Government / Politics

Portland, Oregon

What Went Wrong With Oregon's Climate Bill?

The Oregon Climate Action Program, which would have priced carbon emissions by establishing a cap-and-trade program similar to the one in California, was defeated on Saturday, the penultimate day of the 2019 legislative session.

July 2, 2019 - The Oregonian

Dublin Cycling

Dublin's Grand Biking Vision That Never Came to Fruition

Dublin’s future as a leading cycling city was once bright, but many plans have stalled or fallen by the wayside.

July 1, 2019 - The Guardian

Bus Lane New York City

More Bus Lane Cameras Coming to N.Y.C.

New state legislation will allow the city to expand the network of cameras and step up enforcement.

July 1, 2019 - Crain's New York Business

Housing Homeless

Disaster Shelters Housing the Homeless in Washington

Structures initially intended to temporarily house disaster victims are serving a new purpose in Tacoma, Washington—sheltering homeless people and getting them on the path to more permanent housing.

July 1, 2019 - Fast Company

Southern California

Courts May Fine Cities That Fail to Build Housing in California

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed his first budget, the state's largest ever at $215 billion. Housing activists will be pleased to learn that it has, to use Newsom's terms, both "carrots and sticks" to compel cities to produce more housing.

July 1, 2019 - The Sacramento Bee

Hudson Yards Towers

New York City Agencies Gain Design-Build Authority

Agencies in the city of New York needed to state clearance to win design-build authority. Mayor Bill de Blasio hopes the change will allow more efficient development of capital projects.

June 29, 2019 - Crain's Business New York

Deaths of Seven Motorcyclists Results in Resignation of Motor Vehicle Registry Chief

A pickup truck driver towing a trailer on a two-lane rural road in New Hampshire on June 21 is charged with seven counts of vehicular homicide after colliding with a group of motorcycle riders. Attention has turned to his commercial driver's license.

June 28, 2019 - USA Today

Supreme Court of the United States

Updated: Supreme Court Falls Short of Clarity on Census Citizenship Question

Those hoping for resolution of a major controversy impacting the 2020 Census, and all of the governance and policy decisions that depend on it, will have to wait.

June 27, 2019 - The New York Times

New Jersey Power Plant

New Jersey to Price Carbon Emissions from Electricity Generation

When the N.J. Department of Environmental Protection adopted new rules for power plants on June 17, the Garden State becomes the tenth to participate in a cap-and-trade program known as the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.

June 26, 2019 - Utility Dive

Scooters Portland

Research Shows Little Consistency in ‘Rules of the Road’ for Micromobility Devices

A new study indicates that cities across the country are defining and regulating personal transportation devices in very different ways.

June 26, 2019 - Mineta Transportation Institute

Virginia

Sustainable Mobility Goals in Reach in Richmond

As Richmond, Virginia grows, the city’s network of fixed-route transit and shared ride service is evolving to meet travelers’ needs.

June 25, 2019 - Mobility Lab

Madrid Street

Madrid’s Bold Car Ban May Become a Thing of the Past

A new conservative administration says it wants to do away with the ban on cars in the city center.

June 24, 2019 - CityLab

Climate CHange

Carbon Neutrality: What Does it Mean, and Is it Possible?

Are 'zero carbon' goals the most effective way to cut greenhouse gases, or are they the most politically feasible strategies? NPR climate and environment reporter, Nathan Rott, explores the challenge in an interview on All Things Considered.

June 24, 2019 - NPR

Supreme Court Statue

APA Disappointed With Supreme Court's Decision in Takings Case

The decision in Knick v. Township of Scott prompted a response from the American Planning Association.

June 24, 2019 - American Planning Association

Transportation Network Company

Opinion: California Needs to Close Gig Economy Loopholes

A state bill would force gig companies to treat workers fairly and would stanch the flow of subsidies that keep customer costs artificially low.

June 23, 2019 - San Francisco Chronicle

Mississippi River New Orleans

As the Mississippi River Rises, So Does the Threat to New Orleans

Climate change and channelization have made high water levels the norm along the river. But low-lying New Orleans lies in its path, and the consequences could be monumental.

June 23, 2019 - Slate

BART Train

S.F. Bay Area Fare Integration Study Voted Down

Transit officials pass on a proposal to take a closer look at the possibility of an integrated fare system that would simplify transit travel in the Bay Area.

June 22, 2019 - Streetsblog SF

Seawall Crescent City California

As Sea Levels Rise, Some Cities Will Be Saved While Others Will Be Left Behind

U.S. coastal cities need to prepare for the effects of climate change, but the pot of funding is limited. There’s no way around the fact that there will be winners and there will be losers.

June 22, 2019 - The New York Times

Scooter Share

Op-Ed: Cities, Get the Scooters Under Control

Scooters are a useful addition to the mobility landscape, but cities need to address the many safety issues that come along with them.

June 22, 2019 - The New York Times

Mississippi River Missouri

Polluted Chicago Water Travels Over 1,000 Miles and Wreaks Havoc in the Gulf

An algae bloom in the Gulf of Mexico has resulted in an oxygen-starved area the size of Massachusetts. Part of the problem is sewage runoff flowing south from Chicago.

June 22, 2019 - Chicago Tribune

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.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.