The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
FEATURE
A Solution for Massive Federal Funding Cuts: Think Hyper-Local
As concern grows over the potential loss of community development and planning funds at the federal level, Indigo Bishop writes to remind us that communities have the networks and resources to make it through periods of scarcity.
Austin's Capital Metro Makes Like Uber and Lets Users Hail Their Ride
Public transit is evolving to keep up with the conveniences offered by transportation network companies like Uber and Lyft. The question is whether it will work for the long haul.
Only High Cost Premiums Can Make Urban Farming Pencil Out
Throwing cold water on the latest "techno-optimism" for indoor, urban agriculture.
Lawsuit Targets Lack of Public Information on Trump's Border Wall
The Public Information Act has not been sufficient in getting the Trump Administration to divulge information about its plans to build a wall between the United States and Mexico.
Fixation On City Skylines Detracts From City Streets
City life happens at street level. But some of our most iconic images of cities are focused hundreds, or even thousands, of feet in the air. Our streetscapes are the worse off for it.
Beuvron-en-Auge: 15th Century Town Planning Stands the Test of Time
Another reason European placemaking has North American applications: it wasn't always perfect. Hazel Borys looks to simple town planning lessons from a village in Normandy.
Saving Lives: Including Sidewalk Bollards in Street Design
Countless lives were likely saved by a strategically placed bollard on W. 45th Ave. which stopped a motorist who had driven three blocks on city sidewalks, mowing-down as many pedestrians as possible, from entering the Times Square pedestrian plaza.
Metra Proposes Frequency Changes for the South Side of Chicago
Overall, Chicago's regional train service the Metra has been losing ridership, however, Hyde Park neighborhood stations have seen some growth.
Who's To Blame For Gentrification?
Journalist Peter Markowitz has written a provocative, and profoundly disingenuous, analysis of the causes and effects of gentrification in American cities. He sows division at a time that requires collaboration, writes Josh Stephens.
D.C. Metro Debuts Air-Freshened Trains
Air fresheners have bene installed on D.C.'s Green Line, an attempt to improve riders' satisfaction with cleanliness. Despite some mixed reactions, perceptions of cleanliness are rising.
Seattle and Silicon Valley: Joined at the Hip?
Tech thrives on connection, and America's west coast tech hubs are more connected than ever before. But Seattleites aren't in a rush to abandon their city's distinctiveness.
In Europe, Self-Drivers Focus on Augmenting Transit
Unlike the American focus on luxury personal self-drivers, the European approach favors small self-driving buses that can ferry riders to larger transit lines.
Analyzing 2017's 'State of the City' Addresses
The National League of Cities has released its annual report aggregating the "State of the City" speeches from over 100 U.S. mayors, revealing the ambitions and concerns of the nation's local leadership.
How American Homeownership Fosters Inequality
Matthew Desmond, author of "Evicted," looks at the lives of Americans across the economic spectrum to gain insight into how homeownership, mainly through the mortgage tax deduction, keeps the U.S. unequal.
Brutalism Becoming a Source of Preservation Controversy
Brutalism might not be anybody's idea of beautiful, but that doesn't mean examples of the architectural style aren't beloved by many. As Brutalism comes of age as historic, preservation battles are heating up—especially in Washington, D.C.
Canada's Growth Trending Toward the Suburban
According to this opinion piece, the tales of urbanizing Canada are overblown. "We're a suburban nation," says one of the sources quoted in the article.
Nebraska Suburb's Population Estimates Still Catching Up to Census Changes
In 2015, the U.S. Census made some changes to its methodology for estimating city populations. The city of Ralston, a suburb of Omaha, provides a case study for the effect of the changes.
A Relentless D.C. Zoning Activist
Chris Otten says change doesn't come from "being nice to decision makers," so he's comfortable being confrontational with developers and City Council members he sees as taking advantage of the poor.
State Legislation Forces Austin to Lift Ban on Lyft and Uber
A new Texas state law that regulates transportation network companies also overrides more restrictive local regulations, like Austin's requirement for fingerprinting drivers. Austin voters supported the tighter regulations at the ballot box last May.
Successful Ballot Measures Spell Doom for Transit Funding in Trump's 2018 Budget
President Trump points to the passage of multi-billion ballot measures last November as proof that federal funding isn't needed to fund transit, justifying elimination of a major grants program. The CEOs of two large transit agencies fight back.
City of Fort Worth
planning NEXT
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie
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