Government / Politics

Will This Bipartisan House Bill to Index the Gas Tax Succeed?

The Bridge to Sustainable Infrastructure Act is taken seriously in Congress. With 17 bipartisan co-sponsors, it would index the gas tax to inflation, thus increasing the Highway Trust Fund revenue and bridging to a sustainable revenue source.

April 21, 2015 - The Hill

Los Angeles' CAO Shows How Trade-Offs Drive City Budgeting

Yesterday marked the release of the city of Los Angeles Mayor’s Budget for FY 2015-2016, and Chief Administrative Officer Miguel Santana delves into the details.

April 21, 2015 - The Planning Report

Foresight and the Built Environment

In the ever changing global landscape, organizations need to anticipate and adapt to shifting circumstances to survive. AJ Artemel spoke to Dr. Gereon Uerz of the Arup Foresight + Innovation team to discuss how this can be realized.

April 21, 2015 - Arup Connect

The Conservative Method of Resilience Planning

Explaining how planning and building for resilience reconciles with Conservative politics.

April 20, 2015 - City Journal

10-Cent Gas Tax Increase Proposed for Road Maintenance in California

SB 16 would also increase the diesel tax (which hasn't been raised in over two decades) by 12-cents, charge electric vehicles a flat $100 annual fee, and increase registration and license fees.

April 20, 2015 - Planetizen

'Broken Windows' Policy Targets Bikes—and Race—in Tampa

An in-depth investigation by the Tampa Bay Times reveals that Blacks on bikes are targeted by police as indicators of larger crimes.

April 20, 2015 - Tamps Bay Times

Emergency Crude-by-Rail Safety Orders Take Effect

The emergency rules issued by DOT, including lowering oil-train speeds to 40 mph in urban areas, go into effect on April 20. They are in addition to rules expected to be released May 12 that address oil tanker car construction.

April 20, 2015 - The New York Times - Energy & Environment

The NBA's Future in Milwaukee Depends on Stadium Financing

A local alderman makes the case for a one percent sales tax dedicated to providing public funding for a new stadium to house the Milwaukee Bucks.

April 16, 2015 - Urban Milwaukee

Sacramento Streetcar Funding Reaches Key Goal

Imagine taking a streetcar across Sacramento's iconic Tower Bridge for a three mile trip. Backers are en route to securing matching local funding for the project. However, local voters will have the final say in a June 2 Mello-Roos special election.

April 16, 2015 - The Sacramento Bee

'Hooray' for a Six Cents Gas Tax Bill in Missouri

This St. Louis Patch-Dispatch editorial analyzes the legislature as well as the bill to raise gas taxes two-cent a year for three years, taking aim at Republican House members who will be "automatic no votes." Illinois may also increase its gas tax.

April 15, 2015 - St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Study Examines the Importance of Planning by States and Nation-States

With so much focus on local planning in recent years, what opportunities are there for planning at the state and nation-state level? A new study by the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy examines case studies from the United States and Europe.

April 14, 2015 - At Lincoln House

Ambitious Energy-Efficiency Bill Moving Forward in California

A committee passed a bill written to meet Gov. Jerry Brown's 2030 environmental goals: Reduce oil consumption by 50 percent, require renewables to supply 50 percent of electricity generation, and double energy efficiency in existing buildings.

April 14, 2015 - Capital Public Radio

'Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.'—the DNA of Urban Succession

Don't design for the climax condition if today's marketplace supports something less—and other urban succession ideas.

April 14, 2015 - PlaceShakers

Three Es of Grade Crossing Safety: Focus on Enforcement

Education, Engineering, and Enforcement. MTA police are taking the last one very seriously at grade crossings they monitor on the Metro-North and LIRR lines since the February crash in Westchester County that killed five passengers and a motorist.

April 13, 2015 - The Wall Street Journal

One City's Experience with Bike Licensing Requirements

Looking for a case study of bike licensing programs, which are sometimes recommended as programs to reduce thefts and increase bike safety? The city of Regina in Canada is ready to ditch its license program.

April 12, 2015 - CBC News

Red and Blue States

Op-Ed: Where GOP Is Strong, Cities Receive Less

When it comes to federal appropriations, urban areas in states dominated by rural Republicans are at a distinct disadvantage. In search of lobbying power, metros in affected states are banding together.

April 11, 2015 - Governing Magazine

Bike Share on San Francisco Peninsula in Jeopardy

Palo Alto may be one of America's most bike-friendly small cities, but when it comes to bikeshare, it's been a flop. It's not alone—ridership has been low in Mountain View and Redwood City as well.

April 10, 2015 - Palo Alto Online

Management, Not Technology, Will Solve California's Drought

It should come as no surprise that Eduardo Porter, who writes the Economic Scene column for The New York Times, is not enamoured by technological silver bullets like desalination as ways for California to survive it's four-year plus drought.

April 9, 2015 - The New York Times - Economy

Los Angeles Releases Ambitious 'Sustainable City Plan'

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti has ambitious plans to modernize the city. This week his administration laid out a sweeping sustainability agenda on matters of critical importance to the future of the nation's second largest city.

April 9, 2015 - Los Angeles Daily News

Visioning Edges in Cities, and the Spaces Beyond

In an inspirational essay about the undeveloped boundaries of the public domain (such as street-ends), Chuck Wolfe urges innovation in city spaces where we "blend the familiar with the edge of the unknown."

April 9, 2015 - The Huffington Post

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.