The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Blocking the Bike Lane

Comparison: Cycling Violations vs. Driving Violations

Is it more dangerous to break the law as a cyclist or as a driver?

October 9 - Outside Online

Surveying

Toronto Mayoral Candidate Suggests Repurposing City Golf Courses

Former chief planner Jennifer Keesmaat wants to transform three failing golf courses into free public spaces.

October 9 - The Toronto Star

Quicken Loans

Potential Height of Dan Gilbert's Detroit Skyscraper Rises Again

The final height of the tower that will become Detroit's tallest building may exceed 900 feet. The tower and its complex are expected to include retail, office, residential, exhibit, and event space.

October 8 - Crain's Detroit Business

Boston Aerial

Boston to Consider Workforce and Investor Diversity in Real Estate Decisions

Beginning this week, the city of Boston will ask developers how they plan to include women and minorities as workers and investors when putting city-owned real estate out for bid.

October 8 - The Boston Globe

Flood Damaged Suburb

A Year After Harvey, Homes Still Going Up on Houston Flood Plain

Despite the devastation wrought by Hurricane Harvey, builders and buyers alike are sustaining a market for new construction on land likely to get flooded again.

October 8 - The Houston Chronicle


For Rent

Is Residual Income a Better Metric for Housing Affordability?

The common metric for measuring housing affordability—whether households pay more than 30 percent of their income on shelter—has its downsides. Looking at residual income offers more precision in some respects.

October 8 - Joint Center for Housing Studies

Urban Solar Power

To Incentivize Clean Energy, California Commits $800 Million

Recently signed by Governor Jerry Brown, a new measure has increased the funds California sets aside to incentivize energy storage systems to over $1 billion.

October 8 - The New York Times


Brooklyn Heights Promenade

Fate of Brooklyn Heights Promenade Tethered to BQE Repair

The Brooklyn Heights Promenade will be closed as the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway below it is replaced. A Brownstoner column celebrates the esplanade's 68th birthday on Oct. 7, noting its troubled past and connection to Robert Moses.

October 8 - Brownstoner

Washington DC Metro

No Consensus on How to Address Declining D.C. Metro Ridership

A decrease in ridership is not disputed. However, ideas about the best solutions for turning things around abound.

October 8 - The Washington Post

MTA Bus

Report: NYC Not Doing Enough to Prioritize Buses

According to a bus advocacy coalition's progress report, New York City hasn't yet delivered on promises to get buses moving faster with comprehensive and well-enforced bus lanes.

October 8 - NY Daily News

Seattle APA National Conference

2019 Conferences in Planning and Design

An annual sampling of professional development conferences in the coming year for planning and design professionals, by L.A. County Planner Clement Lau.

October 8 - UrbDeZine

Gas Pumps

California Doubles Carbon Intensity Reduction Requirement for Transportation Fuels

California regulators have found that transportation emissions are the most difficult to reduce, unlike those from electricity generation. The state just took a major step by approving significant changes to its Low Carbon Fuel Standard program.

October 8 - NGT News

Uber Jump bike

Uber Wants to Make Urban Mobility More Sustainable

Uber plans to support sustainable mobility by funding advocacy efforts, sharing data, and offering bike-share service.

October 7 - Curbed

Twin Cities

Keeping Our Cool: Extreme Heat in the Twin Cities Region

A report discusses how rising temperatures affect the Twin Cities metropolitan area, and how those effects can be mitigated.

October 7 - PlanIt - Metropolitan Council

High Speed Rail California

Proposed California Ballot Measure From Gas Tax Opposition Goes After High-Speed Rail

A follow-up initiative to Proposition 6 would put the brakes on high-speed rail in California and funnel gas tax funds to roads.

October 7 - San Francisco Chronicle

Bike Traffic

BLOG POST

Keeping An Open Mind: How Some Cities Are Reducing Emissions While Supporting Economic Vitality

As cities swell and car use soars, U.S. cities should take note of some bold, even radical, emissions-reducing policies being deployed around Europe.

October 7 - Robert Fischer

Fracking

Petrochemical Industry to Drive Major Growth in Oil Demand

A new report from the International Energy Association projects that petrochemicals will be the largest driver of oil consumption, greatly increasing greenhouse gas emissions and offsetting the effect of electric vehicles on oil demand.

October 7 - Reuters

Brooklyn Navy Yard

New Master Plan Envisions Brooklyn Navy Yard as Next-Gen Manufacturing Hub

Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation's master plan for the site is a $2.5 billion bet that high-tech manufacturers can be enticed back to New York, bringing with them the economic heft to transform the whole area.

October 6 - Curbed New York

Lafayette BART

City's Opposition to BART TOD Bill Factors into City Manager's Retirement

Steven Falk, city manager for 22 years of the East Bay enclave of Lafayette, expressed frustration with the city's resistance to infill development, calling it incompatible with addressing "the most significant challenges of our time."

October 6 - SF Gate

Housing Construction

California's Housing Package, One Year Later

It's too early to gauge the long-term effects of California's housing package signed a year ago. But with a $4 billion bond on the ballot this November, some facts (and some dramas) have already made themselves known.

October 6 - CALmatters

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.