The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Columbia Bridge on Interstate 5 between Washington and Oregon.

Opinion: I-5 Expansion EIR Deludes Itself

The environmental impact report for a massive highway project in the Pacific Northwest ignores the reality of induced demand.

October 24 - The Urbanist

Aerial view of Macarthur Park lake with downtown Los Angeles skyline in background.

L.A. County’s New Climate Resilience Officer

As the CRO, Matthew Gonser is focused on tackling extreme heat, flooding, and wildfires while engaging the community and implementing systemic changes to build a more sustainable and climate-resilient future.

October 24 - Los Angeles County Chief Sustainability Office

Sign for Manzanar War Relocation Center WWI-era internment camp in California with Sierra Nevada mountains in background.

Rebuilding Hope: Restoring Manzanar's Baseball Field

Los Angeles artist Dan Kwong is leading a project to restore the baseball field at the Manzanar National Historic Site, honoring the resilience of Japanese Americans incarcerated there during World War II.

October 24 - LAist

Yellow and black Metro light rail train pulling up to outdoor platform with Los Angeles skyline in background.

L.A. Transit Surpasses 1M Weekday Riders for First Time Since Pandemic

Rail and bus ridership in the Los Angeles metropolitan area is recovering at a faster rate than the national average.

October 24 - KNX News

Sign with icons indicating access to multiple transportation modes in Le Havre, France

BLOG POST

Evaluating Transportation Affordability: How Planners Can Better Respond to Demands for Lower Cost Travel

Affordability is an important but often overlooked transportation planning issue. A new report provides practical guidance for evaluating transportation affordability and achieving affordability goals.

October 24 - Todd Litman


Red Light

Banning Right Turns on Red: Lessons From Atlanta

How road safety activists passed a law that could make roads much safer.

October 24 - Streetsblog USA

Aerial view of dense neighborhood with beach homes on coast in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina.

Rising Insurance Rates Squeezing Affordable Housing Developers

Spiking insurance costs in coastal areas prone to climate disasters are making it harder for low-income housing developers to keep building.

October 24 - WHQR


Bird's eye view of park with green trees, concrete walkways, and benches on lake or riverfront.

FEATURE

Not a Walk in the Park: What It Really Takes to Build Green Spaces

Park creation can take decades of perseverance to overcome financial, regulatory, and social hurdles, but the end result for the local community is more than worth it.

October 23 - Clement Lau

Busy pedestrian crosswalk on wide boulevard in Santa Monica, California lined with tall palm trees against golden hour light.

California Transportation Commission Reluctant to Incorporate Complete Streets Guidelines

The agency plans to update its road design guidelines by the end of the year — before a new law that prioritizes pedestrian and cyclist safety takes effect.

October 23 - Streetsblog California

View of Salt Lake City, Utah skyline with snowy mountains in background.

Utah to Build New, 1,200-Bed Shelter Campus

The state’s attempt to decentralize emergency homeless shelters yielded poor results, leading to a decision to develop a “transformative” intake campus with wraparound services.

October 23 - Utah News Dispatch

Vacant two-story red brick home in Detroit with missing windows.

Checking in on Detroit’s Housing Renaissance

Efforts by the city and residents have generated 17,000 new housing units in the last five years.

October 23 - Strong Towns

View of Alabama state capitol in Montgomery, Alabama at night.

Proposed Alabama Bill Would Fund Public Transit

The senator who introduced the legislation cited concerns about the state’s low levels of workforce participation, noting that a lack of transportation is one of the main reasons Alabama residents can’t participate in the workforce.

October 23 - Alabama Daily News

Longleaf pine prairie in the Savage Christmas Creek Preserve near Orlando, Florida.

Harnessing GIS and Fire for Longleaf Pine Conservation

Scientists in Florida are using GIS technology to strategically manage prescribed burns, aiding in the restoration and biodiversity of longleaf pine ecosystems while enhancing climate resilience across the Southeast.

October 23 - Esri Blog

Man in suit holding tablet looking at subway turnstiles with superimposed graphics signaling technology and AI.

How AI Can Improve Public Transit

Machine learning and AI can transform the way transit agencies operate and make service faster and more comfortable for users.

October 23 - RT Insights

Nuclear New York

Google Inks Nuclear Power Deal

Tech giants are seeking out renewable energy to fuel power-hungry data centers and AI applications.

October 22 - ESG Today

Dark blue Greyhound buses parked in a row.

Flixbus Nearing Deal With Chicago Bus Terminal

Greyhound is shedding stations around the country, but Chicago intercity bus passengers will still be able to use the city’s main bus terminal — for now.

October 22 - Smart Cities Dive

How a Dallas Housing Coalition Won Bonds for Affordable Housing

Dallas's bonds aren't usually used for housing. A new coalition of advocates changed that.

October 22 - Shelterforce Magazine

Large trees on street in Las Vegas at night.

Urban Trees Have Bigger Impact in Hot, Dry Cities

The cooling effect of robust urban tree canopies is more pronounced in hotter, drier cities like Phoenix and Las Vegas.

October 22 - U.S. Geological Survey

Two-way green painted bike lane in city.

BLOG POST

Book Review: Combining Sustainability and Smart Growth

A review of The Sustainable Urban Design Handbook, by architects Nico Larco and Kaarin Knudson.

October 22 - Michael Lewyn

Nighttime view of blurred fast car traffic on street leading to U.S. Capitol dome in Washington, D.C.

DC’s Traffic Cameras Are Working, but Not a Panacea

Automated enforcement is reducing speeding, but bigger changes to street design and the built environment are needed to make the District’s streets safer and more pleasant for people walking.

October 22 - Greater Greater Washington

Post News

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.

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.