The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

One Year Later: H Street and the D.C. Streetcar
Intended to spur redevelopment along blighted commercial corridors, the streetcars are the first to run in the District since the 1962 dismantling of the previous early 20th century citywide streetcar network.

A Timeline of CEQA-Circumventing Court Rulings
The California Environmental Quality Act is generally considered a major obstacle for development. In a few cases, however, the law's definitions have been used to clear the way for development in environmentally sensitive areas.

MTA Ready for Open Gangway Subway Cars
Open gangways are featured on subway trains in Toronto and Montreal. They could also be a welcome addition to the crowded New York Subway by 2023.
From Caracas to Remote Villages, One Family's Search for Venezuela
Like his father and great-uncle before him, 37-year-old Caracas native Guillermo Lares is using Venezuela's rural traditions to help himself and his contemporaries reflect on the country's current reality.

Historic Anchorage Theatre Inspires State-Level Preservation Support
The Anchorage Historical Commission declared the 4th Avenue Theatre in downtown Anchorage a culturally and historically significant building that needs state protection.

Phoenix Looks to Expand Bikeshare Into Neighborhoods
Grid Bike Share is expanding in Phoenix.

Cultivating Oklahoma City's Innovation District
A new Brookings Institution reports recommends strategies for Oklahoma City to continue to grow the influence of its innovation district.

The Environmental Trade-Off for Raising California's Fuel Taxes
Come November 1, gasoline and diesel taxes will increase by 12 and 20 cents per gallon, respectively, in California, providing badly needed revenue to repair roads, bridges, and improve transit, but truck pollution loophole will still foul the air.

Widening Portland's Freeways
The state of Oregon is looking to use a gas tax increase to, among other things, fund a billion-dollars worth of highway-widening projects.

Bad Bets on Detroit Housing Speculation
When investors from Belgium and elsewhere snapped up Detroit houses for a song, some of them didn't consider the full picture. The lesson: do your research, and maybe don't invest thousands of miles form home.
Chicago's Wabash Lights Concept Could Expand
An art instillation of colorful LED lights hanging under the L on Wabash looks to grow.

Op-Ed: Cities Still Subsidize Everyone Else
Donald Trump rode waves of anti-urban sentiment to the White House. But is some city smugness forgivable if urban economies subsidize rural places?

What Would Delivery Robots Mean for Public Space?
If companies like Startship and Marble get their way, sidewalks will play host to hundreds of rolling delivery bots. It's one solution to "last-mile" logistics, but are pedestrians prepared to give way?

Hidden Racial Tensions in 'Sundown Towns'
Some use the phrase to refer to Midwest towns where black people "aren't welcome after dark." A legacy of racial persecution has left majority-white places where black people feel their outlier status.

Housing Assistance for the Rich
The federal government forgoes around $90 billion a year in revenue for the home interest rate deduction, and the biggest beneficiaries are millionaires.

BLOG POST
Planning and Zoning for Growth: A Few Lessons from Los Angeles
C.J. Gabbe guest blogs about a recent article in the Journal of Planning Education and Research.

Rhetoric Over Public Lands Heating Up in Washington, D.C.
As the Outdoor Industry Association gathered for its annual advocacy trip to Washington, D.C., the industry is marshaling its resources for an expected political battle with the Trump Administration.
New Fleet of Self-Driving Cars Offer Rides for Families in Phoenix
Alphabet, Inc's self-driving car wing, Waymo, announced a new program offering free rides in self-driving cars to families in Phoenix.
Debating Los Angeles' Proposed Affordable Housing Development Fee
A proposed affordable housing development fee has inspired a debate about how far developments fees can go in generating funds for affordable housing before they finally stop development altogether.

Debating the Role of Amazon Delivery Service in the Future Built Environment
The team at Strong Towns is taking an in-depth look at Amazon, with a week of events, including the point-counterpoint series shared here.
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.