The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Balloons and Straws: Where's the Connection?
Think "The Graduate," but now the emphasis in the future of plastics may be on restrictions. California may become the first state to restrict access to plastic straws, and balloons could be next due to the harm they cause the marine environment.
The Many Benefits of Wandering Through Cities on Foot
Forget the countryside. Urban walking helps people understand their cities while at the same time encouraging urban landscapes where people actually want to walk.
New Zealand Bars Foreigners from Buying Residences
Homes are getting more expensive in New Zealand, so they're making it illegal for foreigners to buy homes in the country.
Tougher Fines for Phone Use and the Introduction of the Dutch Reach for Illinois Drivers
Illinois gets to new pieces of legislation aimed at slowing the rise in pedestrian deaths and other commuter injuries.
BLOG POST
The Role of Urban Planners in Flood Preparation
Blogger Kayla Matthews examines the many challenges planners face in preparing for the extreme weather and flooding caused by climate change.
New Renewable Energy Has Yet to Displace Dirty Energy
Falling costs for renewable energy may lead some to believe that coal and other mainstays have been replaced, but they haven't. Adoption of renewables is not yet outpacing growth in demand for energy.
AAA Study: Auto Ownership More Cost-Effective Than Ride-Hailing
Even after factoring in insurance, parking, depreciation, fuel, repair, maintenance and licensing, urban dwellers would pay half the costs to travel, on average, nearly 11,000 miles annually in their own new car rather than relying on ride-hailing.
Baltimore Municipal Bike Share Ends; Private Bike Share Pilot Begins
Dockless electric scooters and bikes are welcome on the streets of Baltimore, as long as they follow a few rules. In related news, the municipal bike share system Baltimore Bike Share has ceased operations.
New App Helps Taxis Compete
The Waave app provides some of the functionality of ride-hailing apps to taxi drivers. The app is the result of a New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission pilot program.
Report: L Train Closure Finally Impacting the Brooklyn Real Estate Market
The New York MTA is planning to shut down the L Train from Brooklyn to Manhattan in 2019, and renters in the area no longer find the area along the route as attractive.
Transit Shelter Modernization Plan on the Shelf in Seattle
Transit advocates thought a public-private partnership to modernize transit shelters and enhance the public realm was a done deal.
The Feds Finally Come Through for Albuquerque Rapid Transit
The city of Albuquerque has finally received the $75 million it needed to complete an ambitious plan for electric bus rapid transit along Central Avenue.
SUVs Sales Increase in California While Car Sales Drop—Except Those with Plugs
It's a classic paradox, observes David R. Baker for the San Francisco Chronicle: bigger, thirstier vehicles sell better than smaller, more efficient ones, while the market for battery-powered vehicles, especially Teslas, also increases.
Shrinking Towns Seek the Right to Dissolve
Small jurisdictions in Pennsylvania are losing population and revenue, and some of them are ready to call it a day.
The Landscape Architect’s Guide to Sustainable Transportation
How to design a transit system that is safe, green, and beautiful.
Zoning Change Protects Mobile Homes as Affordable Housing
The increasingly expensive city of Portland views mobile homes as a critical form of affordable housing.
Gabriel Metcalf Reflects On 20 Years Of Change In Bay Area
For over 20 years, few people have understood or influenced the Bay Area like Gabriel Metcalf, president of San Francisco Planning and Urban Research. Metcalf recently announced a move to Sydney, Australia, and reflected the past two decades.
The Public Can Hail Driverless Rides in Texas, Starting in October
Drive.ai is advancing its autonomous vehicle service a step further—into the public realm.
How 'Neighbors for Neighborhoods' Revitalizes Abandoned Buildings
A state program in New York s provides financial support for investors who adaptively reuse abandoned buildings in post-industrial towns.
Friday Fun: Ceci N’est Pas une Rue
When allowing a crowd to decide the name of something important, make sure to add a layer of self-control.
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie
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.
