The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Bellevue Issues Curb Management Plan
The plan reorients the city’s priorities from vehicle throughput and parking to transit, bike infrastructure, and other public amenities.
California Sees Spike in ADU Permits
Homeowners in the state are eagerly taking advantage of new laws allowing them to build additional housing units, making a small but significant impact on the housing supply.
Can Pickleball Save Dying Malls?
The popular sport is getting backlash for taking over parks and other facilities. Now, the industry is partnering with mall developers to transform old department stores into pickleball courts.
New York Cuts Almost 500 Open School Crossing Guard Jobs
The vacant positions were cut as part of an effort to trim the NYPD’s budget, but intersections near schools are already some of the city’s most dangerous for pedestrians.
Orange County Motel Converted to Supportive Housing
The renovated building offers 57 housing units and supportive services to people formerly experiencing homelessness.
The New Colorado River Deal: An Explainer
According to one analyst, the agreement approved by the states doesn’t go nearly far enough to protect the river in the long term.
Research Indicates the Large Potential Benefits of Parking Cash-Out Laws
‘Free’ employee parking increases driving. Parking cash-out laws reward commuters who use climate-friendly modes, which increases fairness and reduces traffic problems.
Through the Eyes of a Journalist: Megan Kimble Reflects on Covering Food Systems, Zoning Changes, and Highway Projects in the Southwest
Kimble’s interest in topics related to urban planning spawned from research and writing about food systems in the borderlands of Arizona. She then moved to Austin in the midst of the city’s update of its Land Development Code.
Tacoma Coalition Calls for ‘Tenants’ Bill of Rights’
The group wants to put more power in the hands of tenants, but the city has its own, competing proposal for addressing the housing crisis.
New Power Transmission Line Approved in the Southwest
The proposed transmission line will transfer wind-produced power from New Mexico to cities in Arizona and California.
The Limitations of ‘Reconnecting Communities’
The Biden administration has pledged to correct the damage imposed on communities by highways and infrastructure, but many projects are only committing to minor improvements, not transformative changes.
Opinion: Downtown D.C. Recovery Requires More Inclusive Planning
To meet its climate goals and revitalize its downtown core, the District must expand its transit and urban amenities to meet the needs of a wider variety of people.
‘The Power of the Kraken:’ Seattle Monorail Ridership Spikes for Hockey Games
Seattle’s new professional hockey team is drawing legions of enthusiastic fans. Around a quarter of them are taking public transit, such as the city’s often-maligned monorail, to games.
Los Angeles Reveals New Citywide Adaptive Reuse Proposal
An adaptive reuse ordinance limited to the city’s downtown core helped create roughly 12,000 units of new housing.
California Traffic Camera Bill Clears Committee
The bill, aimed at testing speed cameras in the state to improve traffic safety, will go to the full State Assembly for a vote.
The Best New Complete Streets Policies, Ranked
After a pandemic hiatus, Smart Growth America has resumed creating an annual list of cities that are making the strongest commitments to improving street safety and making roads accessible and comfortable for everyone.
Opinion: It's Time to Destigmatize ‘Public Housing’
Upzoning efforts, while hugely controversial, often make only a small impact on housing supply, particularly in the short term. Could a return to government-built housing be the solution?
Transforming Downtowns Into Functional Neighborhoods
Rather than ‘monofunctional’ business districts or urban playgrounds, American downtown districts could become multipurpose neighborhoods.
HUD Grants Support Housing and Infrastructure in Native Communities
The department announced $95 million in funding for housing renovations, infrastructure projects, and community facilities.
Queensboro Bridge Bike Lane Delayed Again
A project that would give pedestrians their own dedicated path on the crowded bridge has been pushed back to at least the summer of 2024.
City of Thousand Oaks
City of Wisconsin Rapids
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA)
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.
