The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
How to Predict the Next Hot Hood
The growing interest in city living is transforming urban neighborhoods throughout the United States. But how can one get in on the rising tide before becoming priced out? Charlie Wells provides some clues.
City Cycling: Another Way Men and Women Differ
Researchers from City University in London have analyzed the ways men and women use the city's bike share scheme differently. Transport for London will use this information to plan better outreach.
Seven Items Top U.S. DOT's To-Do List for 2014
A new report by the U.S. Department of Transportation's lead watchdog outlines the top challenges the department faces in the coming year. Expanding oversight and improving air, rail and road safety top the list.
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Positive Reports on New Transit System Performance
Critics claim that public transit projects consistently exceed their budget projections and fail to meet ridership targets, based on old research. New analysis indicates that recent transit services generally perform better than predicted.
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Families Aren't Leaving Cities, They're Just Getting Smaller
While there's no denying the fact that the number of children in many American cities has declined, it's untrue that urban life is incompatible with raising a family, or that families in cities are being replaced by singles and childless couples.
Exhibit Celebrates Supergraphics Pioneer
Designer Deborah Sussman was drawn to Los Angeles in 1953 by an opportunity to work in the studio of Charles and Ray Eames. Over the next sixty years, she helped to define how residents and others see the city. A new exhibit chronicles her work.
The Economic Benefits of Better Streets
New York's street re-designs have been praised for increasing safety and improving mobility for all users. But what effect have they had on the local economy? A new report from the city's DOT makes the business case for better streets.
Tools for Revitalizing CA's Cities After Redevelopment
When California's 400 or so redevelopment agencies were shuttered in 2012, cities lost an essential tool for funding affordable housing and economic development. A new white paper from the ULI recommends new tools to stimulate balanced growth.
U.S. Census Bureau Launches New Interactive Mapping Tool
Christmas has come early for those who love to dig into Census data and interactive visualizations. The U.S. Census Bureau has launched a new interactive tool that maps eight statistics from the American Community Survey at the neighborhood level.
Could a Controversial Project Inspire the Retrofitting of San Diego's Suburbs?
Urbanists hope approving a proposal to allow a 23-acre parcel zoned for 500,000 square feet of office space be developed with 1.4 million square feet of mixed-uses could stimulate suburban retrofits across San Diego.
Second Attempt at Free WiFi in San Francisco Launched on Market Street
After an unsuccessful attempt in 2007, the City is at it again, but doing so in stages. Already in use in limited areas like City Hall and public housing projects, Monday's Market Street roll-out creates a nexus between wifi and surface transit.
If You Want Accurate Traffic Projections, Don't Listen to DOTs
Analysis by the State Smart Transportation Initiative (SSTI) finds that the traffic projections used by state and local transportation agencies, which form the basis for spending priorities, are consistently higher than actual results.
New York's Streets Provide "Platform for Social Activism"
Justin Davidson ruminates on the great strides Janette Sadik-Khan and New York's Department of Transportation have made in reforming the city's streets. As much as they've accomplished, the transformation remains a work in progress.
Could a Well-Placed "Nudge" Get People to Take the Stairs?
An innovative experiment in "environmental calorie labeling" is based on the idea that well-placed information on the benefits of specific physical activities will prompt people to choose healthier options.
Farms Become the Latest Must-Have Suburban Amenity
Forget about golf courses and swimming pools, says Luke Runyon, developers are drawing in residents by integrating fully functioning farms into their new neighborhoods.
What Could Philadelphia Teach Rome About Reducing Traffic?
Rome's new mayor spent two decades in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and he's bringing lessons learned while living car-free in the United States to help solve Rome's traffic problems.
Are We Designing the Wrong Solutions to America's Health Problems?
From encouraging physical activity to improving access to healthy food, planners and designers are increasingly tackling America's public health challenges. But what if cars, suburbs, and food deserts aren't to blame for our unhealthy lifestyles?
The Best Maps of 2013
GIS Lounge is back with its list of the "most interesting and best" maps of the year. This year's honorees make traffic flows come to life, track global bike share inventory, and visualize regional differences in American speech.
Lifestyle Solution Sought for Austin's Snarled Traffic
Austin has a giant traffic tangle on its hands. And because the city largely ignored the growing problem for years, transportation planning experts believe only drastic changes in behavior and lifestyle will ease the snarl.
Portland Developers Get Creative to Fill Glut of Ground-Level Retail
Ground-level retail is often seen as essential for activating urban streets. But what happens when developers have a hard time finding tenants? In Portland, vacant spaces are being converted into ground-level apartments to meet high housing demand.
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
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.
