Infrastructure

D.C. Metro Bus

Report Lays Out a New Path for Bus Service in the D.C. Region

Ridership on the WMATA bus system, down an estimated 13 percent between 2012 and 2017, will need drastic innovations to reverse, according to a new report by the Bus Transformation project.

May 7, 2019 - The Washington Post

Colorado

Connecting Plans to the Water Supply

The city of Westminster, Colorado has grown from 10,000 in 1962 to 113,000 in the present day, ensuring water supply for the growing population by considering water efficiency in every zoning decision.

May 7, 2019 - CityLab

Dallas, Texas

Op-Ed Exposes The Land Use Connections to Congestion in North Texas

The rapid economic growth of North Texas might not translate to economic mobility for many residents if the region can't better connect land use and transportation planning, according to this opinion piece.

May 7, 2019 - The Dallas Morning News

Toronto Freeway

Speed Limits Could Increase on Ontario Highways

Ontario Transportation Minister Jeff Yurek says it been too long since the province raised speed limits on many of its highways, despite the safety risks of speeding.

May 7, 2019 - CBC News

The Rockaway Beach Boardwalk

Zoning Reform for Coastal Resilience in New York City

The New York City Department of City Planning has released a large set of recommendations for zoning changes designed to help the city's many coastal areas weather the inevitable extreme weather events of climate change and sea level rise.

May 7, 2019 - NYC Planning

High Speed Rail California

The Consultants Behind the CA High-Speed Rail Debacle

The state's high-speed rail project is billions of dollars over budget and years behind schedule. A major problem is that consultants have been running the show from the start, say critics.

May 6, 2019 - Los Angeles Times

Arlington County, Virginia

Amazon Promises Better Planning Outcomes for Virginia

Northern Virginia's housing market won't follow the path of the Seattle housing market, according to Amazon officials, because they have a new growth plan.

May 6, 2019 - The Washington Post

Bay Area Wetlands

A New Plan for Sea Level Rise in the San Francisco Bay Area

The San Francisco Bay has 400 miles of shoreline, and a dire need for a new approach to dealing with the effects of rising water levels. An estimated $100 billion in potential property damage is at risk.

May 5, 2019 - San Francisco Chronicle

Tilikum Crossing

How Much for Roads and Highways in a Proposed Portland-Area Transportation Funding Measure?

A regional transportation tax could be on the 2020 ballot in Portland and surrounding communities in Oregon. How much of that money created by the new tax, should it pass, will go to transit and how much will go to cars is an open question.

May 5, 2019 - Willamette Week

Texas Bike Lane

Bike Infrastructure Makeover Underway in Houston

It might surprise people outside of Texas to hear about the progress of new, high quality bike infrastructure in the city of Houston.

May 5, 2019 - Next City

JR Shinkansen

Cascadia High Speed Rail Authority Has its First Funding

The state of Washington has allocated funding from its 2019-2021 biennium transportation appropriations bill to study the creation of the Cascadia High Speed Rail Authority.

May 4, 2019 - The Urbanist

Western Wisconsin

Dam Removal Movement Gains Ground in Wisconsin

More cities are reclaiming a natural, free flowing river as a resource for quality of life and economic development.

May 4, 2019 - Pioneer Press

Police Show

State Audit Calls into Question the Use of Gas Tax Dollars to Fund State Police

The state with the highest fuel taxes has the second most structurally deficient bridges. According to the Pennsylvania state auditor's new report, diversion of $4.2 billion to fund the state police during the last six years is to blame.

May 3, 2019 - Beaver County Times

Mississippi River

Infrastructure Funding Deal for New Orleans Requires Major Politicking

Infrastructure funding has been the subject of major negotiations between politicians at the state of Louisiana and the city of New Orleans.

May 3, 2019 - The Times-Picayune

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Community Solar, an Alternative Energy Win-Win

Across the country, community solar is taking off and making the financial and environmental benefits of solar energy more accessible.

May 3, 2019 - Curbed New York

San Diego Trolley

The Regional Planning Agency Wanted to Evolve on Transportation. The County Said No.

A kerfuffle in San Diego, as San Diego County and the San Diego Association of Governments find themselves at odds over the future of transportation in the region.

May 3, 2019 - NBC San Diego

Los Angeles

Unequal Distribution of Shade Is Environmental Injustice

A longread, written by Sam Boch and published by Places Journal, has been creating a stir online and is highly recommended for those with an interest in intersections between social justice and urban design.

May 3, 2019 - Places Journal

Bike KC Master Plan

An Ambitious Bike Plan for Kansas City Prioritizes Safety

The City Council of Kansas City is preparing to vote on the Bike KC Master Plan, which would set the city on a course to build a large network of high-quality bike infrastructure.

May 3, 2019 - KCUR

Boston, Massachusetts

Commute Frustrations Boil Over in Massachusetts Poll

A recent poll of Massachusetts voters was able to connect the realities of the housing market to the frustrations of the daily commute.

May 2, 2019 - The American Prospect

Bike Lane

One Less Protected Bike Lane in Baltimore

A bike lane on Roland Avenue in Baltimore had been separated from vehicle traffic by vehicle parking, but no longer.

May 2, 2019 - The Baltimore Sun

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.