Infrastructure

The Past, Present, and Future of Proptech
Technology is changing the game of real estate in New York City. The technology behind the revolution, called proptech, is only going to become more critical as cities respond to climate change.

Grand Canyon-Adjacent Development Revises Plans to Pave Roads Through National Forest
Developers want to build roads through the Kaibab National Forest to serve a controversial development, including a resort and hundreds of homes, planned for a location just South of the Grand Canyon.

Low Income People of Color More Likely to Suffer Extreme Heat
A recently published report finds more evidence to elevate heat as a matter of environmental justice.

New York Sets a Goal for 5,000 New Curbside Rain Gardens
Seventy percent of the surface of New York City is impervious. A program with a goal to build a total of 9,000 curbside rain gardens will put a dent in the hardscape.

A Houston Columnist Celebrates Japan's Transit Infrastructure
The paper of record in a Texas oil town is a surprising place to find an article singing the praises of a society built on public transit instead of the automobile.

A Transit-Oriented Regional Growth Plan
The Vision 2050 plan, which charts the growth for King, Pierce, Snohomish, and Kitsap counties in Washington State, would focus almost all the growth meant to accommodate 1.8 million new residents inside urban areas.
Trump Administration Supports Ending Bus and Rail Procurements From Chinese Companies
Capital investments could get more expensive, if Congress forces transit systems to buy American.

Sales Tax to Fund Water Projects Extended in Las Vegas Region
The Clark County Commission is extending a sales tax, created in 1998, which could have drawn to a close after raising $2.3 billion or the year 2025, whichever came first. The tax will remain in place indefinitely.

Counties Outside of Bay Area Eye Transportation Mega Measure in 2020
Northern San Joaquin Valley transit officials are eying a $100 billion Bay Area transportation measure to potentially fund a $1 billion rail tunnel for two commuter railroads to bring workers to the East Bay and Silicon Valley.

Transforming the Waterfront into Baltimore's 'Blue Green Heart'
Dutch design firm West 8 recently won a competition to rethink an 11-mile stretch of the Baltimore's waterfront, not to be confused with a $5.5 billion project to redevelop Port Covington.

New York City's Transportation Future Hindered by a Dysfunctional Present
Too many innovative proposals to solve the city’s biggest transportation problems fall by the wayside.

L.A. County's Sustainability Plan Crafted With a Little Help From University Friends
Los Angeles County's new, ambitious sustainability plan was crafted in collaboration with the significant resources available in the region, including one of the nation's finest public universities.

Texas Roadway a Threat to Prairie Preserve, Say Environmentalists
Part of the Houston-area Grand Parkway would pass through a tallgrass prairie reserve, and opponents say it would destroy the grasslands and bird habitat.

Seattle Streetcar Project Facing Major Challenges
The city council approved funding for a new streetcar line, but cost increases mean the project is behind schedule and federal funds could be in jeopardy.

A New Bridge to Connect Brooklyn and Queens
The new Kosciuszko Bridge offers multi-modal passage between boroughs, views to the Manhattan skyline, and probably impossible promises of congestion reduction.

Governor, Regulators Standing Up to Dirty Energy Interests in North Carolina
Can a Democratic governor in a state controlled by a Republic legislature achieve meaningful emissions reductions from the state's energy utilities? North Carolina Governor Gary Cooper is trying.

Editorial: The Best New Chesapeake Bay Bridge Is No New Chesapeake Bay Bridge
The Baltimore Sun Editorial Board finds numerous faults with the state of Maryland's preliminary investigation of an idea to add another bridge across the Chesapeake Bay near Annapolis.

Uber's Complicated Story
Since its founding a decade ago, Uber has reshaped the world through a trajectory of highs and lows.

Lack of Traffic Safety Enforcement Blamed for Vision Zero Failures
Education, engineering, and enforcement are the three "e's" of Vision Zero in San Francisco. A lack of on of those "e's"—enforcement—might explain why more people are dying on the city's streets this year that any year since the city adopted Vision Z

The Problem with Pilot Programs
Pilot programs are a way to test out a policy or program to ensure it is the right solution before investing significant amounts of money. But they also pose a variety of challenges.
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
Tyler Technologies
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