The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

'Bikelife' Brings BMX Style to a New Generation
The Wall Street Journal introduces "Bikelife" to the masses, showcasing an another side to bike culture.

Atlantic City Showing All the Signs of Recovery
One of the East Coast's most conspicuous signs of the Great Recession is finally turning itself around.

Solar Power Turning Energy Consumers Into Energy Producers
As the energy grid evolves to accommodate more and more solar energy, conflicts emerge.

The Great Highway Should Be Better, Not Bigger
San Francisco's Great Highway is losing great chunks of asphalt to the ocean. A new plan intends to change that.

Federal Reserve Banks Look for Small Town Lessons in Growth
What do Rochester, Cedar Rapids, Grand Rapids, and Chattanooga have to do with each other? According to Federal Reserve Banks, they are all examples of cities doing growth right.

Tiny Bugs Causing Big Problems for the Vanishing Louisiana Coast
A mealy bug is devastating the cane that holds the land on the Louisiana coast in place. Without the cane, many square miles of land may wash away.

Cyclists Still Waiting for Chicago's Navy Pier Flyover
Delays and slow financing have kept a Navy Pier flyover grounded, and cyclists are tired of getting hit as they bike around the construction.

$2.5 Million is Too Much for a Teardown
Palo Alto has become so expensive, plots of land with derelict houses sell for millions of dollars. Mathew Yglesias argues allowing small municipalities to make their own zoning laws is partly to blame.
A Planner's View of the Los Angeles Riots
Parts of Los Angeles erupted in flames 25 years ago this week. The causes were varied, but the results were geographic. Planners and community development efforts tried to help, but their effects have been lost in the wind.

EVs Not Exempt From California’s Transportation Infrastructure Plan
Governor Jerry Brown and the California Legislature reached a historic agreement to raise the gas tax, but electric vehicle owners will now be required to pay a yearly fee, Will this impact EV sales in the US's best market?

Taking Back Highway Airspace: It's Happening
Building over highways is not a particularly new idea, but it has been a rare novelty. Former SPUR director and development consultant Jim Chappell sees a brighter future for highway caps parks and projects.

Great Places: What Every Urban Enthusiast Should Know
Melissa Hege, AICP, shares her thoughts on what every urban enthusiast should know about good streets and great places.

Detroit's New Q-Line Streetcar Opens to the Public in May*
The long-awaited Q-Line opened to the public earlier today.

With Florida Sprawl Comes Infrastructure and Public Safety Concerns
Some local officials in unincorporated Hillsborough County, outside of Tampa, Florida, are trying to take local residents up to the consequences of unmitigated sprawl.

Friday Eye Candy: The Antidote to Detroit 'Ruin Porn'
The new book "Detroit: The Dream Is Now" tells a story of revitalization and ambition, in the same city where far too many "ruin porn" photographers have tread.

City of Los Angeles Tops 4 Million in Latest State Population Report
As usual, California's fastest growing counties were inland, far from coastal job centers. The big surprise was that the fastest growing city was an affluent Silicon Valley suburb that had been sued in 2012 by affordable housing advocates.

Bridj Comes to a Halt
Bridj's bet that it could, well, bridge ride-hailing and public transit didn't pay off. Lacking new investment, the company is shutting down.
Where It's Cheapest to Build Out a New Office
With so much attention paid to the nation's housing crisis, it's still important to keep an eye on other kinds of uses. The office market is full of surprises, like cheap office build out costs in a city infamous for residential gentrification.

Study: Greenery Improves Quality and Length of Life
Living near vegetation appears to be linked to a longer life and better mental health—for women, at least.

Beating the Heat (Island Effect) with the Japanese Tradition of Uchimizu
Can a few splashes of water on hot pavement reduce the heat island effect? Researchers find evidence to support a traditional Japanese method of cooling the environment.
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
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