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PLAN 203Transportation Planning and Mobility

Units
0.50
Faculty
Environment
Subject
Planning

When it runs

  1. F24
  2. W25
  3. S25
  4. F25
  5. W26
  6. S26
  7. F26
  8. W27
  9. S27

Ran in 2 of the last 7 terms. Winter 2027: scheduled, 2 lecture sections. Spring 2027: schedule not out yet.

This course explores transportation planning in the broader context of human mobility, including the history of transportation systems (passenger and freight), transportation planning tools and techniques, transportation demand management, and transportation system sustainability. Students will learn about the factors shaping transportation systems over time, the connections between transportation systems and broader societal trends, and the specific techniques used in transportation planning. Students will develop skills in how to evaluate the utility of different transportation modes, examine system performance from different perspectives, and conduct demand forecasting and analysis. The course helps students deepen their understanding of the complex interplay among land use, transport systems, and equity explored in prior courses.

Prerequisites

  • Students must be in level 2B or higher

Antirequisites

None listed.

Leads to

No course lists it as a requisite.

Winter 2027 sections

Enrolment from UW Open Data, which can trail Quest by up to two days. Instructors and rooms: Schedule of Classes.
SectionClassEnrolledMeets
LEC 00153340 / 130W 18:30–21:20
LEC 7012106105 / 9999Online or by arrangement

Reviewed on UW Flow

78% liked it63% easy84% useful

From 46 ratings and 8 comments on UW Flow. The most helpful comments, quoted as written, without names. Read them all on UW Flow.

  • As someone who's deeply passionate about transportation and was looking forward to this course, I was a little disappointed by the lack of depth of the course material. That being said, it is an introductory course, and I still really enjoyed it.

    Jun 2025 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this

  • Very insightful course that serves as a broad introduction of transportation planning. As a transportation enthusiast, I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the course concepts and would highly recommend it for anyone who has an interest in transportation planning. The course is split into multiple smaller assessments, giving you many chances to improve your grades. The only drawback are the content dense lectures where the prof goes through content way too quickly.

    Apr 2025 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this

  • As someone that isn't primarily interested in transportation, I LOVED this course. It was a very good overview of issues in transportation, accessibility, locations, economics fundamentals, and influence on and from land development. The tests were *rough*, definitely a lot to study, but they're very much focused on comprehension and critical thinking based on concepts as opposed to rote regurgitation.

    Jul 2023 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this

  • Concepts are interesting and valuable, not very heavy, and the projects are relatively straightforward

    Feb 2023 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this

  • Very interesting course that teaches the basics of transportation analysis. Content was engaging and exams were clearly laid out on topics and information needed to study. Assignments and projects were not too intense.

    Jun 2022 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this

Discussed on r/uwaterloo

2 posts and comments in 2 threads mention PLAN 203, January 2020 to December 2024. Quoted word for word, newest first; each reply sits under the post and the comment that started its branch. Search r/uwaterloo for newer posts.

Spring 2024

2nd year course selection for Planning 1 point, 2 comments

u/Canadian1girl: “… 2A term – Fall PLAN 210 – Urban Planning Design and the Environment ENVS 200 – Field Ecology ENVS 278 – Applied Statistics for Environmental Research 2B term - Winter PLAN 203 – Transportation Planning & Analysis PLAN 233 – People and Plans PLAN 261 – Urban & Metropolitan …”

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Winter 2020

Check it elsewhere for Fall 2026

Calendar versions

Undergraduate Calendar