Government / Politics

EPA Rejects Automakers' Bid to Reduce Fuel Economy Standards in Midterm Review

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ruled that existing technology allows for increased efficiency in model years 2022 to 2025. The 2011 rule to achieve 54.5 mpg by 2025 required a 'midterm evaluation' to see if the final target was achievable.

January 18, 2017 - The Washington Post - Energy and Environment

Gay Marriage celebration

Planning and the Alt Right in the Time of Trump

The rise of white nationalist politics has many implications for the ideas of a just city.

January 18, 2017 - Jason Reece

Chicago Cultural Center

How Chicago Got its Cultural Center

The history of the Chicago Cultural Center, "the nation's first and most comprehensive free municipal cultural venue," offers insight into the shifting relationships between culture, politics, and money in the third-largest city in the United States.

January 17, 2017 - Soft City

Dakota Access Pipeline

North Dakota Law Would Make it Legal to Run Over Protestors

A bill proposed by a Republican lawmaker in North Dakota will shift forgive motorists any liability if they to run over pedestrians "negligently" occupying a freeway.

January 16, 2017 - Bismark Tribune

Vienna U-Bahn

How a European Capital Moved Toward Sustainable Transportation

How did Vienna, Austria, substantially reduce car trips while increasing bicycling and trips taken by public transportation over 25 years? A new paper published in the International Journal of Sustainable Transportation provides answers.

January 16, 2017 - International Journal of Sustainable Transportation

Caltrain

The County Transportation Authority That Saved the Caltrain Electrification Project

Up against an unexpected federal requirement to produce substantially more funds for a crucial rail project, San Mateo County's transportation authority showed the importance of "self-help" counties that control local transportation sales tax funds.

January 16, 2017 - The Daily Journal

State capital building

Tenants and Landlords Battling in Oregon

2017 has all the makings of a classic showdown in Oregon, where the state legislature will consider to policies that deeply divide the interest interests of tenants and landlords.

January 16, 2017 - The Portland Mercury

Politics and protest

5 Ways Cities Will Counter the Populist Movement

A list of the ways cities will resist the anti-urban politics of the populist movements represented by President-elect Donald Trump and Brexit.

January 16, 2017 - CityLab

Gov. Jerry Brown Restricts Funds for Affordable Housing in New Budget

California's recent rains brought relief to a large part of the water-starved state, but another drought of a political nature hasn't seen relief—the will of coastal municipalities to permit more housing. Brown outlined a way for new funding.

January 15, 2017 - Streetsblog California

Donald Trump

Bubble Burst Strategy No. 1: Do Something. Now.

Ben Brown on placemaking implications of today's politics

January 14, 2017 - PlaceShakers

City Hall

'Define Each and Every Acronym'

A participant in some of Seattle's most consequential planning processes puts out a call for a more inclusive use of language.

January 14, 2017 - The Urbanist

Rittenhouse Square

Sitting on the Walls Prohibited in Philadelphia's Rittenhouse Square

The list of prohibitions for the use of public spaces grows—this time to the seemingly innocuous and park-perfect activity of sitting.

January 14, 2017 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

Union Station Chicago

First on Chicago's Wish List from the Trump Administration: $1 Billion for Union Station

The Emanuel Administration has yet to secure needed funding for a big project to update Chicago's Union Station. Now it's up to the Trump Administration to supply a needed loan.

January 14, 2017 - Crain's Chicago Business

Green Line, Los Angeles

Review of November 2016 Transportation Ballot Measures

About 50 transportation measures appeared on local ballots on November 8, 2016. To date, Planetizen reviewed outcomes in nine regions in six states. Here we compare the measures in terms of revenue, taxes, projects, and reasons for failure.

January 12, 2017 - Planetizen

Gas Pump

New Year's Day State Gas Tax Increases, Decreases, and What Lies Ahead

Pennsylvania, the state that had the highest gas tax last year, saw the highest gas tax increase of 7.9 cents per gallon, the final increment of a 2013 law. Michigan's 7.3 cents tax increase, signed into law in 2015, is the second largest increase.

January 11, 2017 - Tax Justice Blog

Electronic Waste

The Upside of the Looming Resource Crisis

The concept of the circular economy is starting to take hold on governments and business throughout the world. Peter Moskowitz discusses the various ways the concept is being translated into practical, real-world solutions.

January 11, 2017 - Doggerel

Confusion

8 Planning Terms to Retire in 2017

A collection of planning and transportation experts humbly submits a list of words and terms that have lost their value (if they ever had any to begin with).

January 9, 2017 - Next City

Shock at Mexican Fuel Price Hike Turns to Pandemonium

Reaction to the 20 percent hike in fuel prices on New Year's Day has been swift, causing riots and looting resulting in four deaths and arrests of over 700 people, but President Enrique Peña Nieto continues to justify the need to end fuel subsidies.

January 9, 2017 - The Associated Press

Bus Lane

13 Years Later—Environmental Review for San Francisco Bus Rapid Transit Project Complete

The California Environmental Quality Act-mandated review process for a proposed bus rapid transit project in San Francisco took 13 years to complete.

January 8, 2017 - San Francisco Examiner

Leaving California

New Housing Report Finds California Fails to Produce 100,000 Units Annually

The report by the state Department of Housing and Community Development is in the form of a draft assessment that solicits comments. For the last 10 years, the state produced on average 80,000 units annually, while the need was for 180,000 units.

January 7, 2017 - Public CEO

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.