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Automobile Dependency
The Cost of Driving Increasingly Out of Reach in the U.S.
New research stresses the importance of socioeconomic differences in U.S. transportation trends.
The Right to Mobility
As we consider how to decarbonize transportation, preserving mobility, especially for lower- and middle-income people, must be a priority.
The United Nations Calls on U.S. Planners to Break Land Use, Transportation Status Quo
“We are on a highway to climate hell with our foot on the accelerator.”
Banning Electric Scooters Results in More, Longer Car Trips, Study Says
Cities should expect to see increases in automobile trips, and resulting consequences, if they ban or limit the use of electric scooters or other micromobility devices, according to new research.
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.
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.
Houston Inches Toward Reduced Car Dependency
The city is investing more in biking, walking, and public transit, but a lack of funding and counterproductive moves from the Texas Department of Transportation are slowing the process of shifting away from personal automobile dependency.
Connecting Land Use and Transportation Planning to Save the Climate
The United States will have to make major changes to long-standing land use and transportation paradigms to prevent the worst outcomes of climate change. How to make those changes was the subject of a recent podcast.
The Business Case for Multimodal Transportation Planning
Travel demands are changing and so should planning. There are good reasons for communities to spend less on automobile facilities and more on walking, bicycling, and public transit. Let’s examine why.
Traffic Fatalities Set Records as Pandemic-Era Road Carnage Shows No Signs of Stopping
An estimated 42,915 people died in automobile crashes in 2021, according to recent federal data. The increasing fatalities continue a trend that began with the outset of the pandemic.
Car Noise Is Killing Us
It’s not just traffic collisions that kill—a new study from researcher at Rutgers finds that the loud noises emanating from cars has direct impact on heart health in Americans.
What Is Automobile Dependency?
Automobile dependency is a term used to describe households who must rely on private vehicles for everyday transportation, often due to a lack of safe pedestrian infrastructure, ineffective or absent public transit options, and sprawl.
A Freeway Rebellion Rises in the Unlikeliest of States: Texas
“There’s no train, there’s no bus, there’s no anything that supports mass transportation. It doesn’t exist.” -Houston resident Fabian Ramirez.
Wisconsin Republicans Block Congestion, Pollution Funds From Bike and Ped Projects
It was always a risk that states would use funding from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to double down on the transportation systems that create congestion and air pollution.
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.
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.
Year in Review: Urban Planning in 2021
Part one of two of Planetizen's review of 2021—re-assessing failed predictions and daylighting the biggest planning stories of the year.
U.S. Auto Loan Debt Balloons to $1.4 Trillion, Study Says
Consumer Reports published findings of an investigation of U.S. auto loan debt, finding that debt is increasing at increasingly fast rates alongside the cost of cars over the past decade.
Condo for Cars Planned in Toronto
Car condos are coming to North America's largest cities—first New York and now Toronto.
The Central Myths of U.S. Car Culture
Five myths about highways that ensure a culture of car dependence.
City of Madera
City of Santa Clarita
Borough of Carlisle
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Colorado Energy Office
Pima County Community College District
City of Piedmont, CA
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.
