The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Who Will Win the Carbon Neutral Economy?
The fossil fuel industry has convinced the public that aggressive carbon reduction will harm the economy. Au contraire. The carbon reduction leader will secure its place at the top of the global economy, argues UrbDeZine Editor Bill Adams.
Business, Government, and Infrastructure in Brazil
With one of the fastest growing economies in the world, Brazil is at the cusp of major change. Arup's Gustavo Ferreria discusses the role that public-private partnerships are playing in modernizing and expanding the country's infrastructure systems.
New York City Proposes Parking Requirement Overhaul
The New York Department of City Planning is working on an overhaul of its parking requirements with the potential to impact hundreds of developments.
Crude-by-Rail's New Workhorse No Better than the Old Workhorse
The new oil tank cars were supposed to be key to preventing the fiery explosions associated with oil-train derailments. However, four recent explosions since Feb. 14, with two occurring last Thursday and Saturday, all involved the new tankers.
Las Vegas Water Grab a 'Poster Child' for Urban vs. Rural Resource Conflict
In what has been described as a "poster child" for future water showdowns in the west, local interests in Las Vegas are attempting a water grab from ranch land 275 miles north of the city.
Three Challenges for Multi-Modal Trip Planning Apps
A recent post on Mobility Lab explains some of the challenges developers encounter when creating the multi-modal trip planner apps of our dreams.
Two New Transit Hubs Planned for Cincinnati Neighborhoods
Randy Simes reports on the latest fruits of the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority's (SORTA) approach to transit planning in the Cincinnati metropolitan area.
San Francisco Resets the Bar with New Online Approvals Database
The online documentation of the San Francisco Planning Department's approval process received a huge upgrade.
Los Angeles' Plan to Minimize Displacement During Urban Revitalization
Bloomberg Philanthropies will fund an "Innovation Delivery Team" in Los Angeles to approach the challenge of revitalizing urban neighborhoods while also creating improvements for existing populations.
How a Philadelphia Mayoral Candidate Influenced U.S. Public Housing
Former HUD counsel and current Philadelphia mayoral contender Nelson Diaz laid the groundwork for "entrepreneurial" approaches to public housing. Whether the resulting projects were effective is up for debate.
A Deep Dive into Suburban Retrofits
An interview with Ellen Dunham-Jones, co-author of "Retrofitting Suburbia," and Hazel Borys.
Why Coding Can Teach Planners How to Be More Creative
I want to learn HTML and CSS, or maybe get a refresher on the current state of web technology—where should I start?
A History of 'Urban Dashboards' and their Impact on City Governance
Welcome to the age of "Dashboard Governance"—when a good user interface offers the potential for performance advantages to city management.
Oregon Bill Would Require Reflective Clothing for Bikers
State lawmakers in Oregon are the latest to consider a law that would require bikers riding at night to wear reflective clothing.
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How Ancient and Modern Cities Compare (and Why Planners Should Care)
A new scholarly paper argues that ancient and modern cities can be usefully analyzed in a comparative perspective. But what you do with the comps depends on how much you value similarities versus differences in urban form.
Chicago to Scale Back Red Light Camera Program
The nation's largest automated red light enforcement program will get a trim. How much is mayoral election politics responsible for the change?
Banned Words at the Florida Department of Environmental Protection: 'Climate Change'
Top officials at the Florida state agency tasked with studying and planning for the impacts of climate change are taking a novel approach to avoiding the issue.
Report: 10.8 Billion Americans Rode Transit in 2014
The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) has released its annual report on public transit ridership. Although more Americans are taking public transit, the trend doesn't hold in every city.
Do Driverless Car Safety Features Merit Fuel Efficiency Credit?
Manufacturers say yes, arguing that the reduction in vehicle crashes decreases traffic congestion. Other features improve traffic flow. But these are safety technologies, not emission-reducing measures, that critics worry will water-down CAFE.
A 'Good News' Air Pollution Study for a Change
Too often we report on new studies showing how air pollution worsens public health, often causing premature death. For a change, here's a study showing how efforts to improve air quality in Southern California have boosted public health in children.
City of Thousand Oaks
City of Wisconsin Rapids
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
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.
