The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Friday Eye Candy: New York Street Life in High Definition
A few minutes of the film "Street" by James Nares shows only a few seconds of life in New York City—but such poetry is found there.
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Halloween Costumes for Urban Planners - 4th Edition
The fourth edition of our comprehensive list of amazing Halloween costumes for urban planners.
The Federal Housing Administration's Ongoing, Systematic Obstruction of Density
Scott Beyer writes that despite changes to policies allowing insured mortgages by the Federal Housing Administration's (FHA), the federal government continues to obstruct density by limiting support for condo owners.
Nashville Mayor Puts Bus Rapid Transit Proposal on the Shelf
The controversial, $175 million Nashville bus rapid transit project will be up to the city's next mayor.
For Playable Cities: Make the City a Playground
The "Using Behavioral Economics to Create Playable Cities" report suggests that so much time spent in front of screens, and the continued need to counter the obesity epidemic, requires new thinking about play for children living in cities.
Is Racism Behind the Density Debate in San Diego?
A high profile environmental attorney in San Diego called out neighborhood opposition to development that would add density for "selfishness and closet racism."
Checking in on Lake Erie's $3 Billion 'Project Clean Lake'
A rainwater retention facility in Cleveland represents a small step forward with a controversial 25-year, $3 billion plan to clean Lake Erie.
Oregon Announces Volunteer Trial for Vehicle Miles Traveled Tax
The moment some advocates have been waiting for is inching closer—the Oregon Department of Transportation is acting on the enabling legislation of Senate Bill 880 to set a volunteer mileage fee system.
Struggling Toll Roads Make for Good Investments
In another example of a struggling toll road attracting no shortage of investors, the poor revenue performance of the San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor Agency in Orange County, California has not dissuaded investors, as the returns are high.
An Outsider’s Perspective On Bicycling In Los Angeles
Stephen Corwin describes a Vancouverite’s experience cycling throughout Los Angeles.
Racial Inequalities Withholding $2.1 Trillion from U.S. GDP
A new study by PolicyLink and the University of Southern California's Program for Environmental and Regional Equity showed that U.S. GDP would expand by $2.1 trillion if racial minorities had equal access to opportunities within the job market.
Generation X Leads the Decline of Homeownership
A snarky post written for The Atlantic identifies a forgotten culprit in the country's dropping homeownership rates: Generation X.
Fix Philadelphia's Parkway by Turning Logan Circle into a Square
Does Philadelphia's Benjamin Franklin Parkway really deserve a multi-year celebration of its upcoming centennial? No. Why? Because, as hard as it may be to admit, the Parkway was a mistake. To fix it, start by turning Logan Circle back into a square.
Lesson from Houston: Crashes Double after Red Light Cameras Removed
Red light cameras are usually controversial. In Houston voters chose to remove 50 cameras at high-risk intersections. Since then, crashes have increased 117 percent.
It's a Hydropower World
Around the world, countries are building new dams for hydroelectric power at a frenzied pace. Vox examines the benefits and drawbacks of hydroelectric power.
Plans for a $35 Million Rail-to-Trail Conversion in South Los Angeles
A blighted abandoned rail corridor through South Los Angeles received funding to plan a rail to trail conversion. Can residents compel officials to complete the sorely needed open space facility?
An Interview with Kaid Benfield, Urban Resilience Guru
PlaceMakers asks Kaid to give us his idea of where we are in the effort to integrate smart growth strategies in the broadest sense into community planning and design.
Congestion Pricing on Legacy Roadways
What happens when there is no room to widen a congested roadway? One solution is to build above the roadway. Another, suggests an HNTB expert, would be to convert an existing lane into a managed toll lane and fund transit with the revenue.
Campaign 2014: Rhode Island Transit Measure
For the first time, Rhode Island voters will be tested on their support for public transit by whether they approve authorizing $35 million for Mass Transit Hub Infrastructure Bonds on Nov. 4. In addition to hubs, statewide bus service is targeted.
Dispute Over Bike Fatality Report
The Governors Highway Safety Association released a report titled Bicyclist Safety showing a surge in bike fatalities since 2010. The report provoked widespread media coverage and, also, strongly critical reactions.
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.
