The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Multiple proposals to demolish downtown buildings and put up surface parking lots are meeting resistance.

February 8 - Detroit Free Press

CodeNEXT is one of the most ambitious, and controversial, zoning reform projects ongoing in the country, with lessons to offer planners all over the country in code writing, public outreach, and planning outcomes.

February 8 - CodeNEXT

To close a $14 million budget shortfall, TriMet may scale back aspects of the planned bus line.

February 8 - Oregon Live

The New York Power Authority is considering a new kind of economic development scheme.

February 8 - Watertown Daily News

A Texas mall that opened in 1968 and largely closed ten months ago has been picked by Texas Central Partners as the Houston terminal of the Dallas-to-Houston high-speed rail. The site is far from downtown and distant from public transit.

February 8 - Houston Chronicle

Urbanist and advocate Kristen Jeffers decries the thinly veiled racism underlying complaints about D.C.'s dockless bikeshare program.

February 7 - Greater Greater Washington

Small cities are an asset to the country, so politicians and thinkers on the left and right would do well to stop calling for their inhabitants to flee, Henry Garbar argues in Slate.

February 7 - Slate

Community leaders say a design district in Westlake could pave the way for the erasure of L.A's Historic Filipinotown.

February 7 - Curbed LA

FEATURE

While evidence mounts that Uber and Lyft are stealing rides from public transit, there's still a chance for ride-hailing apps to do more to help than hurt congestion. The key: using ride-hailing apps to carpool.

February 7 - Dan Sperling

Small cities around the country with high unemployment are desperate for jobs, but when an Amazon distribution center moves into town, it's not all good news.

February 7 - The Atlantic

A new report from the Regional Plan Association identifies the nature of the problem with the New York MTA's construction costs, and recommends 11 possible solutions.

February 7 - The New York Times

Curb design and management play a huge role in other aspects of city life. Put simply, what happens on the curbside directly impacts what happens on the street, both in terms of social and business connectivity.

February 7 - Longitudes

"Smart City" plans for the city of Columbus are taking shape.

February 7 - Smart Cities Dive

Here's a helpful tool for understanding economic growth.

February 7 - Brookings Institution

A study published recently in the Journal of the American Planning Association finds that mixed-use neighborhoods in Toronto are only delivering benefits to those who can afford to pay a premium.

February 7 - CBC News

BLOG POST

One common explanation for recent declines in transit ridership is that gentrification has driven lower-income commuters into car-dependent suburbs. But does data bear this out?

February 6 - Michael Lewyn

Passion for urban planning, love of South Central LA communities, and historical background of the neighborhoods combine in this personal account by Jonathan P. Bell of community-based zoning enforcement.

February 6 - UrbDeZine

Contrary to the opinion of many, cyclists do a better job versus drivers of obeying traffic laws

February 6 - Outside

A low unemployment rate means major investments by the federal government could ultimately harm the economy.

February 6 - FiveThirtyEight

The crash in Cayce, South Carolina on Sunday killed the engineer and conductor riding in the Amtrak locomotive, injuring over 100 passengers and crew members. A locked switch had directed Amtrak #91 into a siding where it hit a parked CSX train.

February 6 - The State