Infrastructure

Planetizen Week in Review: September 3, 2016
Books! Maps! Data! Renderings! What more could you want from one week?

More Study Needed: How to Make Green Streets Work
A review of the current research into the effectiveness of green streets and green infrastructure finds gaps in our understanding of what works, and where.

Serenity Now! BART Finds a Solution to Its Screeching Trains
BART trains have always made a lot of noise—impacting riders and the people who live along the regional system's routes. Now there's hope that the racket could be a thing of the past.

A New Road to Relieve Congestion on Denver's Southern Periphery
Castle Rock Parkway, which connects US 85 and I-25 south of Denver (or north of Colorado Springs, depending on your perspective), opened service to the public this week.

Texas Would Need $24 Billion to End Highway Tolls
Texas politicians are wondering how much it would cost to remove tolls from hundreds of miles of roads around the state. Though the political cost of tolling is high, the actual cost, it turns out, is higher.

Maryland Spending $5 Million to Study Another Span for the Bay Bridge
Maryland Governor Larry Hogan has thrown support behind a study to add a third span to the Bay Bridge that spans the Chesapeake Bay.

A New Financing Tool for California: Enhanced Infrastructure Finance Districts
Enhanced infrastructure finance districts allow regional cooperation on infrastructure investment and economic development.

Lessons from Louisiana
We should have seen the historic flooding in the Florida Parishes region of Louisiana coming—both in preparation and in response—says a pair of recent articles.

Pasadena Eases Into Bikeshare, Complete Streets
Located northeast of downtown Los Angeles, Pasadena is a "destination city" of its own. A recent push to make its streets more bike-friendly coincides with the upcoming arrival of bikeshare.

This November, Four Major Transportation Measures at Stake
If you live in Detroit, Atlanta, Seattle, or Los Angeles, you have more to look forward to in November than choosing Donald or Hillary. Major decisions concerning regional transportation are on the line.

Photo Series: St. Louis Highway Blues
Photographer Michael DeFilippo captures the striking, ironic, and often depressing ways in which highways cut apart the urban fabric of St. Louis.

Native American Protest Grows in Response to North Dakota Pipeline Project
Comparisons to Wounded Knee have been common as a growing number of Native Americans are gathering in North Dakota to protest the construction of a new crude oil pipeline.

Dallas Mixes Residential Development With a Road Diet, Gets Controversy
The Dallas City Council approved a road diet for Knox Street in Dallas, where 1,000 residential units are under construction on an already thriving commercial corridor.

What's Powering the Texas Wind Energy Industry?
The Wall Street Journal provides detailed coverage of the Texas wind energy industry, as well as the prospects for even greater adoption of renewable energy in the state.
Amtrak Receives $2.45 Billion Federally Secured Loan for New Acela Trains
Amtrak will replace, rather than overhaul, aging Acela trains with new, 186-mph trains from French manufacturer, Alstom, though they won't exceed 160 mph. The agreement was announced Friday by VP Joe Biden at Biden Station, Wilmington, Del.

Planning for Resilience on Coney Island Creek
A case study in New York's response to the Hurricane Sandy flooding in the neighborhoods of Coney Island and Gravesend.

Climate Change Requires a Different Paradigm for California's Water Supply
Jeff Kightlinger, general manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, explains how the impacts of California’s historic drought are already changing the landscape of the American Southwest.

Sacramento Rising: Mayor-Elect Darrell Steinberg's Vision for Sustainable Communities
Mayor-Elect Steinberg enters City Hall as a leader with a unique opportunity to enact sustainable infill policies he championed in the California Legislature.

For Host Cities, Olympic Legacies Are Mixed
The two-week competition is often touted as a galvanizing force for urban development. But that's only cities include the Games' legacy in their planning process from the start.

The Heritage Trail, a 60-Mile Dream, Becoming a Reality on the Delaware River
The Heritage Trail would loop around either side of the Delaware River, from Trenton, New Jersey, down to Philadelphia and back, exploring historic sites and a variety of neighborhoods and parks all along the way.
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 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