The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Suburbia

On California's Broken Housing Requirement System

Liam Dillon has written the exact article for anyone who has every rolled their eyes at the words "housing element" or Regional Housing Needs Assessment.

July 3 - Los Angeles Times

Protest Crowd

L.A. Metro CEO Challenges Trump on Infrastructure Funding

President Trump’s most recent transportation budget is projected to cut transportation spending by 13 percent, potentially undercutting many of Los Angeles' ambitious projects to continue the build-out of a full public transportation system.

July 3 - The Planning Report

Boris Bikes, London

London Mayor Wants Emissions Free Transportation Fleets by 2040

London's draft Mayor's Transport Strategy (MTS) is available for public review. Mayor Sadiq Khan says transportation is "at the heart" of his vision for a city for all Londoners.

July 3 - Smart Cities Dive

K Street Extension

Opinion: K Street Extension Key to D.C. Streetcar's Success

An extension down K Street would greatly improve the D.C. Streetcar's service level, according to Dan Malouf, but the District Council has shelved the project.

July 3 - Greater Greater Washington

Centennial Olympic Park

Atlanta to Create New Downtown Sign District

Not everybody has the same definition of vibrant, but Atlanta recently chose the way of Times Square and the Sunset Strip.

July 3 - WABE


Chicago Bikeshare

Chicago's Next Bikeshare Investment to Focus on Underserved Neighborhoods

Chicago is focusing its bikeshare installation in locations with what writer John Greenfield calls a "dearth of Divvy."

July 2 - Streetsblog Chicago

Long Beach to Los Angeles

L.A. Metro Will Spend $81.5 Million to Improve Blue Line to Long Beach

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) appears to be taking a break from its perpetual expansion projects to make some improvements to the heavily used but aging Blue Line.

July 2 - Curbed Los Angeles


West Virginia Becomes the Seventh State to Hike Gas Taxes, But Not by Much

Democratic Gov. Jim Justice signed legislation to increase its 32.2 cent state gas tax by about 3.5 cents per gallon and add substantial hybrid and EV fees. He also signed legislation to increase and expand road and bridge tolling.

July 2 - The Herald-Dispatch

Single Family Residential Construction

Austin's Affordable Housing Stock Shrunk More Than Any Other U.S. Metro

For all the talk of Texas' relatively affordable housing prices, the city of Austin is one of the worst examples of one of the dominant trends in the U.S. real estate market—fewer and fewer options for affordable rental housing.

July 2 - The Urban Edge

Mendenhall Glacier

Climate Change Having Dramatic Effect on Mountains

The ecology of mountains around the world is changing as summer plants bloom earlier and forests march up hill to newly temperate ground.

July 2 - Pacific Standard

Blackalicious

Gift of Gab's 'The Gentrification Song' Grieves for Lost Communities

An MC worries that hipsters are displacing the poor, and cities are changing for the worse.

July 1 - NPR

Metro Buses

Los Angeles Metro Begins Conversion to Renewable Natural Gas Buses

At a June 22 meeting, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority board ordered 295 buses that will be fueled with renewable natural gas. An expected purchase of 35 electric buses was delayed until next month's meeting.

July 1 - NGT News

San Diego Rail

Could San Diego and Imperial Counties Split from California?

If one of the efforts to divide up California into smaller states became reality, San Diego and Imperial County would thrive, according to land use consultant Wayne Raffesberger.

July 1 - UrbDeZine

texas

A Closer Look at the Appeal of the Fastest-Growing City in the U.S.

The "small-town feel" of Conroe, Texas is touted as one of the reason for its quick population growth.

July 1 - The Urban Edge

Climate Change protest

Three Questions to Ask Yourself About Climate Action

Looking for ways to make a difference in advocating for climate friendly policies? Start with three simple questions.

July 1 - TheCityFix

Downtown Freeway

Downtown Nashville's Downtown Freeway Facing Closures This Fall

The Tennessee Department of Transportation will close busy stretches of Interstate 24 several times this fall as workers replace bridges built in 1961 as quickly as possible.

June 30 - Equipment World

Steptoe Butte State Park

Trump Budget Would Cut PILT Funding to Rural Communities

Sparsely-populated rural counties with large amounts of public land stand to lose the most if the Trump Administration succeeds in cutting funding to the Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program.

June 30 - KPCC

Robot car

Beware the Utopian Visions of Transportation Technology Boosters

At the dawn of automated vehicle technology, humans, and Americans in particular, should recall the shortcomings of past utopian visions.

June 30 - Eno Transportation Weekly

405 Traffic

Lowest Gas Prices in 12 Years Contribute to Record Travel This Holiday Weekend

Two new reports on transportation funding issued in advance of the July 4th weekend focus attention on gas prices and vehicle travel. Seven states will increase gas taxes on July 1 according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy.

June 30 - Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy

Santa Fe Train Station

Light Rail Stations to Charge for Parking in Southern California's San Gabriel Valley

The popularity of the Gold Line extension in the San Gabriel Valley to the east of Pasadena requires a new approach to parking. It's hoped that parking fees will decrease demand for parking at stations along the route without affecting ridership.

June 30 - KPCC

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City of Thousand Oaks

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City of Wisconsin Rapids

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Harvard University Graduate School of Design

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A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.

FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.

Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold

The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.