

January 22, 2020 - Reuters

Dallas Freeways

When Cities Are Designed for Driving, Car Bans Are Not the Solution

Banning cars will not be effective as long as U.S. cities continue to prioritize transportation systems where mobility is dependent on driving.

January 13, 2020 - Brookings

Paris Aerial

What California Can Learn from France About Tackling a Housing Crisis

As California continues to grapple with staggering housing issues, France's experience offers lessons about the kinds of housing policies and strategies that work.

January 6, 2020 - San Francisco Chronicle

A ferry boat returns to Seattle

Washington State to Transition to Battery Electric Ferries

Washington's largest diesel emissions polluter will transition its fleet to diesel-hybrids and then to battery-electric propulsion to comply with Gov. Inslee's emissions-reduction executive order which will also please the orcas in Puget Sound.

December 29, 2019 - Greentech Media

Green Hydrogen, Plus Storage, Key to Los Angeles' Plan for Carbon-Free Electricity

The Los Angeles municipal utility will convert a Utah coal power plant to run on natural gas in 2025. According to a proposal unveiled Dec. 10, the plant will incrementally be converted to run entirely on hydrogen, a zero-emission fuel, by 2045.

December 22, 2019 - Utility Dive

Central Suburban Passenger Company

A New Suburban Rail System for Moscow

Two of a planned five new suburban rail routes, modeled on examples in Paris and Berlin, opened last week in Russia.

November 25, 2019 - Railway Gazette

Beijing Traffic

Cities Have Tried to Rein in Cars, and the Results Have Been Mixed

Vehicle pollution is making cities around the world unlivable. Some cities have taken steps to curb auto use and emissions, with varying levels of success.

November 20, 2019 - The New York Times

Climate Change

Climate Change Education to Be Compulsory in Italy

Critics of a plan to require Italian students to learn about climate change and sustainability say climate action can't wait for the next generation to come of age.

November 15, 2019 - The New York Times

Women in the City

What Would Cities Look Like if They Were Designed by Women?

Cities are built by men, and so too often urban design does not reflect the needs, perspectives, and realities of women.

November 11, 2019 - BBC

Oil Rigs

Just What the Planet Needs: More Oil Production

A surge of oil from four countries—Norway, Guyana, Canada and Brazil—will more than compensate for slowing growth of U.S. oil production. The new sources might cause oil prices to dip to $50 a barrel and slow the transition to electric vehicles.

November 6, 2019 - The New York Times

Sports Utility Vehicle

The Case for Banning SUVs

Global SUV ownership is skyrocketing, with consequences for carbon emissions and traffic safety. A few voices are now calling for bans on the large vehicles.

October 26, 2019 - Fast Company

Gothenburg TRam

Free 'Test Rides' Win Transit Riders

The "Test Rides" program in Sweden is showing success in getting people to drive less and take transit more.

October 22, 2019 - Fast Company

Pedestrian Safety

'Cars Are Death Machines'

Not one, not two, but three articles in the past week paint dire portraits of the world that cars have created.

October 6, 2019 - The New York Times

Chicago Commuter Rail

What's Hindering Regional Transportation in the U.S.?

Public transportation that serves regional areas makes sense, but the United States has been slow to pursue strategies and policies that foster these types of systems.

September 29, 2019 - the transport politic

Pedestrians

U.S. Lagging in Making Streets Safer for Pedestrians

Pedestrian deaths are on the rise in the United States, but cities have been slow to implement effective policies and road design measures to change the trend.

September 27, 2019 - Los Angeles Times

Traffic in Manhattan New York

Cars Still Rule the Road. Is Change Possible?

The dominant narrative is that streets are for cars and infrastructure that accommodates driving is necessary for cities to grow. But cities ended up this way because of decisions that make other modes secondary.

September 25, 2019 - The Outline

Saenredamstraat, Parking Free Street

Watch What Happens When Parking Disappears From an Amsterdam Street

Eve Kessler shares news of a new film from Streetfilms that documents the efforts of a neighborhood in Amsterdam to activate a street liberated from parking.

September 17, 2019 - StreetsBlog NYC

Top Books

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Top Apps

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Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

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.