The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Virginia Railway Express Adding New Tracks to Increase Capacity
A Richmond Times-Dispatch article details a pair of projects to add third tracks to Virginia Railway Express stations—one set to complete this month and one just getting ready for construction.
Revitalization and Baseball in Downtown Houston
The recent on-field success of the Houston Astros is matched by a wave of building in the neighborhood around their home ballpark. All of that means baseball fans might have a harder time finding a place to park this season.
'Community Partners Program' Offers $5 Memberships for Capital Bikeshare
The new Community Partners Program will help Capital Bikeshare respond to concerns about the system's lack of access for low-income and minority residents.
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The Neighborhood Veto and the 'Missing Middle'
Community resistance may explain why smaller apartment buildings are hard to build.
Friday Funny: The Death Star's Transit System Is the Best
If you've been waiting for a nice crossover of the Star Wars universe and the planning and urban design universe, here it is.
Is Tesla Ready for an Apple Moment?
A Quartz article describes the recent announcement of the Model 3, and the subsequent response by the market, as a "slow-motion disruption of the global auto industry."
On the Risk of Terrorist Attack on Public Transportation in the U.S.
The administrator of the Transportation Security Administration says public transportation systems in the United States are relatively safe from terrorist attack. His reasons for that assessment might surprise.
While Commodities Sink, Solar Power Rises on Farmland
Some of the nation's new clean energy capacity is being built on land that formerly grew crops. The sun, quite literally, is worth more than peanuts.
A Critical Take on Public Engagement
Zelda Bronstein makes plenty of points likely to inspire disagreement among planners in this argument calling for a better form of public engagement—one that's substantive and integral, not an afterthought.
Library Hours in New York City Show Huge Improvements
A study by the Center for Urban Future reveals library hours in New York City to have improved a great deal in recent years—while still lagging behind state and national averages.
Kentucky Governor Signs No-Toll Bill, Likely Sets Back Ohio River Bridge 10 Years
As promised, Gov. Matt Bevin signed the P3 bill that allows private funding, but bans tolls, to pay for the $2.6 billion Brent Spence Bridge project over the Ohio River that connects Covington, Ky. to Cincinnati. Now he needs to find the funding.
The Transportation Policy of Four Presidential Candidates
An article for Next City reveals the transportation policy platforms of Ted Cruz, Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, and Bernie Sanders, asking the question of whether any of them will shift new support to public transit.
Feds to Investigate Possible Misuse of Funds for Controversial Bay Delta Tunnel Project
A highly controversial project that would build a system of tunnels to divert water from the Sacramento River, and a signature project of California Governor Jerry Brown, now finds itself in trouble with federal investigators.
Golf's Physical Footprint Shrinking Quickly in Michigan
The real estate boom that brought about a boom in golf course construction is a thing of the past. Now golf courses are closing around the country as the sport recedes from its peak popularity.
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Community Engagement Highlights from APA 2016
As I do every year at the APA National Conference, I did my best to catch as many community engagement sessions as possible. Here are highlights, takeaways, and the common threads I noticed this year.
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Bruce Rauner's Highway to a Shrinking Chicago
How a proposed expansion of Chicago's I-55 could further disperse Chicago's population.
New Frequent Buses Will Arrive More Frequently in Seattle
A few weeks after a major restructure of bus service, King County Metro Transit in Seattle is adding additional bus trips to a few particularly crowded lines.
Boston Working to Keep Construction Hiring Local and Diverse
The city of Boston is working to ensure that a diverse collection of residents are benefitting from the fruits of the city's current building boom.
South Bend Reactivating Vacant Lots
Formerly vacant homes are now vacant lots in South Bend, Indiana. Returning the lots to productive uses presents a new kind of challenge for community groups and local officials.
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The Best Reasons to Go to Grad School in Planning
As the 2016 admission season winds down, thoughts turn to the 2017 application process. For students considering the idea, there are several good reasons to attend graduate school in 2017, and a few that may cause problems later.
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
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.
