The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Op-Ed: Expand Chicago's Transit Beyond its Successful Status Quo
Yonah Freemark writes an op-ed that argues for the Chicago Transit Authority to do more than maintain the status quo.
The Best Sentences of the Week (Volume 4)
By no means authoritative or comprehensive, here's a collection of noteworthy phrases, paragraphs, commentaries, observations, and more from the recent week in the planning and urbanism discussion.
How Grand Rapids Became a Transit Success
Rachel Dovey shares some of the secrets to the success of Grand Rapids, Michigan after a year of transit improvements in the small city.
Are Single Family Teardowns a Sign of Suburban Gentrification?
Luxury condos are often identified as the culprit in urban gentrification, but could it be that teardowns of single family homes that give way to much larger single family homes is a driver of suburban gentrification?
The End of the World's Fastest, Free Drive?
The free part, not the fast part that is. Perhaps it was just a matter of time before Germany considered a toll for its autobahn network like neighbors Switzerland and Austria do. Germans could deduct the annual toll from their vehicle taxes.
Campaign 2014: Rolling Back Gas Tax Indexing
Massachusetts voters will decide on Question 1 on Tuesday—an initiative petition to eliminate the automatic, annual indexing of its 26.5-cent gasoline excise tax to inflation, implemented with a three-cent gas tax increase last year.
The Charms of Affordable Cities (Not Named San Francisco or New York)
A recent post identifies a sweet spot in the urban market: affordable cities like Cincinnati and others in the Rust Belt that provide an attractive alternative to more expensive, if more famous, cities on the coasts.
Comparing Taxi, Transportation Network Company Fares Reveals the 'Cost of Loyalty'
An app that compares fares across transportation network company platforms reveals several lessons about the state of competition in this new transportation frontier.
Scientists Pick up Seismic Vibrations from Human Transportation
For the first time, researchers were able to detect the vibrations created by human transportation systems.
Report Predicts Early End to Shale Boom
The current shale boom can't last forever. A new report says it will end much sooner that the federal government realizes.
Campaign 2014: Louisiana, Maryland, and Wisconsin Transportation Measures
Maryland and Wisconsin will not ask voters to raise taxes for transportation, but will ask them to adopt constitutional restrictions to ensure gas tax funds are not diverted for other purposes. Louisiana hopes to create an infrastructure bank.
Mapping the New Deal
The Living New Deal Project Map from the University of California, Berkeley was released earlier this month, pinpointing all of the New Deal projects around the United States.
Better Streets Include Transit
Dan Reed examines the Green Line in Minneapolis near the campus of the University of Minnesota as a case study of how transit can improve streets.
MapStory Traces the Development of the United States
Interested in tracing the development of everything from urban bike lanes to national parks to rocket test sites?
Kansas City Streetcar to Provide Frequent, Late Night Service
Under construction and expected to launch service in Fall 2015, the Kansas City Streetcar will provide frequent service in Downtown Kansas City.
New Los Angeles Mayoral Directive on Water Conservation
In an effort to conserve water and prevent the expensive water importation in the future, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti recently published a new directive for city-wide water conservation.
The Environmental Downside of Falling Oil Prices
Ben Adler of Grist writes how falling oil prices will affect climate change. Cheaper gas prices may encourage more driving and more truck sales at the expense of hybrid, electric, and fuel efficient cars, but the news may not be all bad.
New Study Finds California’s Local Streets and Roads In Perpetual Disrepair
The biennial California Statewide Local Streets and Roads Needs Assessment survey found a $78.3 billion funding shortfall over the next 10 years.
Mapping the Knowledge Domain of Planning
Tom Sanchez and Nader Afzalan explore the age old question, "what is planning?" in their new report published earlier this week.
Cities Passing Up Opportunity to Amass Uber's Valuable Data
The legalization (or illegalization) process of Uber throughout the country allows city governments to leverage a data exchange with the company, but too many municipalities are passing up this momentous opportunity.
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.
