The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

A New Take on the Gentrification of San Francisco
The latest installment of a series titled "Field Notes from Gentrified Places," written by Vinson Cunningham, focuses on the city of San Francisco.
Twin Cities Top Annual ' Green Building Adoption Index'
CBRE and Maastricht University 2015 edition of an index measuring the adoption of the Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star program and the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED standard.

Economic Underperformance Tied to Bad Commutes
The price of long commutes can't just be measured in lost hours. Income segregation, job sprawl, and the resulting negative feedback on families eats into overall economic and social well-being.
12-Cent Gas Tax Increase Deal in Washington State
The Associated Press reports that while the exact details of the compromise plan that involve an 11.9-cent gas tax increase have yet to be released, the deal affects Gov. Jay Inslee's proposed low carbon fuel standard.
Transportation Spending and Taxing Considered by Key Senate Committee
When Congress returns from the July 4 recess, they will have less than four weeks to pass and fund a transportation bill—be it for six years, as desired by transportation advocates, or less, as Senate Finance Committee Chair Orrin Hatch prefers.

Fort Worth Wants Residents to Live Longer
The Texas city is the largest municipality so far to sign onto the Blue Zones Project, an initiative for improving longevity. In a nutshell, Blue Zones wants to make healthy choices the easy ones.

American Suburbia Transplanted to Beijing
Chinese and Indian cities have been quick to welcome housing developments modeled on North American suburbs, including "Orange County" and "Vancouver Forest" in Beijing. This globalized sprawl perpetuates all the ills of our own.
London's Transformation, Described in Brutal Terms
The familiar tales of expensive living in U.S. cities like San Francisco, New York, and Vancouver gain a little perspective when compared to London. Or maybe London just provides a crystal ball to the future of those cities and others like them.

Manhattan's Hudson Yards 'Mini-City' Back on Track
Stymied for a time by lackluster investment, planned redevelopment of Hudson Yards on Manhattan's West Side is picking up speed. Joining residential buildings and budget hotels, office towers will bring municipal revenues back up.

Op-Ed: Maryland Governor Is No Friend to Transit
According to this editorial, Governor Larry Hogan's decision to halt a planned $2.9 billion light rail line betrays a politically-motivated preference for roads.

Downtown Miami's Lack of Height Limits Credited with Affordability Improvements
An article in Governing argues that increased housing supply in Bricknell has helped keep down the costs of housing in adjacent neighborhoods like Overtown and Little Havana.
Anti-Crime Measures for Seattle's Westlake Park: Foosball and Ping Pong
Call it tactical urbanism, call it reactivating spaces, call it good old fashioned fun—games like ping pong, foosball, and bean bag toss are central to plans to make Westlake park more hospitable.
Georgia State Report Predicts Major Impacts to Natural Habitat
Climate change and sprawl are identified as the culprits in the eradication of critical natural habitat by the year 2050.
Latest FHWA Data Shows Vehicle Miles Traveled Continue to Increase
Those who thought peak VMT was in the rear view mirror will be disappointed in new data from the Federal Highway Administration.
Supreme Court Overturns EPA's Mercury Rules
In a close ruling, the Supreme Court decided the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency had not properly considered the costs of new regulations limiting mercury and other emissions.

Chicago's Golden Goose
Once known as "Little Hell" for its copious industrial plants, Goose Island is a rare, relatively undeveloped investment opportunity. Centrally located, it may one day house swanky offices.
Phoenix Mayor Advocates Self-Reliance Due to Federal Gridlock
Frustrated with Congress' inability to fund a six-year transportation bill, Mayor Greg Stanton is backing an August sales tax measure to expand light rail. Stanton also discusses climate change and water rights in the article and accompanying videos
An In-Depth Look at One of America's Preeminent Landscape Architects
The Atlantic's Eric Jaffe centers on James Corner's latest work in Cleveland's Public Square, and goes to describe his other well-known projects, including the High Line, and transformations of public parks and urban spaces throughout the country.

Op-Ed: Streetcars Should Actually Serve Locals
While they're currently in vogue, streetcars are only worthwhile if they can be a viable option for local residents. Unfortunately, this is rarely how the systems are designed.

Houten, Netherlands: Where Cars and Bikes Coexist
Well-known in transportation planning circles, Houten's suburban multi-modality can be found almost nowhere else. Perimeter ring roads, train access, and bike-friendly features have cut car trips down to 44 percent.
Pagination
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.