The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Are Driverless Cars Good for Cities?
With experts predicting widespread autonomous vehicle (AV) adoption in the not-too-distant-future, many policymakers, designers, and ordinary citizens are left scratching their heads, uncertain of what to expect and how to prepare.

In New York: No Bus Ridership Without Congestion Relief
Bus ridership has dropped for many years in New York City, but much of the bleeding is concentrated in Manhattan and Brooklyn. Could the congestion problems of the central city be the reason for the declining use of bus transit?

Debating the Legacy of the High Line
A new debate has emerged, starting from a source very close to the project, about the effects of the High Line in New York City.

2016 Sets New U.S. Driving Record as Gas Prices Remain Low
So much for the 2015 record of 3.148 trillion miles. Last year saw a cumulative travel increase of 2.8 percent to 3.218 trillion miles, setting a new record as cheap gas contributed to increased driving.

Cap-and-Trade Back on the Table in Oregon
A new report and hearings by the state's House and Senate environment committees has put a cap-and-trade policy to curb carbon emissions back in play in Salem.

A Modest Proposal: Stop Subsidizing Driving
Joe Cortright argues for a new approach to the discussion about the country's dependence on automobiles: talk about responsibility, not morals.

Fair Housing Advocates Sue Texas Governor Over Housing Voucher Law
A Dallas non-profit has sued Texas Governor Greg Abbott over what it calls a blatantly racist law that allows landlords to refuse payment in federal housing vouchers.

Mapping the Country's Bridge Maintenance Crisis
A new, interactive feature by The Washington Post endeavors to bring the point about the nation's crumbling infrastructure closer to home.

Shreveport Debates a Highway Proposal
Strong Towns is rolling out an in-depth analysis of a controversial proposal in Shreveport, Louisiana to build a new connector for Interstate 49 North in the heart of the city.

Google Can Now Predict Parking Difficulty
The way Google predicts parking difficulty could make it easier to develop "smart city" applications in the future.

8,000 U.S. Public Schools Located Near Sources of Pollution
Schools tend to get built on cheap land. Cheap land is often found near busy roadways—sources of pollutants that are harmful to the health of children.

Sydney's Public Housing Gives Way as Land Prices Rise
Rising land values has made some of the land Sydney, Australia's affordable housing sits on prime targets for redevelopment and gentrification.

BLOG POST
Measure S Is Just Bad Policy
Measure S gives city leaders a moderately satisfying smack across the face. As satisfying as that may be, Measure S is remarkably bad planning and development policy at the expense of the vast majority of Angelinos.
Designers Propose New Development Model for NYC's Gentrifying Industrial Districts
From warehouse to art studio to luxury loft: the SoHo model of industrial-zone gentrification has become familiar around the world. A team of New York-based designers developed a proposal for spreading the benefits of economic growth in these areas.
A Legislative Challenge to Ballot-Box Planning in California
On March 7, Angelenos will vote on Measure S, which would enact a two-year moratorium on denser development. State legislation introduced on Feb. 16 would require a two-thirds vote for these types of slow growth ballot measures.

Buzzing Job Market Means More Transit Riders in Seattle
Solo drivers are down and transit commuters are up in Seattle.

Trump's California Double Play: Potential Fatal Blow to Commuter and High-Speed Rail
In one of her first major decisions, Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao deferred a decision on a critical $647 million federal grant to electrify the 51-mile San Francisco to San Jose Caltrain line, which would also be used by high-speed rail.
A More Disorderly Urban Form Praised in UN's Quito Papers
A UN conference in Quito Ecuador in October 2016 looked at housing the world’s growing urban population. The Conference resulted in a document and film advocating a more organic and disorderly urban form.

BLOG POST
Unaffordability is a Problem but Sprawl is a Terrible Solution
Many households spend more than they can afford on housing and transportation, but the latest International Housing Affordability Survey is wrong to recommend sprawl as the best solution. Real solutions must reduce both housing and transport costs.

Austin Looking to Five New View Corridors
The city of Austin is looking for ways to keep all eyes on the state capitol building.
Pagination
City of Mt Shasta
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)
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.