The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Future Floods May Test Tokyo's Defenses
Despite the presence of a formidable (and expensive) underground flood control system, Tokyo may confront floods and rainfall that will challenge the city's capacity to protect itself.

Small Oregon Town Welcomes Robotic Deliveries
The town of Philomath, Oregon has just approved the testing of robotic deliveries on public rights-of-way.

2018 Conferences in Planning and Design
An annual sampling of some of the best professional development conferences in the coming year for the planning and design professions, by L.A. County Planner Clement Lau.
Prototypes for Trump's Border Wall Now on View in California
The U.S.-Mexico border between San Diego and Tijuana received eight controversial additions over the weekend.

Report: Dallas Public Transit Fails Equity and Access
Researchers at the University of Texas at Arlington have produced a scathing report on the inadequacies of public transit in Dallas.

Minnesota Town Halts All Multi-Family Construction for One Year
Anoka, Minnesota decided it has enough rental housing.

New York's 'Bus Forward' Plan to Add 21 Select Service Bus Routes
Critics of the Bus Forward plan say the it does not reflect the urgency of the need for better buses in New York City.

Dearth of Data Masks Scale of Distracted Driving Fatalities
Bloomberg links the uptick in traffic fatalities throughout the United States to rising smartphone use while driving.

Analysis Debunks Equity Criticism of Congestion Pricing
Oregon's recently approved gas tax legislation also calls for tolling of I-205 and I-5 in the Portland metro area, with the application of value or congestion pricing so peak period tolls would be higher, which have raised equity concerns.

Wine Country Wildfires Put Spotlight on Transmission Lines
No cause has yet been attributed to California's deadliest wildfires, but the connections to fallen power lines and exploding transformers, maintained by PG&E, have been exposed in a series of reports by the Bay Area News Group.

Progress on a Moonshot: Direct-Air Capture of CO2
Long considered unfeasible, direct-air capture of carbon dioxide has been achieved by a set of entrepreneurs. Scaled up, the expensive technology could slow climate change.
Tolling the Interstates: Will Indiana be the First?
Indiana is on track to be the first state to apply new tolls on all lanes of selected interstate highways if they are successful in their application for a waiver from the Federal Highway Administration.

BLOG POST
The Many Problems With Autonomous Vehicles
Optimists predict that autonomous vehicles will be a transportation panacea, but there are good reasons to be skeptical. They may create as many problems as they solve.

Which U.S. Cities Changed the Most This Decade
Analysis looks at a decade of data to determine which communities are undergoing dynamic transformations, and which are standing still.

Confronting Wisconsin's $1.1 Billion Highway Widening Proposal
A coalition of environmentalists, civil rights activists, and other community interests teamed up to successfully oppose a Milwaukee highway widening proposal. In an interview, one of the leading lawyers discusses his work.

Data Shows a Tepid Post-2008 Recovery in America's Cities
According to data compiled by the Lincoln Institute, public revenue and spending on the local and municipal levels hasn't truly bounced back following the Great Recession.

16 Boston-Area Cities Team Up for New Regional Bikeshare
A new regional bikeshare program with all the latest advancements in bikeshare technology is on a fast-track in 16 Boston-area communities.

Sidewalk Labs, Waterfront Toronto Partnership Shoots the Smart Cities Moon
The most ambitious example of the almost-mythological "smart city" will be tested in the Quayside district in Toronto as result of a partnership between Sidewalk Labs and Waterfront Toronto.

Study: It's the Land That's Making Housing Expensive
A new study explains why so many small homes have such a massive price tag in desirable coastal areas: It's not the coast of building; it's the value of the land.

Atlanta Ordinance Would Require Electric Vehicle Charging Stations in New Buildings
The infrastructure to support a world full of electric cars isn't going to build itself.
Pagination
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State 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.