Government / Politics
Following a Failed Referendum, Nashville Transit Advocates Regroup
Last spring, voters resoundingly quashed Let's Move Nashville, a $5.4 billion plan to build out the city's transit options. The plan paid too little attention to current riders, advocates say, and they aim to do things differently.
Scrutiny for U.S. DOT Secretary Elaine Chao's Entangled Interests
The results of two recent investigations allege questionable ethical practices by U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, connected to the secretary's family shipping business and marriage to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.
DART Sets Its Sights on Automated Buses
The Dallas-area transit agency is partnering with other agencies to study driverless buses and their role in the future of transit systems.
Corps of Engineers Faces Criticism for Flood Management
Recent heavy rains and flooding have put the the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the defensive about its flood control policies and procedures.
A Bikeshare Showdown Between Uber and Lyft
Lyft may soon not be the sole bikeshare operation in San Francisco as the city looks to expand the system and open the market up to other companies.
When the Autonomous Vehicles Come, Will Cities Be Ready for Them?
A study about planning for AVs shows that most cities are not actively working to prepare for them and officials are worried about the many potential effects they will have on cities.
Ride-Hailing Companies Eye Public Transit Opportunities for the Wrong Reasons
Uber and Lyft say they want to improve public transit, but the focus on profit could have serious consequences.
The Generational Warfare of Our Times
If action isn’t taken to address the major issues the nation faces today, younger people will be contending with a lifetime of hardship. But older generations seem mostly to be looking the other way.
Michael Bloomberg Launches $500 Million 'Beyond Carbon' Campaign
The "War on Coal" is back, in the form of a new grassroots political campaign bankrolled by Bloomberg Philanthropies to decarbonize power generation by targeting existing coal power plants and halting the growth of natural gas replacements.
Boston City Hall Plaza Ready for a Makeover
Bostonians love to hate City Hall Plaza. That could change, as the city finalizes a renovation project that aims to transform the way the public sees the city's government.
Dakota Access Pipeline Owners Win Eminent Domain Appeal in Iowa Supreme Court
The Iowa Supreme Court affirmed a lower court ruling that found that the Iowa Utilities Board was justified in giving the private owners of the Dakota Access Pipeline the use of eminent domain. Climate change was considered in the ruling.
Atlanta Pop-Up Studio Brings Urban Designers into the Community
The Atlanta City Studio lets community members talk to the city’s urban designers about the projects most important to them.
Department of Transportation Caught in Political Tug of War in Oakland
The political debate surrounding the future of Oakland's streets has recently turned up a notch.
Regulating Car Ads to Discourage Unsafe Driving
Dangerous driving is a common feature of U.S. car ads, but other countries have banned this advertising because it glorifies reckless behavior.
Vancouver Official Says Pollution and Housing Shouldn't Mix
A motion in Vancouver, British Columbia, calls for reconsidering policies that site multifamily buildings on busy trucking corridors where diesel emissions are high.
To Fix Roads, Bridges, and Public Buildings, Illinois Decides to 'Think Big'
First-term Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker succeeded in building support for his $45 billion, "think big" capital investment agenda in the Illinois State Legislature.
Copenhagen Update: On-Street Auto Parking Replaced by Bike Parking
Copenhagen may have already met its bicycling goal of 50 percent of modal share for commuting, but it needs to improve the share for all trips. With less funding available, the city is pursuing low cost strategies, such as auto parking removal.
Less Paint, More Barriers, Make for Better Urban Cycling
New research from the University of Colorado Denver and the University of New Mexico sheds light on how to make cities safer for cyclists and other road users and refutes some assumptions about bike safety, such as "safety-in-numbers."
Soccer Stadium Development Opposition Grows to a Neighborhood-Level Movement
Displacement concerns surrounding stadium plans for the FC Cincinnati Major League Soccer team have grown into a citywide call for development approvals reform.
Local Public Housing Agencies Resist HUD's Proposed Section 8 Rule
A proposed rule to disqualify all families living with an undocumented person from receiving federal housing aid is available for comment. We know a few people who oppose the rule.
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.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie
