Regional Planning

Bay Area Rapid Transit

A $100 Billion Wishlist for Bay Area Transit

Project priorities for the Faster Bay Area ballot initiative, speculatively proposed for the November 2020 election, have not yet been specified. But BART's new general manager has ideas about the money could be spent.

October 2, 2019 - The Mercury News

MARTA Blue Line

76 Projects on Atlanta's Transit Wishlist

The recently formed Atlanta-Region Transit Link Authority released a new regional transit plan.

September 26, 2019 - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Seattle Regional Transit Systems

A Transit-Oriented Regional Growth Plan

The Vision 2050 plan, which charts the growth for King, Pierce, Snohomish, and Kitsap counties in Washington State, would focus almost all the growth meant to accommodate 1.8 million new residents inside urban areas.

September 6, 2019 - The Urbanist

San Francisco Bay Bridge

Bay Area Planners Acknowledge the Need for Regional Housing Solutions

While most Bay Area communities are pursuing housing solutions "individually," local planners acknowledge the need for strategies that address the regional as a unified whole.

July 3, 2019 - Lincoln Institute of Land Policy

Gaslamp Quarter

Climate Crisis, Housing Crisis on a Collision Course

Sprawl might relieve the housing crisis, but it would also exacerbate the climate crisis. Tough choices will be necessary in regions like San Diego, where the question of where to accommodate growth is very much in question.

July 2, 2019 - The San Diego Union-Tribune

Back Bay

How, and Where, Land Use Regulations Block Multi-Family Housing in the Boston Region

New analysis explores every city and suburb in the Boston region to reveal the tools of multi-family housing obstruction—sometimes it takes more than zoning to block apartments from getting built.

June 4, 2019 - The Boston Globe

Tilikum Crossing

How Much for Roads and Highways in a Proposed Portland-Area Transportation Funding Measure?

A regional transportation tax could be on the 2020 ballot in Portland and surrounding communities in Oregon. How much of that money created by the new tax, should it pass, will go to transit and how much will go to cars is an open question.

May 5, 2019 - Willamette Week

Issaquah Alps

Public Input to Help Plan New Nature Trails

Reno officials hope to protect public green space in the Truckee Meadows before potential new development arrives.

April 29, 2019 - Reno Gazette Journal

Denver Union Station

G-Line Commuter Rail Opens Today, Connecting Denver to Suburbs

A new commuter line is open today in Denver, after facing challenges and delays that continue to plague other previously opened rail lines in the region.

April 26, 2019 - The Denver Post

Columbus Ohio

New Spending, Planning Approved to Address Affordable Housing Crisis in Columbus

Columbus approved an emergency allotment of capital improvement bond funding for housing, and the launch of an affordable housing strategy process.

April 18, 2019 - WCBE

Atlanta

Suburban Atlanta Rejects Transit, Again

The third time was not the charm for a transit sales tax in Gwinnett County, Georgia.

April 3, 2019 - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Highway 520

Planning for 1.8 Million New Residents Around Puget Sound

The state of Washington's 1990 Growth Management Act requires regions to create long-range growth plans. The Puget Sound Region Council is currently working on its latest iteration of the plan.

March 29, 2019 - Crosscut

Atlanta

Voters Considering Game Changing 'Connect Gwinnett Transit Plan'

Suburban Gwinnett County could change the course of its history by finally voting to connect to the Atlanta region's transit network.

February 26, 2019 - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

OKC Streetcar

Regional Transportation Authority of Central Oklahoma Formed

Officials in six Oklahoma cities are hoping to add public transit connections throughout the region.

February 26, 2019 - Oklahoma's News 4

Vinings, Cobb County

Transit Funding Decisions Delayed in Cobb County, Georgia

Cobb County is supposed to join a new regional transit authority called The Atl, but it hasn't chosen how to fund its participation yet.

February 6, 2019 - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Houston Light Rail

$7.5 Billion Regional Transit Plan Revealed in Houston

The METRONext Moving Forward Plan was revealed at the annual meeting of the Greater Houston Partnership.

December 14, 2018 - Progressive Railroading

Boston, Massachusetts

Boston's Metropolitan Area Planning Council Announces Resilience Grant Program

The Accelerating Climate Resiliency Mini Grant Program will award grants to six to 15 projects, policies, and actions to protect people from the impacts of climate change.

December 1, 2018 - Metropolitan Area Planning Council

Beltway Commute

Transportation Plan Approved for D.C. Region

Visualize 2045 makes plans for 600 projects totaling $291 billion in investments—there's some serious "blue sky" planning here.

October 22, 2018 - WAMU

Back Bay

Boston-Area Mayors Announce Ambitious Housing Target

Mayors from 15 cities in the Boston region want to add 185,000 new units by 2030 in response to the housing shortage driving up prices in the region.

October 18, 2018 - Metropolitan Area Planning Council

Chicago Blue Line Tracks

Regional Planning Stuck in Neutral in Chicagoland?

With the approval of the ON TO 2050 regional plan, some advocates see more of the same car-centric planning. Perhaps the state can finally shift the discussion.

October 16, 2018 - Chi.Streetsblog

News from HUD User

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Call for Speakers

Mpact Transit + Community

New Updates on PD&R Edge

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

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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.