Infrastructure

Building Rural Resilience
Rural areas have been attracting a lot attention for news sources traditionally devoted to urban news and information. A new report from the Brookings Institution is the latest example.

An Atlas of E-Scooter Policies
Introducing the Micromobility Policy Atlas.

U.S. DOT Releases First-Ever Pedestrian Safety Plan
Record numbers of pedestrians have been killed by drivers in recent years. The federal government says a "team effort" will be necessary to stop the carnage.

The Transit Catastrophe Continues: San Francisco, D.C. Forecast Service Cuts, Layoffs
Advocates have been waiting for the other shoe to drop as transit agencies deal with cratered revenues during the pandemic without support from Congress.

Dedicated Center Lane Planned for Madison Bus Rapid Transit
Some portions of the bus rapid transit (BRT) system planned for Madison, Wisconsin will resemble the fully realized BRT systems more common in other parts of the world.

On Rent Control and a Green New Deal, Portland, Maine Voters Go Where Others Don't Dare
Rent control was dealt another high-profile setback in California, and the Green New Deal is a hot button issue stuck in limbo in Congress. Both efforts got the go-ahead from voters in Portland, Maine in November.

Maryland's Purple Line Gets the Green Light Again
The public-private partnership behind the Purple Line light rail project in Maryland fell apart in September, and has this past week been revived.

The Top Urban Planning Books of 2020
The public health crisis of the coronavirus pandemic upended all the normal day-today routines this year. At least there are plenty of great urban planning books to read.

Cities Double Down on Car-Centric Services During the Pandemic
The pandemic has created even more obstacles to participation in society for those without a car.

New York City Traffic Fatalities Pass 2019 Totals
The visions of a car-free utopia that might have seemed like a potential silver lining in March and April have given away to a tragic reality.

Bipartisan Compromise in Arizona Results in Carbon-Free Energy Plan
The state of Arizona has a plan to eliminate carbon emissions from electricity generation by 2050.

Flooded: How Natural Disasters Lead to Predatory Lending in the Rio Grande Valley
The devastation that communities in the Rio Grande Valley face is twofold: the initial destruction of the floods and the cycle of debt and poverty as a result of predatory loans.

A Contemporary Update to the #BlackFridayParking Tradition
For years, Strong Towns readers have been pointing out the vast empty parking lots on the busiest shopping day of the year as evidence of poor land use regulations. Now the #iwishthisparkingwas hashtag imagines a different future.

70,000 Road Deaths in 20 Years: Texas Struggles With Traffic Safety
Texas has had a road fatality every single day for 20 years.

Transportation Tech Innovation Zone Launched in Los Angeles
Urban Movement Labs (UML) is working with the office of Mayor Eric Garcetti to undertake a series of pilot programs to entice private companies to Los Angeles to develop and test innovation transportation technology.

Criticisms for Two Seattle Transportation Studies
Two studies begin the process of spending billions of dollars for infrastructure in Ballard and Interbay in Seattle. According to this critique, the effort is off on the wrong foot.

New York Could Reward Parking Tattle Tales
Parking scofflaws beware: your neighbor could soon have a financial incentive to notice your hijinks.

A Big Trail Win for Seattle
Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan and the Seattle City Council have given all the funding necessary to make the Georgetown-to-South Park Trail a reality.

WMATA Approved Buyouts and Service Reductions
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority couldn't wait for a still hypothetical bailout from Congress or the Biden administration.

Southern California Officials Slow to Accept Complete Streets
Proposed changes to the Los Angeles County Transportation Authority's highway program would allow local governments the flexibility to implement complete street elements with new projects. The proposition has been a surprisingly tough sell.
Pagination
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.
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions