The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Craftsman-style two-story home with detached converted garage apartment accessory dwelling unit.

How Cities Can Support ADU Production

Although state-level laws are making it easier for homeowners to build accessory dwelling units, high impact and development fees remain a major barrier for many prospective ADU builders.

November 14 - HousingWire

Two-lane rural road with stoplights hanging above roadway and construction visible in distance.

Report: Some Rural States Ahead of More Urbanized Ones in Reducing Transportation Emissions

This is a largely unintended consequence of states with lower populations and resources focusing on repairing existing roads and infrastructure rather than expanding and building new roads.

November 14 - Bloomberg CityLab

Senior woman sitting inchair looking out large window at golden hour in Broomes Island, Maryland.

Homelessness Among Maryland Seniors Rose 77 Percent Since 2018

The high cost of housing is pushing many older adults into homelessness, while shelters are not equipped to address their specific needs.

November 14 - Maryland Matters

People walking and on bikes on paved multiuse path in Prospect Park, Brooklyn, New York City.

New Yorkers Face New Climate Risks

A two-acre fire in a city park prompted city officials to ban grilling while urging residents to conserve water to limit the impact of a historic drought.

November 14 - Smart Cities Dive

View of traffic on San Diego freeway.

Opinion: Why Linking Driving to GDP Misses the Point

The argument that car-centric development is good because it boosts national GDP ignores the massive costs of driving to everyday Americans.

November 13 - Streetsblog USA


White BART public transit train at Coliseum station in Oakland, California.

San Francisco’s BART Awarded $545 Loan for Upgraded Rail Cars

The agency plans to modernize its fleet with more efficient rail cars equipped with new safety features.

November 13 - Golden Gate Media

Large roof with solar panels and Los Angeles hills in background.

How Los Angeles County is Advancing Sustainability

A recently released report by the Chief Sustainability Office (CSO) shows that L.A. County is making progress on meeting the goals of the OurCounty Sustainability Plan.

November 13 - Los Angeles County Chief Sustainability Office


Close-up of red DriveThru sign at McDonald's fast food restaurant in Chicago, Illinois.

Dallas Extends Permit for Downtown Drive-Thru

The city has indicated this is the last time it will extend a permit for a drive-thru at a McDonald’s restaurant as it transitions to supporting a denser, more walkable downtown environment.

November 13 - The Dallas Express

Close-up of Welcome to Chicago sign with Greyhound bus company logo in downtown Chicago, Illinois bus terminal.

Chicago Bus Travelers Could Lose Downtown Terminal — and Winter is Coming

As the loss of intercity bus services and stations continues, Chicago could become the largest city in the developed world without a major downtown bus terminal.

November 13 - NPR

Construction site and cranes in New York City with Empire State Building visible in background.

What Might Federal Housing Policy Look Like in 2025?

Changes to tax incentives, fair housing laws, and housing assistance programs would quickly start impacting local efforts to stem the housing crisis.

November 13 - Curbed

Roman Forum ruins in Rome, Italy with dusk sky.

BLOG POST

Megalopolis: An Urban Planner’s Review

The sprawling film offers a bleak vision of city-building that minimizes the impacts of top-down development on everyday citizens.

November 13 - Noah Harper

Aerial view of rainbow painted four-way crosswalk in the Castro district, San Francisco, California.

San Francisco Implements ‘Daylighting’ at Intersections

Vehicles are prohibited from parking within 20 feet of a crosswalk as part of the city’s Vision Zero efforts to eliminate traffic deaths and make roads safer.

November 12 - SFGate

View of Washington state capitol dome in Olympia, Washington at golden hour.

Washington Voters Keep Carbon Tax

An initiative that would have ended the state’s “cap and invest” program failed, leaving the program in place.

November 12 - Governing

Close-up of four Tesla sedans parked and plugged in at charging station.

The Future of Electric Vehicles Under Trump

Will Elon Musk’s influence temper Trump’s anti-EV stance?

November 12 - Wired

Front entrance of COTA Transit Terminal in Columbus, Ohio.

Central Ohio Voters Pass Transit Levy

The new sales tax will fund improved bus service, rapid transit projects, and ‘transit -supportive’ infrastructure.

November 12 - The Columbus Dispatch

Aerial view of downtown Jacksonville, Florida skyline with bridge in foregorund at dusk.

Jacksonville Takes Action on Vision Zero

The city is implementing its first-ever Vision Zero Action Plan in an effort to reduce pedestrian and cyclist deaths and serious injuries.

November 12 - First Coast News

Rendering of a combination of floodwalls and floodgates will integrate into the landscape at Stuyvesant Cove Park.

NYC Completes North Section of Coastal Resiliency Project

The city is raising shorelines and building protective gates to prevent future flooding and storm surges from impacting residents.

November 12 - CityLand

Subway train pulling into elevated outdoor platform in New York City with one passenger waiting.

BLOG POST

The News Is Not All Bad

President Trump's election might not be a disaster for local transit.

November 12 - Michael Lewyn

Close-up of vote-by-mail ballot with pen

BLOG POST

Planner’s Guide to 2024 State and Local Ballot Outcomes

Transit and environment came out on top on state and local ballots nationwide, while housing and marijuana initiatives proved less popular with voters.

November 11 - Mary Hammon

Downtown Denver as seen from behind Union Station roof sign.

Denver Voters Approve Downtown Revitalization Bonds

The city wants to bring new projects and residents to the downtown core, where 13 million feet of vacant office and retail space await new tenants.

November 11 - Smart Cities Dive

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