The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Trees and People

The Problem with Tree Planting Programs

Ambitious campaigns to plant trees in urban areas often don't take into account the complexities of growing and maintaining effective urban forests.

August 5 - Bloomberg CityLab

Lake Powell

Lake Powell's Houseboat Launches Running Dry

Record low water levels are sinking Lake Powell's houseboat industry as climate change threatens water supplies in the West.

August 5 - The Guardian

Homeless

Mapping Informal Neighborhoods

New mapping tools are helping cities around the world map and understand their poorest communities.

August 5 - Bloomberg CityLab

Electric Vehicle Charging

What California Would Lose if the Infrastructure Plan Fails

The state is poised to gain nearly $1 billion from the federal plan for projects ranging from electric vehicle charging stations to bike lanes and zero-emission bus fleets.

August 5 - L.A. Magazine

Single-Family Housing Development

This Washington City Quietly Eliminated Single-Family Zoning

Walla Walla's 2018 zoning reforms included adaptive reuse, reduced parking requirements, and more relaxed rules for accessory dwelling units.

August 5 - The Urbanist


Hoover Dam

How Extreme Heat Threatens the Electrical Grid

Higher demand for electricity and lower capacity for production due to more intense heat waves are straining the power grid and causing concern for future energy production.

August 5 - High Country News

San Diego Waterfront

San Diego Bike Advocates Demand Safer Infrastructure

After 12 people were killed this year biking on San Diego County roads, local advocates are calling for more protected bike lanes and safer bike facilities.

August 4 - CBS 8 San Diego


El Paso Trolleys

El Paso Streetcar Returns With Free Fares

The historic streetcars will connect uptown and downtown amenities in a 4.8-mile loop.

August 4 - KLAQ

Cadillac Escalade

Study: More SUVs Lead to More Pedestrian Deaths

Larger vehicles are proving deadlier for pedestrians–and are more popular than ever.

August 4 - Streetsblog USA

Bollards

To Protect Pedestrians, Install More Bollards

Roadway designs protect drivers and construction workers with robust barriers. Why don't we protect pedestrians in the same way?

August 4 - Strong Towns

Houston Light Rail Transit

Houston Plans New Downtown Bus-Only Lanes

The lull in commuter traffic during the pandemic gave Houston's transit agencies time to implement new projects and redesign downtown roads to better accommodate transit users.

August 4 - The Houston Chronicle

Apartments for rent signage

Cincinnati Tenants Can Still Access Rental Assistance Funds

Organizations in the city are working to distribute remaining rental assistance to tenants and landlords.

August 4 - WLWT

Transit Line

Guaranteed Transit Funding Lacking in New Infrastructure Bill

Lauded by the administration as a historic amount, the transit funding promised in the revised bill lags far behind projected needs.

August 4 - CleanTechnica

Cars

It's Time For A National VMT Fee Policy

Op-ed: Charging road users by how much they drive, not how much gas they buy, is the only sustainable way forward for infrastructure funding.

August 4 - Next City

School Buses

Congress Shortchanges School Bus Electrification in Infrastructure Bill

Greening school buses, which represent the bulk of America's mass transit, would reduce children's exposure to harmful diesel emissions and remove millions of tons of greenhouse gas emissions from our roads.

August 3 - Streetsblog USA

Pennsylvania

Philadelphia Street Mural Aims to Slow Cars and Improve Pedestrian Safety

Part of a larger safety and beautification plan, the mural is designed to slow down drivers and bring a 'sense of hope' to the neighborhood.

August 3 - Philadelphia Inquirer

Public Toilet

Opinion: Keep Public Toilets at L.A. Homeless Encampments

The city is planning to remove the hundreds of public toilets and hand-washing stations installed during the pandemic. But the need for them isn't going away.

August 3 - Los Angeles Times

Traffic and Speed

Illinois Traffic Deaths Up by 10% Over 2020

Officials point to speeding and reckless driving as causes for the increase in fatal crashes.

August 3 - Daily Herald

Washington D.C. Metro

D.C. Transit Agencies Ready to Serve Returning Commuters

The region's transit providers are gearing up to provide enhanced service, shorter headways, and reduced or free fares as more people return to public transportation.

August 3 - The Washington Post

New York Public Transit

Report: Americans are Returning to Public Transit

According to the Federal Transit Administration, transit ridership is up dramatically from 2020 levels.

August 3 - Transportation Today News

Post News

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.