Government / Politics

Coal Mining

Coal, a Campaign Promise Unfulfilled

President Trump still touts coal and its return, but what’s happening in the real world suggests coal is on its way out for good.

February 22, 2019 - Intelligencer - New York Magazine

New York New Jersey Transit

Mixed Messages on Federal Spending Bill's Attention to Gateway Rail Project

Project supporters and the Trump administration disagree on the takeaway for the Gateway project after Congress and the president signed a federal spending bill earlier this month.

February 21, 2019 - Bloomberg

Border

Trump Administration Targets California High-Speed Rail After Border Wall Lawsuit

The Trump administration has canceled a nearly $1 billion grant assigned to the California high-speed rail project and is attempting to get the state to return the $2.5 billion it has already spent on the $77 billion project.

February 21, 2019 - The New York Times

Robert Moses

The Robert Moses Nexus to Amazon's Cancellation of Queens HQ2

Last week, Amazon abruptly canceled its decision to invest about $2.5 billion and bring 25,000 high-paying jobs to Queens. A scholar blames their abrupt decision on an arcane state bureaucracy tasked with preventing Robert Moses-like takings.

February 21, 2019 - Politico Magazine

Los Angeles 110 Freeway

Momentum Builds for Public Housing in California

A "white supremacist" law that blocks public housing in the state is up for repeal—again.

February 20, 2019 - Los Angeles Times

Connecticut Turnpike

Connecticut Transportation Funding Debate: Toll Trucks or Toll All Vehicles?

New Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont has reversed the position of his campaign, when he pledged to toll only heavy trucks to tackle traffic congestion. In an op-ed, Lamont explains why all vehicles must be tolled. He also rules out a gas tax hike.

February 20, 2019 - Stamford Advocate

U.S.-Mexico

What President Trump's Border Wall Can't Stop

William H. Frey, a demographer with Brookings, argues that racial diversity is a good thing for the country by many measures. Trump's wall would make it harder to benefit from demographic changes, but changes is still coming.

February 19, 2019 - Brookings: The Avenue

OC Transpo Ottowa

Gender, Climate Change, and Transit Decision Makers

A member of Ottawa’s city council says transit commissioners should support women’s rights and believe that climate change is real.

February 19, 2019 - Ottawa Citizen

Illinois Highway 90

Sale of Illinois Tollway Considered to Pay Pension Debt

Gov. J.B. Pritzker has a $134 billion problem in unfunded pension liabilities. Along with several other measures, his administration is considering selling state assets, including the Illinois Tollway, to fill the hole.

February 19, 2019 - Chicago Tribune

Toronto Lyrics

Ontario's Plan for Taking Over Toronto's Subway Revealed

Ontario Progressive Conservatives want the province to take ownership of the city of Toronto's subway network and take responsibility for maintaining and construction.

February 19, 2019 - The Star

Ohio River

Form at the Forefront of Zoning Code Rewrite in Covington, Kentucky

The city of Covington is conducting public hearings to gather feedback on at the outset of an 18-month process of rewriting its zoning code.

February 18, 2019 - City of Covington

Long Island City

Post-Mortem: Why Amazon Canceled the Queens HQ2

New York City and State offered up nearly $3 billion in incentives to lure Amazon and its 25,000 high-paying jobs to Queens only to see the tech company cancel their plans after local opposition materialized. Was their retreat too hasty?

February 17, 2019 - The New York Times

High-Speed Rail

More Fallout From Downsizing California High-Speed Rail

A San Francisco Chronicle editorial warns that San Francisco must find funds, intended to come from the state's ambitious rail project, to extend the Caltrain commuter rail line to the SalesForce Transit Center.

February 16, 2019 - San Francisco Chronicle

New York Subway Stairs

Who Has Access to NYC Subways?

For many people with mobility challenges, just getting to an accessible subway station in New York is an impossibility.

February 16, 2019 - The New York Times

Golden Gate Bridge Traffic

New Report on San Francisco Transportation Trends: Driving on the Rise

The city is seeing more transit use and biking, but driving and congestion are also on the rise.

February 15, 2019 - Curbed San Francisco

Seattle Downtown

Post-Recession Migration Patterns of Younger and Older Americans

New census data shows that millennials and seniors are migrating less, a result of the Great Recession and its economic impacts. For those who are moving, cities in the Sun Belt have been primary destinations.

February 15, 2019 - Brookings

U.S> Department of Housing and Urban Development

HUD Official Moves From Trump Plaza to New York Public Housing

The Trump administration's critiques of the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) took a strange turn this week.

February 15, 2019 - The Real Deal

Vancouver Street

Vancouver's Ride-Hail-Free Mobility Landscape

While ride-hailing is on the horizon for the Canadian city, the experience so far without the mode provides useful insight into its effects on regional mobility.

February 14, 2019 - Slate

Bus Stop

How Transit Creates a Two-Tiered Transportation System in America

Transit is not providing what many travelers need, in terms of both location and service. The result is that transit use is a time and financial burden for those who can least afford it.

February 13, 2019 - The Nation

Washington State Ferry

Washington Ferry Ridership Continues to Grow

The state's ferry system has seen ridership increases year after year, and a new plan outlines the long-range measures needed to keep up with the growth.

February 13, 2019 - The Urbanist

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.