The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Fear of Density Faulted for Lack of Open Spaces in Dallas
Planners and residents are concerned about the lack of green space requirements in the booming area of Uptown in Dallas. Instead of delivering amenities, some say, developers are often engaged in battles over density.
Study Shows Public Health Benefits of Recreational Facilities on Urban Rivers
A new study finds that the cost of building urban river parkways and other recreational facilities is more than offset by the savings in public health costs, such as obesity.
Helping Municipalities Manage 'Lazy' Real Estate Assets
A new tech startup, incubated at Harvard University, assists municipalities in unlocking the potential of their fallow, or "lazy," real estate assets.
California has the Potential to Power Itself Solely by Renewables
The new paper, "A Roadmap for Repowering California for all Purposes with Wind, Water, and Sunlight," discusses the potential clean energy future for the Golden State by 2050.
Reorienting a DOT Around Livable Streets
A city famous for its intransigent car culture is bringing in an active transportation expert to run its Department of Transportation.
Study uses Google Street View to Assess Gentrification
By assessing three different groups of indicators, researchers were able to tour thousands of blocks in Chicago through Google Street View and compare visual signs of reinvestment and renewal between 2007 and 2009.
International Effort Needed to Prevent Recurrence of Lake Erie Algal Bloom
On Monday, August 4, half a million people in the Toledo, Ohio metro region could once again drink from their water taps after a weekend without safe drinking water due to a toxin resulting from an algal bloom in the city's water supply, Lake Erie.
Sexier Stairs for Sexier Bodies, in New York City
A massive ad campaign by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Health is encouraging people to take the stairs for their health and the environment.
Lyft Line, UberPool: Carpooling Features to Compete with Mass Transit
A new tier of service for Lyft launched today, allowing customers traveling in the same direction to share a ride. The new product follows a similar release earlier this week by Uber.
Place-Based Development and Streetcar Transforming Downtown Tucson
Restaurants, retail, offices, and adobe homes pop-up in and around the long-suffering downtown damaged by urban renewal.
Exercise in Futility: Pressing the Button to Cross the Street
An article in the Dallas News find the devil is in the details: namely, the difficulty in maintaining the little things that make a multi-modal street work—like the little push buttons (some call them "beg buttons") at crosswalks.
Can Conservation and Drilling Coexist?
That's the question facing the nation's largest environmental organization (not the Sierra Club but The Nature Conservancy) regarding the management of its preserve in Texas. There is no question for Naomi Klein, who writes about it in her new book.
Floating Vertical Farms Could Deliver and Monitor Food Production in Dense Cities
Known for its density with nearly 20,000 people per square mile, Singapore is changing its food systems strategy to produce more food locally, and reduce food waste.
Two Transportation Measures Soundly Rejected in Missouri
With 100% of precincts reporting on Tuesday evening, Amendment 7, a .75 percent statewide sales tax measure funding a package of transportation improvements, was rejected by 59% of voters. Kansas City voters snubbed a measure to expand the streetcar.
Luxury Developments Moving into the Sunset Strip; Porn and Clubs, Moving Out.
The 1.6 mile stretch of Sunset Boulevard in the city West Hollywood is destined for more than $600 million in developments planned or already being built, mostly composed of luxury hotels and condominiums.
Commuter Rail Station in Virginia Central to 'Transit-Oriented Sprawl' Plans
Among proposed examples of new urbanist communities, Greater Greater Washington calls out one, located along Prince William's Potomac riverfront, as particularly experimental, sprawling, and centered on a Virginia Railway Express station.
Comeback for the Ages: America's Love Affair with SUVs
Although today's SUVs are smaller and more fuel efficient than models from the halcyon days of the early 2000s, a recent resurgence of SUV sales proves the incredible persistence of the American thirst for SUVs.
New Applications for 3D Printing: Sanitation and Shelter
Called by some the "third industrial revolution," what are some of the opportunities and costs of applying 3D printing to issues facing the developing world, and more importantly, emergency housing?
FEATURE
How a Bunch of Nosepickers are Helping Nashville Plan for its Future
Booming development and shifting demographics are driving updates to Music City’s land use policies. Civic leaders and planners say they want residents to steer the process, which has meant getting people’s attention in some unlikely ways.
Pedestrian Safety Suffers in Low-Income Areas
Focusing on street safety conditions in Miami as a case study of larger findings, a Governing magazine analysis finds that pedestrians are much more likely to be killed by cars in impoverished neighborhoods.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Ada County Highway District
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
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.
