The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Op-Ed: Out-Of-Town Architects Miss a Huge Opportunity

A Cleveland architect offers a scathing critique of the design choices made by one of the city's cultural institutions.

July 14 - Crain's Cleveland Business

A New Tool to Amplify the Power of Open Data

Open data that no one knows how to use is hardly open at all. A new platform from Esri aims to improve the situation.

July 14 - CityLab

Vermin Graffiti

New York City to Invest $32 Million in its Rat Problem

Clean and safe from rats.

July 14 - Smart Cities Dive

California Earning Clean Air Despite the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

While premature to claim victory, a report from the San Francisco Chronicle suggests that the California Air Resources Board will prevail in a looming showdown with the U.S. EPA over whether to allow the state to set vehicle emission standards.

July 13 - San Francisco Chronicle

workspace

Telecommuting Skews Affluent

Here's a reason to doubt telecommuting as a silver bullet for congestion in growing regions: most people don't have the option.

July 13 - Quartz


Atlanta, Georgia

Emory University Wants in to the City of Atlanta

Emory University wants the city of Atlanta to annex its campus. Transit benefits and more could await.

July 13 - The Wall Street Journal

University of Washington

University of Washington's Campus Master Plan Gets Pushback on Equity Issues

The Campaign For Responsible UW is hoping to push for additional changes to a finalized version of a master plan for the University of Washington's Seattle campus before the city can approve it.

July 13 - The Urbanist


Google Self-Driving Car smaller

The High-Stakes Race to Deliver the First Car that Drives Itself

A new report provides a stark reminder of the stakes for businesses (setting aside the public right of way of other public interests) in the race to be the first to go self-driving.

July 13 - Bloomberg

North Lake Shore Drive

Ambitions for North Lake Shore Drive Coming Into Focus in Chicago

Has Daniel Burnham-style planning returned to Chicago? The Redefine the Drive process so far seems like a resounding affirmation of 'magic to stir [women and] men's blood.'

July 13 - Crain's Chicago Business

A Female Approach to Commercial Revitalization

Auburn Boulevard in the city of Citrus Heights, California is a case study of what urban strategist Michele Reeves calls the "female approach to economic development."

July 13 - UrbDeZine

Queen Elizabeth

A Comprehensive Plan for Westeros? Same Issues, More Swordplay

Game of Thrones provides way more sex, blood, and dragons than your typical comprehensive planning project, but the dynamics can be instructive, particularly in places where demand for the high-quality amenities of urbanism out-paces the supply.

July 13 - PlaceShakers

Barbes Music

Safe for Now, Brooklyn Music Mecca Sees a Cloudy Future

More than 20 percent of New York's smaller music venues have closed in the past 15 years. Although Brooklyn institution Barbes was recently saved by a crowdfunding campaign, its founder is pessimistic about the future of New York's independent arts.

July 13 - Soft City

Bus

BLOG POST

Transportation for Everyone

An efficient and fair transportation system must serve diverse users. The "Transportation for Everyone" rating system evaluates transport system diversity and, therefore, its ability to serve all community members.

July 13 - Todd Litman

Capitol Hill

House Appropriations Bills Move the Needle Away from Trump's Agenda

A House of Representatives committee has different ideas about the spending priorities of the federal government when it comes to issues like a proposed border wall and the Great Lakes.

July 12 - Detroit Free Press

Portland, Oregon

Oregon Legislature Passes Gas Tax, Includes Bike Tax

After Gov. Kate Brown signs the comprehensive funding package, Oregon will be the eighth state this year to approve legislation to increase its gas tax and the first ever to add a bike tax to fund bike and pedestrian infrastructure.

July 12 - The Oregonian

Expo Line

Expo Line Between L.A. and Santa Monica Hits 2030 Ridership Projections

Finally, good news regarding public transit ridership in Los Angeles, where the Expo Line connection to Santa Monica has very quickly outpaced its projections.

July 12 - Urbanize LA

A bus next to the re-located light rail station at Denver's Union Station

Denver Could Create a New Transportation Department

Hoping to give more of a focus and priority to the issues of transportation, the mayor of Denver is proposing a reorganization of city departments.

July 12 - The Denver Post

Herrin Lofts

The Key Question for a New Innovation District in Houston: Location, Location, Location

A forthcoming opportunity for Houston offers a chance to consider the ingredients for a successful innovation district, and what level of intervention, public and private, is required to make the concept succeed.

July 12 - Houston Chronicle

Philadelphia Park

A New Green Thumb Tool for Planners

The Greenprint Resource Hub aims to integrate open space, parks, and agriculture into city and regional planning efforts.

July 12 - progrss

San Francisco, California

Density Debate Fills San Francisco's Balboa Reservoir

Developers, neighbors, and housing advocates are debating the fate of the Balboa Reservoir. Their visions for how many units should be built there range from 680 to 1,245.

July 12 - Beyond Chron

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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.