Protected bike lanes, like the one Pasadena is installing on Union Street, increase safety for all road users and reduce the likelihood of fatal crashes.

As the city of Pasadena installs its first protected bike lane, the Pasadena Complete Streets Coalition is encouraging the city to ensure its plans for bike safety move forward despite concerns from some critics about slowing down car traffic. Melanie Curry, writing for Streetsblog California, says that "in the past, the city has watered down plans for robust bike infrastructure in response to complaints about traffic being slowed down." But slower traffic is crucial to reducing the number and deadliness of car crashes, particularly on residential streets. Because slower speeds increase safety for everyone, "good design should be prioritized over concerns about slower car traffic."
"Protected bike lanes are safer for everyone using them, not just pedestrians and bicyclists," says John Lloyd of Pasadena Complete Streets in the article. The reduced speed required by protected bike lanes "leads to fewer fatalities and better road-safety outcomes for all road users." A 2019 study of 12 cities found that protected bike lanes "dramatically" reduced fatalities. "People make mistakes," said Lloyd, "but designing streets for slower speeds means fewer of those mistakes result in people dying."
FULL STORY: A Reminder that Protected Bike Lanes Can Make Streets Safer for Everyone

Planning for Congestion Relief
The third and final installment of Planetizen's examination of the role of the planning profession in both perpetuating and solving traffic congestion.

Minneapolis Housing Plan a Success—Not for the Reason You Think
Housing advocates praise the city’s move to eliminate single-family zoning by legalizing triplexes on single-family lots, but that isn’t why housing construction is growing.

New White House Housing Initiative Includes Zoning Reform Incentives
The Biden administration this morning released a new program of actions intended to spur housing construction around the United States.

Study: Most of Vancouver Is a ‘15-Minute City’
A large majority of Vancouver residents can access a grocery store in 15 minutes or less by bicycle or on foot.

Urban Design, Transport, and Health
The Lancet medical journal published a series of articles that explore how to evaluate and guide urban planning decisions to create healthy and sustainable cities. Live long and prosper!

Detroit Bike Share Celebrates Five Years
In its five years of operation, Detroit’s MoGo bikeshare has added electric and adaptive bikes to its fleet of more than 600 bikes.
Urban Planning Partners
Sandy City
Ada County Highway District
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Redwood City
City of Rohnert Park
City of Hot Springs
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.
Hand Drawing Master Plans
This course aims to provide an introduction into Urban Design Sketching focused on how to hand draw master plans using a mix of colored markers.