The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

To Improve U.S. Transit, Follow the Lead of Other Countries
The common refrain is that transit is just better in other countries. However, the reasons why are more complex than initial impressions allow, providing important lessons for the United States.

Bike Registration No Longer Mandatory in New Orleans
After a local musician was hit with $1,000 in bike-related fines, advocates were able to achieve some changes in how the city regulates bike use.

'Nebraska: It’s not for everyone.'
Nebraska has a new tourism campaign, and it's unlikely to be unequivocally popular.

A Cautionary Tale of Mega-Project Planning
"There’s a dramatic difference, Cityfront Center shows, between real estate success and building a great city."

Op-Ed: Treat Vancouver Election as a Referendum on Zoning Decisions
The decision to rezone most of Vancouver to allow for duplexes could have consequences in this weekend's municipal election.

Tacoma Setting Land Use Barriers for Fossil Fuel
Even with a year-long halt on new projects, the city is grappling with plans for industrial land use.

Toronto's Quayside Will Be Plugged In, But the Risks for Residents Are Unclear
Technology will be part of everyday life in a new Toronto neighborhood, planned by Sidewalk Labs. But looking to the future is also raising a host of privacy concerns.

More States Preempting Local Regulations in the Name of Housing
California gets most of the attention, but states all over the country are removing some of the vestiges of local control to help spur housing development, require affordable housing, and control the skyrocketing cost of housing.

New 'Design Excellence Overlay' Aims to Inspire New Development in Missoula
The city of Missoula professes a strategy of "focusing inward" when it comes to growth and development. A new 'Design Excellence Overlay' will help achieve more goals toward that strategy in the city's downtown.

Boston-Area Mayors Announce Ambitious Housing Target
Mayors from 15 cities in the Boston region want to add 185,000 new units by 2030 in response to the housing shortage driving up prices in the region.
Granny Flats Legalized Citywide in St. Paul
The Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) movement has take hold in the Twin Cities. Now ADUs are allowed all over the city of St. Paul.

Massive Private Gift to Fund Parks and Trails in Detroit, Buffalo
The gift is especially notable for its contributions toward efforts to redevelop Detroit's West Riverfront.

MBTA Could Save $250 Million on Long-Debated Connector
A missing link in Boston's subway system could be built for a lower price and on an accelerated timeline.

FEATURE
The View from Hudson Street—With Thoughts on Science and Orthodoxy
Anecdotal evidence isn't enough to make claims about the connection between density and crime, but the planning orthodoxy does so anyway.

Electric Vehicles See Progress at Local Level but Setbacks in Washington
The new IPCC report calls for decarbonization of transportation. While many cities are attempting to do their part, two recent federal developments in trade policy and tax legislation threaten to will make progress more difficult.

Utah's Campaign to Deregulate Public Lands
Newly obtained documents reveal the extent of the state's efforts to strip protections from federal lands around the United States.

Automatic Train Control Returning to D.C. Metro
The computer-driven trains will start up again next year with the goal of improving riders’ experiences.

BLOG POST
How State Lotteries Impact Local Infrastructure
The upsides and downsides of state lottery programs.

The 'Save Driving' Resistance
For all the concern about the "War on Cars," some car lovers perceive self-driving cars as the real threat to the driving experience and the car culture that comes with it.

Contractors in Limbo While Southwest LRT Waits for Federal Funding Promise
More evidence that the Federal Transit Administration under the Trump Administration isn't interested in capital investments.
Pagination
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
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.