The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
California's New Guidelines for Cell Towers Upends Planning Process
California Assembly Bill AB 57 has tied the hands of local governments in reviewing the location of new cell towers, bypassing normal environmental and public review procedures.
How Antonin Scalia's Death May Affect the Paris Climate Accord
Scalia's death means that the Supreme Court is left with eight remaining judges. In the case of a tie vote, the decision from a lower court is upheld with some restrictions. A tie vote on the Clean Power Plan may be good news for the environment.
Cheap Gas Affecting Amtrak's Bottom Line
Amtrak will be forced to make cuts of almost 4 percent, due primarily to low gasoline prices.
FEATURE
GE and Industry's Return to the City
GE recently made the blockbuster decision to move its corporate headquarters to Boston. More than just another example of a company returning to an urban area, the move shows how a city like Boston benefits the kind of company GE wants to become.
BLOG POST
Retail Parking: A View from Google Earth
Google Earth can be a useful tool for understanding how parking is being used in your community and to identify where over- or under-utilization occurs.
The Bay Area's Coming 'Freeway Revolution'
This will not be a revolution against freeways, as some may have hoped, but a revolution marked by new express lanes totaling 550 miles, beginning with a new stretch of 14 miles on I-580 through Dublin, Pleasanton, and Livermore in the East Bay.
Slow Express Lanes Causes L.A. County Metro to Tinker With Toll Pricing
As more solo-commuters have moved into the express pay lanes designed to quickly move traffic on Los Angeles's congested freeway system, speeds have dropped and L.A. Metro officials are looking to pricing disincentives to speed things up again.
Urban and Suburban Poverty: The Changing Geography of Disadvantage
After two recessions that limped into slow and uneven economic recoveries, the number of people living below the federal poverty line rose to record levels. The suburbanization of poverty reflects shifting housing and labor markets.
New Study Looks at the Mystery and Benefits of Food Truck Movements
The seemingly non-complex decisions on where food trucks park is examined in a new study that finds there's actually a lot more to it than just an empty curb.
North Dakota's Oil Boom Falters
As oil prices dip to around $30 a barrel, fears are setting in that North Dakota's oil fields have been overdeveloped. If the current boom goes bust, these towns might find themselves nearly empty.
San Diego's Bold New Plan for Downtown Cyclists and Walkers
San Diego's downtown, dominated by 3-lane one-way streets engineered to maximize car velocity and traffic flow, may be getting redesigned to make it hospitable for bicyclists and pedestrians.
How the Built Environment Shapes Music
From Motown to grunge, techno to hip hop, modern music came to life in garages, living rooms, churches, and warehouses. Urban design has been instrumental to what we listen to every day.
Study: High Occupancy Toll Lanes Slow Traffic in Adjacent Free Lanes
HOT lanes are supposed to not only speed traffic flow for paying solo motorists in the carpool lane, but improve traffic flow in the adjacent free lanes, according to theory. A new study on express toll lanes in Seattle disproved that last part.
Londoners Taking to Bicycles in Record Numbers
The number of commuters taking to bicycle in the city have tripled since 2000, while commuting by car has been cut in half.
Dallas Has Two New Long-Term Plans for Parks
The city of Dallas recently approved a new Parks and Recreation Comprehensive Plan and the city's first Recreation Master Plan. The comp plan updated the previous Renaissance Plan.
Virtual Reality a Game Changer for Real Estate
The New York Times details how virtual reality is expected to change the game of real estate. The possibilities for planners and architects are endless as well.
The Twin Cities To Get a First Test of Bus Rapid Transit in June
Metro Transit officials announced the opening date for the A Line—the first of potentially many more rapid bus routes featuring platform level boarding and signal priority.
Study Finds More Age Groups Ditching the Driver's License
It's not just millennials anymore. A new study finds more people are going without driver's licenses than in previous decades.
Inside the Plans to Build a Domed City in Dubai
Plans are underway to build the world's first domed city.
Rhode Island's Unique Funding Option to Repair Roads and Bridges Approved
After an eight-hour debate, the Rhode Island House of Representatives approved controversial truck-only toll legislation that will make Rhode Island the only state to apply tolls to large trucks but not other motor vehicles.
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.
