The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

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Let's Talk Water
Water has been an integral part of the designed landscape for centuries, but is it time to reevaluate its relevance?
Wisconsin Considering Local 'Pothole Tax'
Though the governor's office remains staunchly opposed to new taxes, the Wisconsin State Legislature is searching for politically viable ways to fund transportation infrastructure improvements at the local level.
Struggling Coal Companies Might Stick States With Clean Up Costs
The practice of self-bonding, or allowing coal companies a "pass" on setting aside funding for mine clean up, is coming back to haunt some states as the coal industry struggles.

The High Cost of 'Motorcycle Freedom'
Michigan's mandatory motorcycle helmet law was repealed in April 2012. It only took a week for Dr. Carlos Rodriguez to notice an increase in patients not wearing a motorcycle helmet in his trauma unit in Grand Rapids, so he launched a study.

Bandwagon Residents: Does a Winning Football Team Fuel Urban Growth?
Some residents of Tuscaloosa, Alabama believe the University of Alabama football team's success on the field has directly contributed to the region's growth.

Oregon DOT Plays its Trump Card to Remove Portland Bike Lanes
A bike advocate tells the story of the how the state department of transportation convinced local officials to remove a popular bike lane in Portland.
Step Aside San Francisco: The Tech Industry Still Calls the Silicon Valley Home
You wouldn't be alone if you thought the tech industry had shifted its base of operations from the Silicon Valley to San Francisco. A new study of the tech industry's real estate footprint, however, reveals the South Bay's entrenched dominance.

What's So Urban About the Suburbs?
A new book makes the case for suburban urbanity.
Proposed Blight Solution: Shift Subsidies from Rent to Ownership
Pittsburgh mayor Bill Peduto thinks Section 8 housing subsidies could get two birds with one stone: help low-income households find affordable housing and reduce blight.
Study: Cities Gaining Post-Recession Economic Clout
As the dust settles from the Great Recession—evidence is growing to support the growing relevance of urban areas in the overall economic picture of the United States.
An Era of Innovation for Park Design
Next City surveys the most ambitious examples of park design from a year of ambitious projects.
Economic Extremes Measured by New York City's Skyscrapers
The Washington Post performs a sort of reverse archaeology: looking skyward to the heights of building for a record of the country's economic fortunes.
Wise Use Movement Galvanizes Oregon Wildlife Refuge Occupation
In an news analysis for The New York Times Sunday Review, Alan Feuer sees the occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Harney County, Oregon as another struggle between the Wise Use movement, which began is the 1980s, and the mainstream.

Washington Port City Seeks To Attract Visitors With Wine Village
The Port of Kennewick, Washington, along the Columbia River, is hoping to combine some underutilized waterfront property and nearby wineries into a new attraction for wine lovers.

Philly Transit Riders Need To Keep Those Tokens Handy, For Now
While most big city transit systems have moved on to electronic passes or paper tickets, Philadelphia's riders are left to deal with tokens and transfer slips until SEPTA's plans for a system upgrade come to fruition.

Finding Homes Harder For Those With Disabilities
A new study finds that the number of units available to those with a disability is insufficient to meet the growing needs of an aging population.
Guess What 'Empire Station' Replaces
An earlier post on New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's big capital project proposal this week gave barely a mention of his new plans for the renovation, or rebirth, of Penn Station, America's busiest rail station.
A New Jersey Town Comes Undone Over Affordable Housing
Faced with a court ordered requirement to provide its fair share of affordable housing, one New Jersey town's residents have lashed out with some anti-Semitic overtones against plans for a new development.

A Brief Explainer of the Urban vs Suburban Migration Inflow/Outflow Argument
Has the renaissance of our urban cores petered out or will the movement of suburban refugees to denser metro neighborhoods continue? Let's see what demographics and economics tell us.

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It's Snowing—There's An App for Tracking That
A snow storm came through overnight, your street hasn't been cleared. When can you expect to have your street cleared? Cities are increasingly providing snowplow tracking information to residents.
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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.