The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

6-year Transportation Reauthorization Passes Committee; 3-Week Extension Introduced

The bipartisan, $325 billion STRR Act unanimously passed the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on Oct. 22. A three-week transportation funding extension bill was also introduced, as the Highway Trust Fund expires on Oct. 29.

October 25 - The Hill

Checking on the Status of Rebuild by Design

The hoopla has subsided surrounding nearly $1 billion awarded by HUD to fund coastal resilience projects on the Atlantic Coast, but the work of implementing the winning Rebuild by Design projects has continued.

October 25 - The Architect's Newspaper

A Tale of Two Chelseas

The neighborhood of Chelsea in Manhattan, location of the High Line and one of the hottest real estate markets in the city, provides a case study of the wealth gap, with each side living in close proximity.

October 25 - The New York Times

An Online Portal for Making Sense of Toronto Traffic Data

With so many potential sources of data with which to analyze traffic behaviors and real-time conditions, University of Toronto engineers have created an online portal that could one day help drive a system populated with autonomous cars.

October 25 - U of T Engineering News

SEPTA Investing $18.3 Million in Energy Efficiency

SEPTA has approved funding for $18.3 million in energy-efficient upgrades to the regional transit network.

October 24 - Philadelphia Inquirer


Railroads Given Three More Years to Install Positive Train Control

Agreement has been reached by Congress to extend the vital but costly safety system said to prevent many train crashes. Had it not been reached, freight railroads warned they would shut down, as would passenger rail lines running on their tracks.

October 24 - The Hill

Georgia Responds to Funding Uncertainty by Postponing 34 Road Projects

Though the congressional process of providing a bill that sets the funding agenda for the nation's transportation infrastructure seems to finally be moving forward, Georgia couldn't continue waiting.

October 24 - Atlanta Business Chronicle


Calling on Teens to Participate in Comprehensive Plans

A group of teens were recently participated in the comprehensive planning process for the city of Rockville, Maryland.

October 24 - Rockville View

Rowing for Restoration on Cleveland's Cuyahoga River

A group of passionate rowers deserve some of the credit in the remarkable comeback story of Cleveland's Cuyahoga River.

October 24 - Next City

Friday Funny: What if Bisquick Played the Silicon Valley Real Estate Game?

Take everything you know about the design and planning of Silicon Valley's corporate offices—but replace tech with pancakes.

October 23 - The Onion

A Super Energy-Efficient Home for the Alaskan Frontier

An engineer from Fairbanks, Alaska, has built a house that is "kept toasty without fossil fuels and uses a mere fraction of the energy typically needed, even at 30 below."

October 23 - Alaska Dispatch News

Regional Bike Trail Plan Extends West from Portland

Washington County, located just west of Portland, is planning a regional trail that could eventually reap benefits for recreation and transportation.

October 23 - Bike Portland

Saying Bye-Bye to Fireplaces And Wood-Burning Heaters in the Bay Area

In a Bay Area first, new home construction in most of the region will be banned from having these heating devices installed as the result of a rule adopted unanimously by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District on Oct. 21.

October 23 - San Jose Mercury News

India Streets

BLOG POST

Complete Streets Concepts Are Now Being Applied Worldwide

Dehli announced a major new Complete Streets program that will redesign urban roads to favor walking, cycling and public transport over car traffic. This is very good news. It shows that the Complete Streets concept is now being applied worldwide.,

October 23 - Todd Litman

Same Old Transportation Policy Found in Texas' Prop 7

By shifting salves tax revenue to highway construction and prohibiting the use of tolls, Prop 7 would ensure that Texas continues on a path of sprawl and congestion, according to opponents of the proposed constitutional amendment.

October 23 - Streetsblog USA

Sacramento - San Joaquin River Delta

California's Bay Delta Explained

As California's drought drags on, the Delta—which provides water to much of the state—has come to symbolize the tension among water users with competing interests. But the strained resource has also prompted ambitious initiatives for sustainability.

October 23 - VerdeXchange News

MacArthur Park

Why Some BIDs Succeed Where Others Fail

An in-depth study of business improvement districts (BIDs) in two Los Angeles neighborhoods examines the factors behind their success or failure.

October 23 - Next City

Boston transit station

A Citizen's Wish List for Boston Transportation

As part of the city's long-term Go Boston 2030 plan, residents were consulted about what improvements they would like to see. Answers included an end to fatal crashes and better-integrated, more frequent transit.

October 23 - Boston Globe

Baltimore MTA Bus

Maryland Governor Pitches Frequent Bus Lines as Alternative to Dead Light Rail Plans

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan infamously killed plans for the $2.9 billion Red Line light rail project earlier this year, but now he's back with an alternative that would spend $135 million to overhaul Baltimore's bus system.

October 23 - Baltimore Business Journal

Delhi to Implement Complete Streets Policies

Dehli's Aam Aadmi Party-led government announced steps to ensure that pedestrians, cyclists, and public transport users get preference over car users.

October 22 - The Hindu

Post News

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.

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.