The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

California

BLOG POST

California Cities Could Face a Zoning Reckoning

As the state toughens rules related to its housing allocation process, cities statewide may finally be forced to overhaul their zoning codes to ensure an adequate supply of housing at all affordability levels.

April 14 - Diana Ionescu

Rendering of proposed improvements on California Avenue, Las Vegas

Las Vegas Arts District To Receive Complete Streets Makeover

The city is promising a safer environment for pedestrians in the Las Vegas Arts District to comply with their complete streets goals.

April 14 - City of Las Vegas

Texas Bullet Train

Texas Bullet Train Company Owes Hundreds of Thousands in Property Taxes

The company planning to build a Houston-to-Dallas high-speed rail line is delinquent on at least $623,000 in property taxes on lots purchased for the project.

April 14 - Houston Chronicle

A group of cyclists rides on a green painted bike line on the Embarcadero in Sa Francisco.

Report: Sustainable Transportation Proposals Face Costly, ‘Time-Consuming’ Environmental Studies

In another blow to California’s Environmental Quality Act, a new analysis shows that many green transportation projects are delayed or halted by an expensive, onerous review process and the threat of lawsuits.

April 14 - San Francisco Examiner

King County Metro Transit

A ‘Playbook’ for Better Bus Service, From King County Metro

King County Metro operates one of the nation’s busiest transit systems—without running any trains. The agency recently released a playbook as a guide to transit service.

April 14 - Transportation for America


Austin, TA sign reading "Whole Foods Coming Soon" adorns a blue wall across the street from warehouses.

Austin Now Taking Applications for its ‘Right to Return’ to Gentrifying Neighborhoods

The Texas state capital’s “right to return” law was delayed by the pandemic, but Austin is now taking applications for longtime low-income residents to find housing in gentrifying neighborhoods.

April 14 - KUT

Homeless

Census Releases New Interactive Dashboard to Identify Underserved Communities

The new "My Community Explorer" interactive dashboard is intended to help drive data-based solutions to inequality in and between communities.

April 14 - U.S. Census Bureau


Amazon headquarters under construction in Arlington, Virginia

Amazon’s Housing Initiative Does Little for Low-Income Workers

Of the thousands of units Amazon has secured as part of its pledge to create affordable housing near its new headquarters, just over 200 are reserved for the lowest-income renters.

April 14 - The Washington Post

Congestion

FEATURE

Planning and the Complicated Causes and Effects of Congestion

What do planners know about congestion, and what can they do about it? Explanations and solutions are less obvious than they seem (part one of a three-part series).

April 13 - James Brasuell

A bus stop in Philadelphia, where people wait under a glass shelter for a bus as it arrives.

How Pennsylvania Will Benefit From Federal Transit Funding

Pennsylvania is set to receive over $600 million for public transit and mobility, but state leaders have yet to make decisions about specific projects.

April 13 - WDIY

Austin Pedestrians

Vision Zero Is Largely a Failure in the United States. Why?

From NIMBYism to entrenched traffic engineering culture, a variety of complex obstacles have prevented Vision Zero advocates from achieving the movement’s goals in the U.S.

April 13 - Bloomberg CityLab

Toddler walking on street

How Japanese Cities Enable Toddlers To Roam Independently

A TV show featuring young Japanese children going on errands on their own highlights the differences between Japanese and American urban design that enable even toddlers to safely navigate big cities.

April 13 - Slate

A large crowd gathers on the banks of the River Seine on a sunny day in Paris.

FEATURE

River Scenes: How Rivers Contribute to More Vibrant Urban Communities

The role of rivers in urban areas shifted in recent years from production to consumption. Now, access to a river's waterfront has become a highly valued amenity within cities.

April 13 - Martha Frish

FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland

Maryland Proposes $400 Million Redevelopment Around Commanders Stadium

The state is offering to make a massive investment in revitalizing the neighborhood surrounding FedEx Field, but offering no direct incentives to the NFL team.

April 13 - The Washington Post

Protected Bike Lane

Protected Bike Lanes Deliver Numerous Benefits, Study Says. But Is it Enough to Change State Law?

Advocates in Philadelphia are pushing state lawmakers to finally pass a law to make it easier to install protected bike lanes on state routes.

April 13 - PlanPhilly

MARC train going through the Gaithersburg, Maryland train station

Maryland Legislators Override Governor’s Veto to Support Regional Rail Investments

The latest round of Gov. Larry Hogan v. public transit goes to the latter.

April 13 - The Washington Post

Suburban Neighborhood

Resilience Planning for Suburban Growth

Whether or not the suburban shift accelerated by the pandemic continues, policymakers can implement climate resilience strategies and guide sustainable growth in both cities and exurbs.

April 12 - Brookings

Floating offshore wind turbines

Proposed Offshore Wind Project Could Be the West Coast’s Largest

If approved, the plan to build a 2,000-megawatt facility off the coast of Washington State would be a milestone for floating offshore wind production in the United States.

April 12 - Energy Wire

Coronavirus

Concerns Mount as Pandemic Eviction Protections Expire

With eviction protections in Virginia set to expire at the end of June, advocates warn that an “eviction tsunami” could still sweep up the state’s renters.

April 12 - NBC 12

The exterior and main entrance of the United States of America Embassy in London. The building is modern and sleek.

The Net Zero Building Boom Is Ready to Scale

While the cultural and infrastructural changes necessary to eliminate carbon emissions from the transportation sector still seem far-fetched, scaling up a net zero building boom is “eminently possible.”

April 12 - Bloomberg

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