While Philadelphia may be hosting this year's National Planning Conference, a recent forum demonstrated that the current candidates for Mayor lack any sort of vision for the city's development.
"This was supposed to be the year in which urban planning took center stage as an issue in Philadelphia politics, along with crime and schools. But if last night's mayoral forum on urban design was any indication, the subject is still stuck with a bit role in the campaign."
"Only three of the six major candidates took part in the low-key event at the Central Library of the Free Library of Philadelphia, attended by nearly 400 people."
"While the three participating candidates - U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah, State Rep. Dwight Evans, and former City Councilman Michael Nutter - all agreed that Philadelphia needs to rejuvenate its dysfunctional planning and zoning agencies, their proposals were largely about tinkering with the existing system. And when asked to name a signature initiative that could match the scope of Richardson Dilworth's blueprint for reviving Society Hill or John Street's anti-blight strategy, none ventured a vision."
FULL STORY: Forum shows urban planning not priority in mayor's race

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie