The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Chicago Parks District Offers Opportunities to Camp in the Urban Wild
Camping isn't for everyone, but everyone who wants to camp should get an opportunity to. A growing program run by the Chicago Park District allows residents to heed the call of the wild, right inside the city.

Ottawa Offers Lessons in Transitioning from BRT to Light Rail
Nour Aoude examines the planning efforts behind Ottawa's new Confederation light rail line, which will replace sections of the over-used Transitway bus rapid transit line.

New York Times Editorial Board Goes YIMBY
The New York Times editorial board has published on op-ed in support of Mayor Bill de Blasio's ambitious targets for affordable housing in New York City over the next ten years.
A Protected Bike Lane for Penn Ave in Pittsburgh
Michael Anderson reports on a proposed road diet and bike lane proposed for Penn Avenue in Pittsburgh, along a historic and cultural corridor in one of the country's oldest downtowns.
Cities Stand to Benefit by More Women Architects
Architecture Critic Mark Lamster emerged from the "Architect and Architectress" at the Dallas Center for Architecture with a call to action to overturn the old paradigms that contribute to dominance of males in the architecture profession.
California Resolution Will Create More Outdoor Spaces at Schools
The California government passed a new resolution this summer promoting green schoolyards statewide. It builds on previous state policies and unites a wide array of green city planning and education efforts under a single "Living Schoolyard" theme.

How Can D.C. be the Coolest City in America if Everyone Hates Hipsters So Much?
In which parking minimums figure heavily in a polemic regarding the nature of cool.
Chicago Metra Rail Struggles with High Rates of Suicide
Chicago's Metra commuter rail service has a big problem on its hands: Distressed people are resorting to using train tracks to end their lives at a higher rate than in other major cities. Would partnering with a suicide-hotline agency stem the tide?
Plan Maps the Best (and Worst) of Future Road Construction
A new study published in the journal Nature maps out a plan for the development of roads around the world—where roads should be avoided due to their environmental costs, and where they can be built to maximize their potential benefit to humanity.
London's Height Debate Reaches Fever Pitch
In the midst of a building boom and expecting another 1.4 million residents to live in the city by 2031, London is embroiled in a debate about how it should meet housing demands.

World's Largest Dam Removal Project Complete in Washington State
Here's a comeback story for the ages: The Elwha River in Washington, dammed for the production of hydroelectric power for almost a century, runs wild again.
The Danger of Federal Money for Local Projects
Scott Beyer provides four reasons why federal money is the wrong policy mechanism for delivering the best possible transportation outcomes in the United States.
Planning for Rural Minnesota's 'Brain Gain'
While the share of Americans living in rural communities is decreasing relative to the overall population, some rural areas, such as the Willmar lakes area in Minnesota, have managed to attract young residents.

Streetscape Overhaul Opens on Broadway in Downtown Los Angeles
Broadway in Los Angeles is the historic lifeline of Downtown and a key corridor in the ongoing renaissance of the neighborhood. Yesterday the city opened a brightly colored, pedestrian-friendly, vehicle-lane-reducing makeover of the street.
Do the 'Art Everywhere' Billboards Support Art, or Advertising?
With so many eyes trained obsessively on mobile phones, the outdoor industry is supporting a campaign to place famous art on billboards around the country. Will people notice? Should they?
'Hidden Gas Tax' or Not—California's Cap and Trade Policy Starts a New Era
Will California gas station see queues at their pumps on Dec. 31 as motorists seek their last fill-up before gas prices soar 15 cents per gallon, as AB 69 supporters warned? The bill died in the state legislature on August 22.
The Ridership Benefits of Infill Stations—Coming Soon to the MBTA Orange Line
Yonah Freemark writes of the value of infill stations—new transit stations built on existing lines—for increasing transit ridership. Somerville, outside of Boston, will provide the latest example when it opens a station on the Orange Line next week.
Cleveland Still Pondering Makeover for the Public Square
A plan to shut down streets around Cleveland's Public Square and make it a pedestrian friendly civic space has prompted many commenters to call for revisions to the plan, especially with regard to the square's heavy bus transit capacity.
St. Petersburg, Florida Launches Downtown Waterfront Master Plan
St. Petersburg is one of those lucky few cities granted the benefits of a downtown waterfront setting in a warm climate. But what will that waterfront look like in the future?

Where Have all the Affordable Cities Gone?
Angie Schmitt follows up on an earlier report by the Citizen's Budget Commission that made an argument for the affordability of cities like New York City, with its large network of cheap transportation.
Pagination
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
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Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.