Illinois gets to new pieces of legislation aimed at slowing the rise in pedestrian deaths and other commuter injuries.
Distracted drivers are part of the reason for the growing number of pedestrian deaths in the United States, but in Illinois, drivers were generally given a warning for talking on the phone on the road. This month, Governor Bruce Rauner signed legislation to change that. "The new law, which goes into effect next July, makes the penalty $75 for a first offense, $100 for a second, $125 for a third and $150 for a fourth or subsequent offense," Mary Wisniewski reports in the Chicago Tribune. Whether or not this legislation is effective may depend on enforcement, which has dropped off almost entirely in the city of Chicago.
Another bill will add the "Dutch Reach" to the Illinois Rules of the Roaddriving manual. This technique involves drivers, and passengers on the driver's side of a car using the hand furthest from the door to open it, so that they don't open a door into traffic causing an accident, or striking a bike rider. "Illinois Department of Transportation data shows dooring crashes on the rise across the state. In 2015, there were more than 300 reported in Chicago, a 50 percent increase from the previous year," Wisniewski reports.
FULL STORY: New distracted driving fine, bike safety rule signed into law
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
Planning for Accessibility: Proximity is More Important than Mobility
Accessibility-based planning minimizes the distance that people must travel to reach desired services and activities. Measured this way, increased density can provide more total benefits than increased speeds.
World's Largest Wildlife Overpass In the Works in Los Angeles County
Caltrans will soon close half of the 101 Freeway in order to continue construction of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing near Agoura Hills in Los Angeles County.
Eviction Looms for Low-Income Tenants as Rent Debt Rises
Nonprofit housing operators across the country face almost $10 billion in rent debt.
Brightline West Breaks Ground
The high-speed rail line will link Las Vegas and the Los Angeles area.
Colorado Bans No-Fault Evictions
In most cases, landlords must provide a just cause for evicting tenants.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Tufts University, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy & Planning
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
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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.