The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

$1.25 Billion Approved for Caltrain Electrification; More Funding Needed
At their July 7 meeting, the Caltrain Joint Powers Board, a 3-county body that administers the crowded San Jose-to-San Francisco commuter rail line, unanimously approved $1.25 billion in contracts to rail and infrastructure firms for electrification.

Opponents Delay Albuquerque's Bus Rapid Transit with Lawsuits
A well organized opposition to a planned Bus Rapid Transit line in Albuquerque, New Mexico has stalled the beginning of construction on the new transit line with lawsuits.

Portland Seeks Affordability By Subtracting Parking
Portland's City Council has sided with housing advocates against neighborhood groups who wanted new developments to include parking spaces.

Changing Tastes Push Minneapolis' Parks From Baseball to Soccer
In a move to address changing preferences, some Minneapolis' parks are slowly eliminating baseball diamonds and tennis courts in favor of adaptable fields and multi-purpose courts.

Borders From Above Are More Than Just Lines On A Map
International borders viewed from above show how different patterns of political, urban and agricultural development often collide.

Planetizen Week in Review: July 18, 2016
The Planetizen Week in Review is back.

BLOG POST
A Connected, Walkable City: Building for Urban Wildlife
More than any other place, wildlife have impact on human health, quality of life and aesthetics in urban areas. Thinking about city planning at the terrestrial wildlife scale could support mutual objectives of city planning.
Alleys as a Community Asset
Often overlooked, alleys can be transformed into valuable community spaces

A Guide to Cooling the House in Summer Heat
Christopher Ingraham does everyone a favor and produces a how-to guide for cooling your house "like a wonk."

Dallas to Offers a $3 Million Carrot for Grocery Store Development
Hoping to attract investments in grocery stores in the food desert of southern Dallas, the City Council recently approved a $3 million enticement.

Should We Stay or Should We Go? Low-Lying Coastal Towns Debate Choices
Two U.S. coastal communities are debating the merits of staying or leaving due to effects from climate change and rising sea levels

Big Kennedy Center Expansion Includes Pedestrian Bridges to the Potomac
A missed opportunity, famously criticized by Ada Louise Huxtable, will be rectified when the Kennedy Center's $175 million expansion project is complete.
Bike Parking: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
have you ever found bike parking hidden behind a dumpster?

Families Departing Philadelphia for the Suburbs
That headlining claim is found in a recent research study from Pew Charitable Trust's Philadelphia Research Initiative—more demographic goodies are included.

Uber Creeping Into Transit Territory
One of the great, looming questions of transportation is whether transportation network companies will complement or compete with transit. A recent promotion moves toward the compete end of the spectrum.

Pedestrians Need Protection from Motor Vehicles Used as Deadly Weapons
As of press time on Friday, the death toll from the Nice Bastille Day massacre is 84, injuries exceeding 200, a record for an act of alleged terrorism committed by a single person. It also sets a record for death by the use of a motor vehicle.

$9.3M Awarded to Affordable Housing Development in Philly
The Pennsylvania Governors Office announced that eight developers were awarded a total $9.3M in tax credits from the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA) to build 495 affordable housing units in the city of Philadelphia.

Solar Power Moving Backwards in Texas
A state with many natural advantages for solar power is having a hard time making the business pencil out.

Report Details Georgia's Community Improvement Districts
As more community improvement districts come online in Georgia, some are finding limitations to the reach of the taxes they generate. A new report makes a thorough examination.

Op-Ed: Upzonings Hurting Affordability More Than Helping in Vancouver
Zoning for new housing supply isn't the answer to Vancouver's housing affordability crisis, according to an editorial in the Vancouver Sun. In fact, it might only be making the problem worse.
Pagination
City of Tustin
Tyler Technologies
New York City School Construction Authority
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Chaddick Institute at DePaul 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.