Infrastructure

Water

Trump Budget's Devastating Effect on the EPA and Two of America's Greatest Water Resources

President Trump's budget for 2018 has the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency take the steepest hit—31 percent. Funding for two vital programs, the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and Chesapeake Bay Program, will have their funds eliminated.

March 20, 2017 - E&E News [Subscription]

Freeway

More States Cracking Down on Slow Drivers in the Passing Lane

Some people just can't help but help themselves to the fast lane.

March 17, 2017 - PBS

Brooklyn Program a Leader in 'Microgrid' Electricity Generation

About 50 property owners in the trendiest of New York boroughs have launched a fledgling solar microgrid—sometimes called distributed or peer-to-peer generation. Someday, such arrangements could put a huge dent in the utility industry.

March 17, 2017 - The New York Times

Monorail. Las Vegas

Las Vegas Light Rail Plans Take a Big Step Forward

The Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada has proven its seriousness about an ambitious proposal to build a light rail connection between McCarran International Airport and the Las Vegas Strip.

March 17, 2017 - The Associated Press

Border Wall

Trump Administration Lawyering Up for Eminent Domain at the U.S.-Mexico Border

One of the nuggets of significance in the Trump Administration's budget draft indicates the president's seriousness about building a wall on the border between the United States and Mexico.

March 17, 2017 - The Wall Street Journal

Captal Metro

Trump's Draft Budget: Very Bad News for Transit Planners

Transit advocates should be concerned about the cuts proposed by the Trump Administration's early budget draft.

March 16, 2017 - Streetsblog USA

Road Maintenance

Portland Anarchists Illegally Repair Potholes

Saying that they believe in direct action and suspecting the motives of the State, a group of Portland anarchists are taking to the streets to fix potholes.

March 16, 2017 - Boing Boing

President Trump's Other Infrastructure Plan—Defunding Grant Programs

The showman captured America's attention with a promise to "make America great again" with a $1 trillion infrastructure plan. Receiving scant attention are the infrastructure grant programs he'll cut in order to fund massive defense spending.

March 16, 2017 - The Hill

Midwest Flooding

The Upside of Flooding

Stormwater and cities don't mix. Stormwater and nature, however, are well suited for each other.

March 15, 2017 - Houston Chronicle

Feather River

Oroville Dam Repair Costs Still a Confusing Secret

The Mercury News issues a pointed critique of the public relations efforts at the California Department of Water Resources in the shadow of this winter’s Oroville Dam crisis.

March 14, 2017 - The Mercury News

Downtown Miami

Miami's Giant Pop Up Recreates Downtown Street

Temporary installation is the first attempt to showcase possible improvements that could transform Biscayne Boulevard in Downtown Miami into street rivaling the Embarcadero in San Francisco

March 14, 2017 - Modern Cities

Empty Subway

Transit Agencies Struggling to Predict Ridership, Even as They Raise Fares

At transit agencies like D.C, Metro, bad ridership projections beget bad fare scheduling which begets bad budgets. And so on.

March 13, 2017 - WAMU

Manhole Steam

Local Opposition Prevails in Battle Over Subway Emergency Ventilation Plant in New York

Neighborhood opposition kills an infrastructure pipe dream in New York City.

March 13, 2017 - DNAInfo

Queen-Spadina

The Wisdom of Engaging Nervous Cyclists

It was clear to the City of Toronto that engaging less confident cyclists that make up 60% of the population, yet seldom come to community meetings, might be the key to dramatic mode shifts in the city. Here's how it happened.

March 13, 2017 - Dave Biggs

Charlotte Lynx

Light Rail Opening Next Year, More Lines Proposed—Transit Debates Keep Finding Charlotte

An extension of the Lynx Blue Line is schedule to open to the public on March 31, 2018. Controversy regarding sales taxes have traditionally followed transit projects in the region.

March 12, 2017 - Charlotte Magazine

Pothole Car

In Omaha, 'Reclaiming' Potholed Streets Means Unpaving Them

The euphemism refers to a cost-saving measure that's happening even in central districts, to the chagrin of residents. This reversion to gravel roads is one manifestation of a looming local infrastructure deficit.

March 12, 2017 - The New York Times

Civil Engineers Release U.S. Infrastructure Scorecard: D+

Every four years the American Society of Civil Engineers issues a report on the state of America's infrastructure, extensively cited by the media. This year's report, released March 9, shows no improvement over 2013's, but do check the subcategories

March 10, 2017 - American Society Of Civil Engineers

Bunker Hill

Los Angeles' Iconic Angels Flight Railway To Utilize P3 Model

After appearing in the film La La Land, the world-renowned, iconic, 116-year-old Angels Flight will reopen to the public after a three-year modernization process.

March 10, 2017 - The Planning Report

Urban Agriculture

Tax Credits to Encourage Urban Agriculture

Montgomery County, Maryland is the latest municipality to approve an agricultural tax credit to to create incentives for agricultural uses in urban areas.

March 10, 2017 - Source of the Spring

City of Bridges

7 Ideas to Improve Transportation in the Pittsburgh Region

The Regional Transportation Alliance released its "Imagine Transportation 2.0" report this week.

March 10, 2017 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

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.