The city of Chicago is taking first steps toward a commitment to better bus service in the design and configuration of the city's streets.
Courtney Cobbs reports for Streetsblog Chicago: “Today the CTA and the Chicago Department of Transportation announced that they’re seeking public input on the Better Streets for Buses plan, an effort to improve bus service on key routes across the city.”
The Better Streets for Buses is considering improvements like bus boarding islands, bus priority at traffic lights, and bus-only lanes on a proposed network of streets (the proposed network can be explored on an interactive map included on the project website).
The plan is underway with $300,000 in funding from the Chicago Metropolitan Planning Council. Any capital investments resulting from the plan would require separate funding allocations.
Nest steps include a series of virtual public meetings—three are scheduled in May, according to the article.
FULL STORY: Chicago seeks input for Better Streets for Buses plan: “The people who ride buses matter”

Four ‘Low-Hanging Fruit’ Zoning Reforms
An excerpt from the latest book on zoning argues for four approaches to reform that can immediately improve land use regulation in the United States.

Judge Blocks Minneapolis 2040 Implementation, Citing Lack of Environmental Review
Environmentalists have used the power of the legal system to protect the car-centric status quo of single-family zoning once again, overturning a landmark planning innovation in Minneapolis.

L.A. Seeking Funding for New Transit Projects Prior to the 2028 Summer Olympics
Los Angeles officials have been working for years to deliver a suite of transit projects in time for the 2028 Olympics. Planners now hope federal infrastructure funding could reinvigorate the effort.

Report: Dallas Needs $54 Million in Sidewalk Ramps and Crosswalk Repairs
The city, which recently adopted a Vision Zero action plan, has one of the nation’s highest pedestrian fatality rates.

San Francisco Just Ended Single-Family Zoning
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted to Tuesday to eliminate single-family zoning, but pro-development advocates say additional changes are needed to unleash a wave of construction.

Dallas-Area City Wants to Increase Minimum Home Size to 2,000 Square Feet
While some cities are finding ways to add density and use zoning as a tool for affordability, Mesquite, Texas is headed the other direction.
Palm Beach Transportation Planning Agency (TPA)
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension
Windham Regional Commission
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Harvard Graduate School of Design Executive Education
Harvard Graduate School of Design Executive Education
City of Helena
Gallatin County, Montana
West Palm Beach Downtown Development Authority
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.