The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Fatal Combination: Hot-Air Balloons and High-Tension Power Lines
Sixteen people enjoying a hot-air balloon ride in Central Texas early Saturday morning lost their lives in a fiery death after the balloon came into contact with high-tension power lines, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.
Miami's Downtown Train Hub Begins to Take Shape
Construction of MiamiCentral, an 11-acre plot in downtown Miami that will house the city's station for Brightline higher-speed train service and related transit oriented development, is well underway. Train service begins next summer.
Vanpooling the Green Way
Vanpooling in a gasoline powered vehicle is heavily polluting, according to Green Commuter, a new car share and vanpooling service that rents all-electric vehicles, such as the Tesla Model X.
Study: Uber Doesn't Reduce Drunk Driving Fatalities
The debate about the benefits of transportation network companies, like Uber, continues.
Tradeoffs Considered for Dallas-to-Plano Rail Line
Officials would like to speed up the arrival of the Cotton Belt—a planned rail line connecting Dallas to Plano—but that might require sacrificing service.
Planetizen Week in Review: August 1, 2016
Political junkies, map nerds, and transit fans all got plenty of big news to digest during the last week of July 2016.
Global Economy: Less Energy Intensity, Less Carbon Intensity
Some good news from the fight against climate change.
Disabling Red Light Cameras Increases Traffic Fatalities
A new study shows what happens when cities remove red light cameras, which have become targeted by many motorists and eliminated by at least 158 cities. Fatal crashes increased 30 percent compared with area cities that kept the controversial cameras.
The Surprising Results of Comparing Car Ownership Across Cities
Although most people could probably guess the cities where residents own the fewest cars per household, it's surprising to find that Seattle residents own more cars than Atlanta residents.
Vancouver Sees Positive Benefits from Car Sharing
As car sharing services like Car2Go have infiltrated cities including Vancouver, B.C., benefits of reduced car ownership and greenhouse gas emissions are being realized, a new study finds.
Indianapolis Cooler than Brooklyn? Defining the Coolness Factor of Cities
How do you define a cool city? What makes a street or neighborhood hip? It's not too difficult to identify the right ingredients; it's putting them together that becomes the challenge.
A Bold High-Speed Rail Plan from Australia
Not only would a new $150.6 billion proposal build a high-speed rail project to connect Sydney and Melbourne, it would also build eight new cities along the way.
Denver Launching its First-Ever Transit Planning Process
Although the regional transit agency that serves the Denver area is amidst an ambitious and broad building program, the city could still use a comprehensive and coordinated vision of its transportation network.
Details of a Green Street redesign in Philadelphia
A comprehensive overhaul of a stretch of American Street in Philadelphia includes a bioswale to better manage stormwater runoff along the corridor.
New Report Highlights the Many Benefits of Urban Walkability
"Cities Alive," an attractive new report by Arup, one of the world's largest engineering firm, highlights the significant social, economic, environmental and political benefits of walking.
A Mobile Game that Brings Skyscrapers to Kid Level
CityLab reviews the "Skyscraper" mobile app game, from Tinybop, Inc.
U.S. Homeownership Rate Lowest Since 1965
A confluence of economic and demographic factors means fewer Americans own homes than at any time since 1965.
Walkability Study Underway in Downtown Dallas
The University of Texas Arlington's Institute of Urban Studies is doing to legwork for an update of the Downtown Dallas 360 master plan.
San Francisco Debates an Anti-Homeless Fence
The deployment of so-called defensive architecture is in the news again. This time the controversy is in the public realm, as San Francisco considers a fence to keep homeless out of McCoppin Hub.
5 Cities Launch the 'Racial Equity Here' Initiative
The idea behind the "Racial Equity Here" initiative: dismantle systematic racial inequality.
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
Tyler Technologies
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Chaddick Institute at DePaul 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.
