The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

A development controversy in Seattle raises larger questions about land use regulation authority.

March 2 - The Seattle Times

A newly hired cohort of chief bicycle officers is only the latest example of "title inflation," according to an article in Governing magazine.

March 2 - Governing

Maryland legislators are considering a rating system for transportation projects recently approved in Virginia. The bill would also check the power of the state's governor in killing project proposals.

March 2 - Greater Greater Washington

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority board voted to shut down late night transit service on the T this week, finding that ridership did not justify the cost of the long operation hours.

March 2 - The Boston Globe

Brent Toderian barnstormed Edmonton, Canada recently, giving the city an A+ for policy aspirations and a D- in budgetary prioritization. That sounds like a problem in many other cities as well.

March 2 - Edmonton Journal

2007 had set the prior record, which sparked the term, "peak miles driven" or "peak car." Historically low gas prices and an improved economy have fueled more driving, resulting in a record of 3.148 trillion miles driven last year.

March 2 - Federal Highway Administration

Arup released some very exciting renderings of a proposed pedestrian and bike path on one of the most picturesque and heavily-trafficked spans on the West Coast.

March 1 - The Architect's Newspaper

While the practice of flipping houses has not yet returned to its pre-recession levels, one city in particular, is climbing quickly back to peak levels: Las Vegas.

March 1 - Bloomberg Business

It's easy to think of GPS technology as a personal navigation device, but the potential for a faster, cheaper GPS technology extends deep into the emerging Internet of Things.

March 1 - CityLab

Most of us Planetizen readers were inadvertently complicit in killing the term "sense of community." Scott Doyon points out where we go from here.

March 1 - PlaceShakers

Federal transportation leaders recognize that sustainable transportation funding options are needed to meet America's infrastructure needs. At AASHTO's Annual Washington Briefing, different funding strategies were proposed by key Congress members.

March 1 - AASHTO Journal

When the "highest and best use" of city land...isn't.

March 1 - Shelterforce/Rooflines

A bill to phase out coal-powered electricity by 2030 is advancing in the legislature. It would also double the state's renewable portfolio standard to 50 percent by 2040 for Oregon's two largest utilities.

March 1 - Think Progress

How will millennial homebuyers change suburbia, or will they? Realtors observe that millennials relocating from the city look for parts of their urban lifestyle, e.g., walkable neighborhoods, yet they also have traditional suburban tastes.

March 1 - Marketplace

A response to recent research that cast doubt on the effectiveness of sharrows.

March 1 - Yay Bikes

Rents are on the rise in Pittsburgh, prompting some longtime residents to relocate farther away. Race, as well as class, figures heavily in this narrative.

March 1 - Carnegie Museum of Art Blog

BLOG POST

The great Italian scholar and novelist's death likely has little meaning for practicing planners, but his literary method might have lasting relevance for planning education and the design of urban space.

February 29 - Dean Saitta

Schools can do more to reduce the environmental threat posed by idling cars during drop-off or pick-up. School districts could also improve their buses with that aim in mind.

February 29 - Streetsblog USA

The long-awaited opening of the D.C. Streetcar on Feb. 27 brings time for reflection on Mayor Bill de Blasio's proposed $2.5 billion Brooklyn Queens Connector, part streetcar, part light rail. D.C.'s line took a decade of planning and construction.

February 29 - The New York Times

BLOG POST

As consumers increasingly buy online, technology is changing the shape of our cities, reducing demand for retail space, increasing freight congestion, and leaving parking lots empty.

February 29 - Jennifer Evans-Cowley