The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Four-story light-colored multifamily apartment building.

How Financing Restricts the Rental Housing Market

The way apartment buildings are financed has a major impact on supply and costs.

April 16 - Strong Towns

Texas Bike Lane

Houston Mayor Pauses Complete Streets Projects

The move raises concerns among road safety advocates who point out that traffic deaths continue to rise.

April 16 - Governing

Yellow and silver Metro Transit light rail train pulling into outdoor station in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Twin Cities Trains Move to Fewer Cars, Higher Frequency

Headways will drop from 15 minutes to 12 minutes.

April 16 - Axios

Close-up of red For Rent sign with white text on porck of brick building.

BLOG POST

Understanding Average Versus Median Rent

The disparity between these commonly used terms can give vastly different outlooks on the housing market.

April 16 - Marcelo Remond

Close-up of red Capital Bikeshare bikes with Washington Monument in background.

DC Bikeshare System Breaks Ridership Record

Capital Bikeshare users took over 20,000 rides on one day in March.

April 16 - DC News Now


Close-up of EV charging station sign with "No Parking except for EV charging" in outdoor parking lot.

EV Infrastructure Booming in Suburbs, Cities Lag Behind

A lack of access to charging infrastructure is holding back EV adoption in many US cities.

April 15 - PC Magazine

Two cyclists riding on a protected bike lane on a bridge in Seattle with traffic on their left.

Seattle Road Safety Advocates Say Transportation Levy Perpetuates Car-Centric Status Quo

Critics of a proposed $1.3 billion transportation levy say the package isn’t enough to keep up with inflation and rising costs and fails to support a shift away from car-oriented infrastructure.

April 15 - Publicola


EVgo electric car charging station along Interstate 15 in California desert on the route to Las Vegas.

Appeals Court: California Emissions Standards Upheld

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board, the nation's two most powerful environmental regulatory agencies, won an important round in federal court last week. But the emissions standards battle may not be over.

April 15 - San Francisco Chronicle

Rendering of wildlife crossing over 101 freeway in Los Angeles County.

World's Largest Wildlife Overpass In the Works in Los Angeles County

Caltrans will soon close half of the 101 Freeway in order to continue construction of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing near Agoura Hills in Los Angeles County.

April 15 - LAist

Modern six-story office building in Washington, D.C. formerly occupied by Federal Aviation Administration.

Legislation Introduced to Support Adaptive Reuse of Federal Buildings

The proposed bill would promote the conversion of vacant and underused buildings into affordable housing.

April 15 - Route Fifty

Rendering of busy concourse at Houston train station for Texas Central train.

US, Japan Governments Express Support for Texas HSR

A proposed high-speed rail project would link Houston and Dallas using Japanese Shinkansen technology.

April 15 - Smart Cities Dive

Aerial view of Anchorage, Alaska at sunrise or sunset.

Anchorage High-Speed Highway Project Met With Skepticism

The Alaska Department of Transportation and its consultants are working on a Planning and Environmental Linkages study of the Glenn-Seward Highway that bisects the middle of Anchorage, Alaska.

April 15 - Alaska Public Media

Aerial view of five-level freeway interchange in Houston, Texas with bridges spanning green bayou.

USDOT Issues Grants for Resilient Transportation Infrastructure

The department issued $830 million in grants for improving roads, bridges, and other infrastructure vulnerable to extreme weather and other climate impacts.

April 15 - Spectrum News 1

View of the stage, crowd, and speaker at the opening session of NPC24.

BLOG POST

Housing and Equity Take Center Stage at NPC24

With discussions centering on how to solve the housing crisis and create more equitable communities, Minneapolis is a fitting host city for APA’s annual National Planning Conference.

April 14 - Mary Hammon

Walkways and escalator at crowded transit station, with one person walking a bike in foreground.

Best Practices for Outsourcing Transit Operations

Contracting with private sector vendors can help transit agencies improve efficiency and provide better service.

April 14 - Smart Cities Dive

White sign with No Camping - Violators Subject to Arrest and municipal code in red text with snowy trees in background.

Opinion: Unhoused People Need Housing, Not Law Enforcement

The sharp increase in the unhoused population calls for urgent action, not criminalization.

April 14 - The Hill

Street scene in Greenwich Village, New York City with people walking through busy intersection and new WTC tower in background.

BLOG POST

Planning for Accessibility: Proximity is More Important than Mobility

Accessibility-based planning minimizes the distance that people must travel to reach desired services and activities. Measured this way, increased density can provide more total benefits than increased speeds.

April 14 - Todd Litman

Google street view of grassy lot next to brick church with elevated freeway on other side in Houston, Texas.

Houston Supportive Housing Development Sparks Debate

Critics say a proposed apartment building would negatively impact the neighborhood’s walkability.

April 12 - Houston Chronicle

Closed black wrought iron gate in front of gated residential community with large palm trees along sides of street.

Friday Funny: Gated Community Doubles Down

The Onion skewers suburbia.

April 12 - The Onion

Aerial view of Chicago with river in foreground.

‘Cut the Tape’ Report Takes Aim at Inefficiencies

A set of recommendations from the Chicago mayor’s office calls for streamlining city processes to stimulate more residential and commercial development.

April 12 - Block Club Chicago

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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.