Land Use
The Dutch Junction Explained
Cars and cyclists have issues at intersections. A new type of intersection design from the Netherlands offers improved protection to cyclists. The solution is based on the four islands near each corner of the intersection.

On the Surprising Efficiency of Big City Commutes
Logically we might assume that as cities grow larger, commutes get harder. It can certainly feel that way. But research points to structural factors that actually make commuting in big cities more efficient.

What Will the 'Third Los Angeles' Look Like?
Architecture critic Christopher Hawthorne describes an L.A. in flux, at once beholden to its postwar image and pushing in a new direction. The city, he says, faces existential questions on a scale unmatched elsewhere in the nation.
Vanishing Act for Free Parking on the Las Vegas Strip
Among other things, the Las Vegas Strip is famous for seemingly infinite numbers of free parking spots. MGM, however, will soon change the game.

Reading List: Walking in the City
Sometimes, city walks can mean more than just getting from place to place. Author and book critic David Ulin discusses his favorite accounts of that rich experience.
A First Look at Washington, D.C.'s New Zoning Code
The D.C. Zoning Commission last week approved a new zoning code for the nation's capital. The new code will go into effect in September.
Environmental Groups Sue to Stop Sprawl in the Inland Empire
On the fringes of the built environment in Southern California, comes a turn of events much more common in the urban core: the California Environmental Quality Act has been invoked to put the brakes on a general plan update.

City Nixes Idea to Shut Down More Streets for Cubs Games
Any open streets benefits for a proposal to shut down Clark and Addison streets near Wrigley Field would have been secondary to security concerns—but it's all conjecture after the Mayor's Office nixed the idea.

Calgary Ends the 'Sprawl Subsidy'
An op-ed by the mayor of Calgary, Canada celebrates the adoption of a new off-site levy that will change the financing formula for new development and the necessary infrastructure that comes with it.
On Plans That Turn Out Like News Years’ Resolutions
A Dallas area writer finds parallels between the city’s planning processes and the New Years’ resolution practices of most human beings.
Case Study: Denver's Accessory Dwelling Units
Since a zoning code change in 2010, the city of Denver has added 66 accessory dwelling units in a city of 650,000.
Philadelphia Searches for a Place to Feed the Hungry
Urban planning challenge: where to site a large tent for serving meals to the homeless in a revitalizing part of Philadelphia.
Three Big Planning Projects on the Way in Northern Virginia
Big things are expected from planners in Northern Virginia this year.
'Homeowner-Friendly' Zoning Changes Proposed in Staten Island
Proposed zoning changes would allow residents to build "as-of-right" in Staten Island's "natural" districts.

Study Finds Strong Evidence that Parking Causes Driving
A new study presented at the Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting builds a strong case that parking causes driving.
Step Aside San Francisco: The Tech Industry Still Calls the Silicon Valley Home
You wouldn't be alone if you thought the tech industry had shifted its base of operations from the Silicon Valley to San Francisco. A new study of the tech industry's real estate footprint, however, reveals the South Bay's entrenched dominance.

What's So Urban About the Suburbs?
A new book makes the case for suburban urbanity.
Wise Use Movement Galvanizes Oregon Wildlife Refuge Occupation
In an news analysis for The New York Times Sunday Review, Alan Feuer sees the occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Harney County, Oregon as another struggle between the Wise Use movement, which began is the 1980s, and the mainstream.

Washington Port City Seeks To Attract Visitors With Wine Village
The Port of Kennewick, Washington, along the Columbia River, is hoping to combine some underutilized waterfront property and nearby wineries into a new attraction for wine lovers.
Even Homer Nods: Responding to Paul Krugman on Housing
New York Times op-ed columnist Paul Krugman, usually an astute observer, must have been having an off day when he made a completely incorrect assessment in his column on gentrification in New York City.
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.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie