Government / Politics

Creative Placemaking: Lead, Follow, AND Get Out of the Way

For governments and institutions, creative placemaking means knowing when to let go. Scott Doyon explains.

May 18, 2016 - PlaceShakers

Methane

EPA Releases Final Methane Rule for New and Modified Oil and Gas Wells

While the methane reduction targets are the same as the draft rule released last August (i.e., 40-45 percent reduction of 2012 levels by 2025), the new rule removes exceptions, resulting in a 30 percent improvement in reductions of methane.

May 18, 2016 - The Hill

Robert F. Kennedy Bridge

Revisiting the Legacy of Robert Moses

A visit from the Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte to see Robert Caro, author of "The Power Broker," provides a refresher on the works of Robert Moses and Caro's writing.

May 16, 2016 - The New York Times

New York City Mayor Overrides Community Board on 'Boulevard of Death' Bike Lane

After the local community board removed a protected bike lane from its plans for the redesign of Queens Boulevard, Mayor Bill de Blasio restored it, under the premise of saving lives.

May 15, 2016 - New York Daily News

San Mateo Bikeshare

Nation's Newest Bike Share Perhaps the Smallest

What better day to launch a new bike share program than on Bike-to-Work Day? in the Bay Area, that day was May 12. The City of San Mateo launched Bay Bikes, with 50 bicycles at 11 stations. Now the region has two programs, the other being regional.

May 14, 2016 - KQED News Fix

Downtown Miami

Miami's Form Based Code Touted as New Urbanist Ideal

Miami 21 overhauled an 80-year old zoning code and replaced it with a New Urbanist-style form-based code that many credit as being the key to changing development in the city.

May 14, 2016 - Governing

U-Link opening

Controversy Erupts Over Seattle's Light Rail Party Planning Expenses

Anti-transit advocates in Seattle got ammunition this week from an article about the party thrown by Sound Transit to celebrate the recent opening of the light rail extension from downtown to Capitol Hill and the University of Washington.

May 14, 2016 - The Seattle Times

Pennsylvania State Capitol

Pennsylvania Gov. Wolf Expresses Solidarity for Cities

Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf grew up in a small town, but he has since adopted cities among his political causes. In recent remarks, he detailed his opinions about how public policy shortchanges cities—in Pennsylvania and the country.

May 13, 2016 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

Los Angeles Smog Skyline Zoom

The Role of Planning in Fixing Los Angeles' Development Woes

Globe St. featured an exclusive interview with Gail Goldberg, executive director of the Urban Land Institute, Los Angeles Chapter, and former planning director of Los Angeles and San Diego.

May 12, 2016 - Globe St.

Gender Neutral Bathroom

Gender Neutral Bathrooms Designs Respond to Controversial North Carolina Law

While the Justice Department and North Carolina duke it out over proper access to bathrooms, many places, including the White House, have designed gender-neutral bathrooms that address many of the problems associated with sex-segregated bathrooms.

May 12, 2016 - The New York Times

Child's swing made out of a tire and rope hanging from a tree in

Wealthy Maryland Enclave Goes to War Over a Swing Set

Some code violation controversies must be reported by The Washington Post to be believed.

May 12, 2016 - The Washington Post

Chicago Metra and Highway

Illinois Voters to Decide on Transportation Trust Fund in November

Instead of voting on new taxes to reduce transportation revenue shortfalls, Illinois voters will decide on a constitutional amendment to ensure that transportation fees and taxes are only spent on roads and transit, the so-called "lockbox" measure.

May 11, 2016 - Chicago Tribune

Bay Area Wetlands

Parcel Tax Measure Would Fund Climate Adaptation in Bay Area by Restoring Wetlands

Next month, along with picking presidential, U.S. Senate and legislative candidates, and local ballot measures in a primary election, voters in the Bay Area will also determine the outcome of the first regionwide measure in Bay Area history.

May 11, 2016 - KQED Science

Phoenix Dust Storm

Mayoral Op-Ed: Give Cities the Power to Address Climate Change

In an opinion piece, former mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York joins Anne Hidalgo of Paris and Eduardo Paes of Rio de Janeiro. They argue that national governments should give cities every possible tool to cut emissions.

May 10, 2016 - The Guardian

McMansions

The Land Value Tax Explained

A Vox article and podcast delve into the wonky but thought-provoking reasoning behind the land value tax.

May 9, 2016 - Vox

Washington D.C. Metro

Federal Transit Administration Threatens Metro Shutdown after Thursday's Fire

Unless D.C. Metro abides by the Federal Transit Administration safety directives issued Saturday and takes "urgent action," they threatened to shut down all or parts of the system, the nation's second busiest subway after New York's.

May 9, 2016 - The Washington Post

The Greening of Large Trucks Begins at California's Ports

A Planetizen blog post by Casey Brazeal asks, "When will the trucking industry electrify?" Three truck manufacturers and electric truck builder BYD Motors are now in competition thanks to a $23.6 million state grant to the South Coast Air District.

May 9, 2016 - Fleet Owner

Is a Meritocracy Really What We Want?

At first glance, a meritocratic vision is morally compelling, but upon closer scrutiny, its pursuit ends up legitimizing—and thus reinforcing—the very social and economic inequality it purports to rectify.

May 7, 2016 - Shelterforce/Rooflines

Florida Roads

Roads Come Before Transit for Broward, Florida Metropolitan Planning Organization

County commissioners had approved a one-cent sales tax measure to improve roads and transit throughout the county, but MPO members, dominated by city representatives, prefer an undefined infrastructure tax with a majority of funds returned to cities.

May 6, 2016 - Sun Sentinel

Streetcar Graveyard

The Inevitable Rise of the Auto and Fall of the Streetcar in Los Angeles

A timely piece in The Guardian's City series looks at the demise of streetcars in Los Angeles, beginning with the Great American Streetcar Conspiracy. If only it was that simple.

May 4, 2016 - The Guardian Cities

FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.

Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold

The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.

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.