The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Report: Construction, Management Problems Plague the D.C. Streetcar
The long-delayed D.C. Streetcar got some very bad news last week, when a panel of industry experts found evidence of construction mistakes that will severely impact the system's reliability.
Proposed Policy Would Cap Number of For-Hire Drivers
New York City is considering a cap on the number of new for-hire drivers (including transportation network companies) while the city studies the impact of for-hire vehicles on the city's congestion.
Richmond, Virginia Planning to Link Land Use Planning and Transit Investment
Richmond, Virginia is launching a planning study aimed at maximizing the benefits of a proposed bus rapid transit system connecting the city and its surrounding metropolitan area.
Minneapolis Ends Parking Requirements for Transit-Adjacent Developments
Minneapolis took a large leap forward last week by approving a plan that would reduce parking requirements for transit-adjacent developments in a huge swath of the city—not just downtown.
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Games Are for Kids (and Planners Too)
Minecraft has players across the globe busy building future cities. Cities recognize the potential of MineCraft as a tool for engaging the public in imagining the future of their city.
Status Report: the Rise of Innovation Districts
Last year, the "innovation district" rose to prominence as a way to describe urban knowledge economy epicenters. This report from Bruce Katz and Brookings describes how the phenomenon continues to evolve.
Auto-Repair Facility Permit Filed a Day Before Pedestrian-Friendly Zoning: What Next?
A case study in the development miscues that can move forward while plans are developed and approved.
Gov. Jerry Brown: Committed to Fighting Climate Change
Reporting from a two-day conference in Toronto where states and provinces organized to tackle climate change in advance of a UN conference, political reporter Chris Megerian profiles Gov. Brown's climate change commitment in five articles.
Sunday Funday: Video Game Plays on Fears About Crumbling Infrastructure
The game is called INFRA—the action is set in a city where corruption in the private and public sectors has left the city on the brink of collapse.
Stopping Development—How Far Is Too Far?
Fierce business competitors have to step lightly to avoid liability under American antitrust law and 'commercial interference' torts. A recent report takes a comprehensive look at where the line is when it comes to stopping a development project.
Tiny House Movement Pushing the Boundaries of Traditional Zoning
Tiny Houses on trailers are available and buyers are ready to live small, but most zoning regulations don’t allow recreational vehicles as a permanent residence. Can zoning catch up to the tiny living trend?
Stormwater Improvements Linked to Freeway Project in Northeast Denver
The funding needed to complete the Two Basin Drainage Project in Denver would come as a package deal with a $1.2 billion plan to overhaul I-70. Residents are concerned that they might be getting more than they bargained for.
New Jersey Cities Dragging Feet on Court-Mandated Affordable Housing Plans
Fair housing has taken national stage in recent weeks—a Supreme Court ruling and a Department of Housing and Urban Development rule now define fair housing. The New Jersey Supreme Court has also had its say on the subject, and cities are catching up.
Placemeter Provides New Ways to Measure Traffic
In the ongoing quest to better measure the use of streets by all modes—a new tool could be a game changer for transportation engineers, planners, and advocates alike.
Cities Where Density Benefits Transportation Efficiency
A simple demonstration of one of the benefits of density.
How Much Does it Cost the Public to Build Housing in Loudoun County, Virginia?
A wealthy county in Virginia has a reputation for prohibiting the construction of new housing. Development interests, however, are fed up with anti-development arguments.
Battle Cry of the Suburban Majority
According to Joel Kotkin, the next culture war will be fought over how and where Americans choose to live. It's suburbs vs. cities, again.
Houston's Main Street Crosses a Spectrum of Wealth and Poverty
A feature in the Houston Chronicle explores the economic segregation of Houston along the axis of Main Street—with low income neighborhoods like Independence Heights to the north and affluent neighborhoods like Old Braeswood to the south.
California Gas Tax Increase Hits Partisan Impasse
SB 16, Sen. Jim Beall's transportation funding bill that would hike gas taxes by 10 cents, diesel taxes by 12, and increase other fees, is stuck in the Senate, lacking one vote to pass.
Honolulu Bill Would Open Entire City to Restrictive Parking Zones
This may be one of the more egalitarian parking measures proposed in any city in America: it enables the establishment of a residential parking permit district in any neighborhood in the city, requiring both residents and visitors to pay.
City of Clovis
City of Moorpark
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.
