The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
One Way to Vision Zero: Reward Good Behavior
A simple, innovative idea behind Seattle's Vision Zero initiative: good driving behavior should generate more positive outcomes.
Cleveland Clears the Way for its First Parklet
Cleveland will soon have its first park let—thanks to the leadership of the nonprofit Historic Gateway Neighborhood Corp., the collective generosity of Cleveland Collectivo and more, and the approval of the Cleveland Planning Commission.
Columnist Reacts as Complete Streets Come to Lawrence, Kansas
A local columnist wonders if complete streets upgrades like the one on 31st Street in Lawrence, Kansas are the new future of roads.
The Hidden Costs of Locating Schools on the Outskirts
St. Cloud, Minnesota is considering the question of whether to renovate or rebuild—and where to rebuild—a local high school.
Has Fuel Efficiency Been Scapegoated to Avoid Raising the Federal Gas Tax?
Vermont's Transportation Secretary points to increased fuel efficiency as reason to look for an alternative revenue option, favoring Oregon's Road Usage Charge. Meanwhile, U.S. DOT reactivated its "ticker" to warn of funding cutoff after July 31.
A Garden District Takes Root in Milwaukee
The 13th aldermanic district, located on the southeast side of Milwaukee, is working hard to back up its claim as the city's "Garden District."
Faced With Flocks of Tourists—Town Will Charge for Bike Parking
Sausalito will charge for bike parking, instead of limiting the number of bikes entering the city's downtown, mostly from San Francisco by biking across the Golden Gate bridge and often taking a Golden Gate ferry back.
Seattle NIMBYs Protest Dense Development, Cite Eastern Bloc
A zoning bill has stirred up the fear that dense development projects will transform Seattle into a "Soviet cityscape." Residents accuse developers of using loopholes to squeeze in pricey, out-of-character townhomes.
Houston Rethinks Mass Transit
For decades, Houston has experienced car-oriented development, giving little attention to other forms of transportation. In recent years, however, rapid population growth and increase in traffic congestion has the city revisiting alternate options
Take the 'Night Tube': London to Launch Overnight Subway Service
It might surprise many that London does not offer overnight service on its subway system—while cities like New York, Chicago, Berlin, and Sydney do. That will change in September, however.
The Early History of the 'Smart Cities' Movement—in 1974 Los Angeles
An article in Boom: A Journal of California extends the timeline of "smart cities" and "big data" efforts by a considerable amount—all the way back to the late 1960s.
A Case Study in Planning for Inclusion and Affordability
New federal programs are enabling planning processes that deliver positive outcomes for a broader scope of the population. Seattle provides an example of how federal money is supporting the success of inclusive planning processes.
Diverse on Paper, Segregated in Reality
Many places are statistically diverse, but their inhabits can be worlds apart. A local perspective (and finer data) is needed to fully appreciate how different races and classes inhabit a neighborhood.
Proposed Reservoir Project in Northern Colorado Completes Environmental Review
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has released the environmental impact report for a dam project on the Poudre River in Northern Colorado.
Boston Hopes to Make it Easier for Developers to Prepare for Rising Seas
Several agencies with the city of Boston will begin studying how to retrofit the city's building codes to prepare for the impacts of climate change.
Affordable Housing Follows Good Transit
More raw housing stock is only the first step. Without comprehensive transit, the value of density can't extend beyond the city center.
Will N.Y.-N.J. Summit Kickstart America's Most Important Rail Project?
Peter Rogoff, the acting undersecretary of transportation, urged New York and New Jersey to agree to plans to advance Amtrak Gateway, the $15 billion Hudson River tunnels which he called the most important rail project in the country.
A First: Private Sector Prepares Regional Bike Plan, Backed with Cash
There are intercity Google buses, Google ferries, and now, a Google bike plan to connect neighboring Silicon Valley cities to the growing North Bayshore area of Mountain View. Google is offering $5 million to cities to implement the plan.
No Papal Blessing for Cap-And-Trade
Governments must take correction actions to address climate change, warned Pope Francis in his June 18 encyclical, but cap-and-trade, which places a price on carbon emissions but can lead to speculation, is not one of them.
FEATURE
Planners Across America: Brad Buchanan Shepherds Denver's Explosive Growth
In this interview for the "Planners Across America" series, Denver Planning Director Brad Buchanan details Denver's efforts to reactivate the urban core with strong planning, transit investments, and new residential and commercial developments.
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.
