The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Map showing Mission Boulevard Linear Park in Hayward, California and bubbles highlighting types of trees along park area.

Parks Departments Try to Build New Green Spaces on Shrinking Budgets

Even as the role of parks and urban green space in public and ecological health becomes more apparent, city budgets are hard-pressed to meet the costs of park construction and maintenance.

October 17 - Bloomberg CityLab

Bird's eye view of city skyscrapers at twilight with blurred lights on streets.

BLOG POST

Building Bridges to the Future: Preparing the Next Generation of Planners

Discover the importance of preparing the next generation of urban planners to build a sustainable and thriving future.

October 17 - Devin Partida

View of Austin, Texas skyline with river in foreground

How Housing Density Could Help Austin Reach Climate Goals

With housing and transportation as the two biggest sources of carbon emissions, a new report shows how boosting density near transit would accelerate emissions reductions.

October 17 - Austin Monitor

Aerial view of downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin at sunset

A Look at Milwaukee’s Vision Zero Efforts

The city is making slow but steady progress on reducing traffic deaths. Some advocates say changes aren’t being implemented fast enough to save lives.

October 17 - WUWM (Milwaukee Public Radio)

Close-up of hand filing out FHA Loan application on desk with calculator next to paper.

Federal Rule Change Lets Banks Include ADU Income in Mortgage Decisions

A policy change from the Federal Housing Administration is designed to spur more rental housing construction and bring homeownership within reach of more U.S. households.

October 17 - MReport


View of pedestrian plaza in Swiss village with Alps in background.

FEATURE

Opinion: The Arrogance of Social Media Urbanists

Criticism of ‘bad’ urban design and development policies leveled at ‘planners’ often obscures the complex nature of urban politics and land use regulations.

October 17 - Christopher Holtkamp

Row of offshore wind turbines in large water body against sunrise or sunset sky.

Offshore Wind Growing Fast in California

The rush to secure coastal leases for wind energy production is causing some critics to call for stronger scrutiny from regulatory agencies.

October 16 - CALmatters


Rendering of Elysium, Spain city built on brnd new land.

New ‘City’ Elysium Planned in Spain

The development proposes a from-scratch sustainable community built on brand new land at the edge of a reservoir.

October 16 - Fast Company

Large homes in neighborhood covered in snow in Missoula, Montana with mountains in background gainst sunset sky.

Missoula Approves Tax Increment Financing for Workforce Housing

The funding mechanism exchanges public funding for a certain number of affordable units.

October 16 - The Missoulian

Rendering of California high-speed rail train viaduct with arches

Report Quantifies the Potential Benefits of High-Speed Rail

Building more high-speed passenger rail in the United States could have significant economic and environmental impacts, creating jobs and reducing carbon emissions.

October 16 - Mass Transit

Columbus

Central Ohio Housing Production Struggles to Keep up With Demand

The region’s population growth is outstripping the pace of housing construction.

October 16 - The Columbus Dispatch

Close-up of Metro sign column at Rosslyn Station in Alexandria, Virginia with high-rose glass buildings in background.

Opinion: More TOD in the DC Area Could Improve Both Transit and Housing

Converting underutilized parking lots to housing could make transit more accessible and housing more affordable.

October 16 - Greater Greater Washington

View of Boston skyline from Longfellow Bridge with cyclist riding in bike lane and pedestrian on sidewalk.

Progress Report: Boston Strong on Street Safety, Slow to Reduce Emissions

A new report assesses the city’s progress halfway through implementation of the ‘Go Boston 2030’ long-range transportation plan.

October 16 - Streetsblog Mass

Group of four children with backpacks and helmets riding and walking their bikes.

Study: School Biking Programs Can Boost Student Health

A survey of middle school students who participated in in-school cycling programs showed a potential correlation to improved mental health.

October 16 - Loma Linda University Health

Father and son riding bikes on a sidewalk next to a road withough bike lane on California coast with palm trees in background at golden hour.

California Governor Vetoes Sidewalk Cycling Bill

The law would have allowed people to bike on sidewalks on roadways that lack safe bikeways.

October 15 - CalBike

Aerial view of freeway interchange in downtown Las Vegas

Restoring Solvency to the Highway Trust Fund

The Highway Trust Fund, the nation's source of road and bridge funding, went bankrupt in 2008 and has since relied on transfers from the General Fund to supplement fuel taxes. Republican Senators have proposed a new funding source: an EV fee.

October 15 - Transport Topics

View of Alexandria, Virginia with brick three-story townhomes on Potomac River bank.

Alexandria Residents Weigh in on Zoning Reform

The city’s proposed ‘Zoning for Housing’ is drawing criticism from multiple sides.

October 15 - DCist

Overhead view of white BUS LANE sign painted on red background on concrete street.

Philadelphia Bus Cameras Document Over 30,000 Violations

A pilot program tested AI-powered cameras that monitored bus-only lanes for parked vehicles.

October 15 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

Pike Place Market in Seattle at twilight with neon market sign and cars passing through.

Pike Place Market Vendors Open to Pedestrianization

A survey of local business owners and vendors upends the common belief that frontline workers don’t support restricting vehicle access to the iconic Seattle market.

October 13 - The Urbanist

Palm trees on Santa Barbara beach against the red glow of a wildfire

Urban Design for Addressing Climate Resilience

Cities around the world are finding ways to protect their residents and infrastructure from the impacts of extreme weather and natural disasters.

October 13 - Architecture Daily

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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.