The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
What Will the 'Third Los Angeles' Look Like?
Architecture critic Christopher Hawthorne describes an L.A. in flux, at once beholden to its postwar image and pushing in a new direction. The city, he says, faces existential questions on a scale unmatched elsewhere in the nation.
Vanishing Act for Free Parking on the Las Vegas Strip
Among other things, the Las Vegas Strip is famous for seemingly infinite numbers of free parking spots. MGM, however, will soon change the game.
Reading List: Walking in the City
Sometimes, city walks can mean more than just getting from place to place. Author and book critic David Ulin discusses his favorite accounts of that rich experience.
Funding Expected for TxDOT Road Projects by 2018
The new transportation funding formula approved by voters in Texas will bring new funding to the Texas Department of Transportation.
When Bike Lanes Get Snowed In
After heavy snow, protected bike lanes can be caught in an unfortunate position between roads and sidewalks. More public awareness may help keep them clear for winter cyclists.
A First Look at Washington, D.C.'s New Zoning Code
The D.C. Zoning Commission last week approved a new zoning code for the nation's capital. The new code will go into effect in September.
FEATURE
A New Metric for Community Resilience
Though the need for resilient communities is obvious, exactly how to measure resilience is less obvious. Edward J. Jepson, Jr. provides a new metric of the evidence of a community's resilience and produces a corresponding ranking of 30 U.S. cities.
Study: Transit Agencies Should Respond to the Haters
Here's a counter-intuitive proposition for transit agencies: feed the Twitter trolls.
Environmental Groups Sue to Stop Sprawl in the Inland Empire
On the fringes of the built environment in Southern California, comes a turn of events much more common in the urban core: the California Environmental Quality Act has been invoked to put the brakes on a general plan update.
3D Printed Vehicles, the Future of Personal Mobility?
A revolution is happening in the automotive industry. Self-driving cars, electric vehicles, and car sharing programs are disrupting the traditional car manufacturer's industry. Could personalized, 3D printed cars, be the next trend?
On the 50-Year Legacy of the New York City Landmarks Law
This past April, the Landmarks Law turned 50. Its legacy and impact has been inconsequential for shaping the urban environment.
Oil Woes: Houston Housing Prices Falling Quickly
The price of oil has been on a steady decline since 2014, and the housing markets of oil industry towns are on their own, similar slide.
New Evidence of the Superiority of Bike Lanes Over Sharrows
A study presented last week to the Transportation Research Board shows that the quality of the bike infrastructure has a significant effect for commuting rates and safety.
NIMBYs at Center of California's Housing Shortage
Sacramento Bee's political columnist, Dan Walters, writes that NIMBYs are among the main reasons for the state's chronic housing crisis, and one of their main tools is the California Environmental Quality Act, which must be reformed by politicians.
Vehicle-to-Vehicle and Vehicle-to-Infrastructure Tests Coming to Colorado
The Colorado Department of Transportation's RoadX pilot project will test early alerts to drivers on Interstate 70.
Ten Planning Career Growth New Year's Resolutions
Planner Clement Lau shares his New Year's resolutions: ten professional development and career growth goals for planners and urban design professionals.
Report Identifies 12 'Highway Boondoggles'
A new report by U.S. PIRG and the Frontier Group identifies the highway projects most likely to break the transportation funding bank.
City Nixes Idea to Shut Down More Streets for Cubs Games
Any open streets benefits for a proposal to shut down Clark and Addison streets near Wrigley Field would have been secondary to security concerns—but it's all conjecture after the Mayor's Office nixed the idea.
New York's Biggest Challenge for Emission Reduction Goals: Green Building
About 80 percent of New York City's greenhouse gas emissions come from its building stock, so the city's goal to cut emissions 80 percent by 2050 will hinge on aggressive retrofitting requirements in addition to new green building standards.
Calgary Ends the 'Sprawl Subsidy'
An op-ed by the mayor of Calgary, Canada celebrates the adoption of a new off-site levy that will change the financing formula for new development and the necessary infrastructure that comes with it.
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.
