The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Louisville Gearing Up to Tackle its Urban Heat Island Problem
Louisville has the ignominious distinction of having the largest heat island effect of any of the largest cities in the United States. A new study from the Urban Climate Lab at Georgia Tech suggests ideas for lowering the heat in the city.

Battle Lines Drawn Over Density in Charlotte
The Charlotte Observer recently described the landscape of proposed apartment developments in the city of Charlotte.
More Details of Brooklyn-to-Queens Streetcar Proposal Emerge
One interesting detail to note: the BQX streetcar proposal, as its currently known, originated not from the de Blasio Administration but from a Brooklyn-based real estate company.

Researchers Build Model for Predicting Gentrification
A team of researchers in London believes it can predict future gentrification. The model is built on evidence of social diversity, which is often thought of as a positive outcome.

Seattle's Preemptive Strike for an NBA Arena Up for Debate
With the prospects of an NBA team bolting for Seattle not looking great anytime in the near future, the Seattle City Council is debating a proposal that has been in the works since 2012.

Barriers to Integration Come Down Slowly in Wealthy, White Suburban Enclaves
Beware of possible code words like "character" and "flavor" when it comes to community resistance to multifamily housing or increased density. Case in point, Garden City, Long Island.

Contest: Create a Game Based on the Life and Times of Robert Moses
The so-called Robert Moses Cup invites the gaming- and planning-inclined to design a game capturing the essence of Robert Moses.

Inside the Detroit Bankruptcy
On bookshelves today, Detroit Resurrected: To Bankruptcy and Back provides inside baseball details of how the city of Detroit managed to recover from the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history.

Letting Kids Design the Cities of the Future
The Box City event held in Denver recently educated children on the process of planning by letting them create their own version of a city.

Guide to Improved Street Designs: Pay Attention to Precedent
What does a successfully multi-modal and livable street look like? There are examples all over the world, if you're paying attention.

Where Have All the Writers Gone?
Aaron Renn identifies the negative effects of ongoing concentration of media professionals of the "writer" variety in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles.

What the Growth of D.C. Looked Like From Space
A history of growth and expansion is visible to the naked eye with photos covering a wide breadth of the planet and just a few short years.

On the Meaning and Value of America's National Parks
An editorial from a surprising source argues for an honest discussion about the unintended consequences of uncritical exuberance.

Seattle Light Rail Extension Already Beating Ridership Expectations
The new Sound Transit light rail link between downtown, Capitol Hill, and the University of Washington is already drawing a crowd.

St. Petersburg's Pier Has a New Look
A $50 million project will replace the now demolished inverted pyramid pier off the coast of St. Petersburg.
New York Development to Combine Manufacturing and Residential Once Again
The city of New York has made zoning change to allow an "experiment" on the Queens waterfront that mixes residential and manufacturing uses on the same site.

Earth Day Special: First Electrified Commuter Rail Lines Opens in Over a Century
The new University of Colorado A-Line service opened as scheduled. Free rides were offered Friday and Saturday to thousands of happy children of all ages to enjoy the 23-mile, 37-minute trip from Union Station to Denver International Airport.

Chronic Homelessness Persists at New York City Transit Hubs and Airports
Two train stations, two airports, and one bus terminal double as homeless shelters in New York City. When some close for the night, the subways fill in.
Expected Budget Cuts Hurt Port Modernization Prospects in Anchorage
The Alaska Legislature snubbed the Port of Anchorage due to a huge state budget shortfall. The port handles 90 percent of the state's freight and is a vital national security facility.
Paris Climate Agreement Signed, but Troubles Loom in the U.S.
On Earth Day, NPR looked at the intersection of the Paris Climate Agreement, which Secretary of State John Kerry signed at the U.N. on Friday, and President Obama's Clean Power Plan which has been given a pause by the Supreme Court.
Pagination
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
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.