The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Driving

Sunday Satire: What if We Shut Down Roads Like We Shut Down Transit?

Imagine if the federal government treated road safety as seriously as it does transit safety.

May 15 - City Observatory

Nu River China

China's Last Wild River Could Remain Free of Dams

Plans to dam China's last wild river have been circulating since 2003, but now it seems that conservationists could emerge victorious

May 14 - National Geographic

San Mateo Bikeshare

Nation's Newest Bike Share Perhaps the Smallest

What better day to launch a new bike share program than on Bike-to-Work Day? in the Bay Area, that day was May 12. The City of San Mateo launched Bay Bikes, with 50 bicycles at 11 stations. Now the region has two programs, the other being regional.

May 14 - KQED News Fix

Downtown Miami

Miami's Form Based Code Touted as New Urbanist Ideal

Miami 21 overhauled an 80-year old zoning code and replaced it with a New Urbanist-style form-based code that many credit as being the key to changing development in the city.

May 14 - Governing

U-Link opening

Controversy Erupts Over Seattle's Light Rail Party Planning Expenses

Anti-transit advocates in Seattle got ammunition this week from an article about the party thrown by Sound Transit to celebrate the recent opening of the light rail extension from downtown to Capitol Hill and the University of Washington.

May 14 - The Seattle Times


Downtown Boise

Boise Tackles the Tough Question: Go Light Rail or Go Bus?

A new circulator system for Downtown Boise, Idaho is in the works, with the mayor gently throwing his support behind a light rail system. But questions over costs remain.

May 14 - The Idaho Statesman

Walmart

Investigation: Walmarts Abuse Local Police Force Resources

An investigation by the Tampa Bay Times finds Walmart stores treating local police forces like their own personal security forces.

May 13 - Tampa Bay Times


Pennsylvania State Capitol

Pennsylvania Gov. Wolf Expresses Solidarity for Cities

Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf grew up in a small town, but he has since adopted cities among his political causes. In recent remarks, he detailed his opinions about how public policy shortchanges cities—in Pennsylvania and the country.

May 13 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

Skaters

BLOG POST

Cities as Playgrounds...For Children

Even when urban centers are losing families, this trend does not necessarily apply to rich areas near downtown.

May 13 - Michael Lewyn

trax light rail train in foreground, snow-covered mountains in background

Cities Discovering the Limitations of Half-Baked Rail Plans

Presenting less of an argument against transit than an argument for good transit and land use planning, Streetsblog surveys some of the country's worst performing rail lines.

May 13 - Streetsblog USA

Hyperloop One Hails its 'Kitty Hawk' Moment in the Nevada Desert

PBS kicks off its new science and technology series with a look at just what happened in the desert with MIT's Hyperloop team. Science correspondent Miles O'Brien likens the week's events more to the "glider moment" preceding Kitty Hawk.

May 13 - PBS NewsHour

St. Paul Skyway

Public Safety a Growing Concern in St. Paul Skyways

As more people come to Downtown St. Paul to live and sightsee, foot traffic in the city's famous skyways has increased at later hours of the day and night. With that new traffic comes new concerns about public safety.

May 13 - StarTribune

Floyds Fork Louisville

Louisville Builds a Green Ring Around the City

For the second time in its history, Louisville completed an ambitious and massive park planning and design process on its suburban fringe. The fringe today is just a bit farther out than it was in Olmsted's day.

May 13 - Next City

drinking water fountain

Lead Exceeds Federal Standards in 200 Illinois Public Water Systems

A distressing report on the state of the water supply infrastructure in Illinois reveals the need for better analysis and reporting of water quality.

May 13 - Chicago Tribune

Boris Johnson's Last Act in Office: Opening New Cycle Superhighways

Last Friday, before leaving his office as Mayor of London, Boris Johnson opened London’s new "Crossrail" Cycle Superhighways, as the new Mayor Sadiq Khan was declared that evening.

May 13 - Cities of the Future

Cows and Railroad Tracks

Friday Funny: Here's Where Cows Could Take Over the United States

Vox imagines a world in which cows stage a military coup.

May 13 - Vox

San Francisco Coit Tower Construction

When Does Inclusionary Zoning Go Too Far? San Francisco Might Find Out

In June, San Francisco voters will consider a ballot initiative that will raise the affordable housing requirement of the city's inclusionary zoning from 12 to 25 percent. Even housing advocates are concerned Proposition C might go too far.

May 12 - CityLab

An Update on President Obama's 'Better Building Initiative'

A press release and fact sheet about the accomplishments of the Obama Administration's "Better Building Initiative" includes three new national programs designed to improve the efficiency and resilience of the built environment.

May 12 - The White House

Vancouver

A Love Letter to Vancouver

With so many people writing "Dear John" letters to Vancouver, in addition to high-demand cities around the world, one group of planners and urban designers responds with a love letter.

May 12 - Modus

Los Angeles Smog Skyline Zoom

The Role of Planning in Fixing Los Angeles' Development Woes

Globe St. featured an exclusive interview with Gail Goldberg, executive director of the Urban Land Institute, Los Angeles Chapter, and former planning director of Los Angeles and San Diego.

May 12 - Globe St.

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Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.

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.