The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
BLOG POST
I Use the Word 'Vibrant' (and You Can Too)
Planners and designers should not be afraid to reclaim overused and misused words—as long as they know what they're doing.
What's the Value of a Half-Baked Streetcar Line?
A tough first week for the new LYNX Gold streetcar line in Charlotte inspired a review of the current research about the value of streetcars.
Most Downtowns Still Lagging Behind
Central districts have been surging back since the 1980s. But in most cities, the upper third of earners still favor outlying areas and are underrepresented closer to downtown.
Washington State to Increase Gas Tax by Seven Cents on Saturday
The phased, two-year, 11.9-cent gas tax increase is the largest since Pennsylvania's gas tax increase passed in Nov. 2013. On July 1, 2016, fuel taxes will be raised 4.9 cents. Taxes will fund a $16.1 billion package of transportation improvements.
The 'Disparate Impact' of Funding Schools with Property Taxes
Laura Bliss argues that implicit discrimination in the boundary-shaping policies of school districts necessitates reform of the property-tax funding system.
Homebuyers Return to the Exurbs
It's been a while since 2008, and a new crop of homeowners is colonizing the far-flung exurbs. Mostly foreclosed and even abandoned last time around, the exurbs are still a risky buy.
BLOG POST
Not Racist—but Similar to Racism
Low-density zoning is not racist in the narrowest sense of the term—but it does have similar goals to racist housing policies and creates similar problems.
Lessons in Waterfront Revitalization from Boston and Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh's Riverlife recently hired Vivien Li from the Boston Harbor Association. Li's career trajectory helpfully informs the kinds of decisions that drive good waterfront planning.
U.S. Cities Rank Highly as Locations for Startups
The Startup Genome Project ranks the Silicon Valley as far and away the best location in the world for startup businesses, but other American cities appear all over the top ten.
A Different Idea for LaGuardia Airport
It may be too late to pivot on the recently announced rebuilding of New York City's LaGuardia Airport, but Jim Venturi has some ideas about how New York can solve two critical problems—one infrastructural, one humanitarian—at the same time.
Congressional Republicans Agree to Three-Month Transportation Funding Patch
Overcoming their differences, Republican leaders in both chambers agreed Wednesday to a three-month patch bill to continue transportation spending through Oct. 29. The bill must pass by Friday due to lack of funds in the Highway Trust Fund.
One Bridge on the Way, Another Still Possible on U.S.-Canada Border
With a request for qualifications for a new bridge, connecting Detroit with Windsor, Canada, and a proposal for another bridge on the table, it'a bridge building time on the U.S.-Canadian border.
A Call for Regional Transit in Southeast Wisconsin
An op-ed argues that regional transportation oversight enable the region surrounding Milwaukee to better attract new business.
Phoenix Sales Tax Measure Key to County's Transit Future
On August 25, voters in Phoenix and Maricopa County will determine the outcome of Proposition 104, a transportation sales tax measure that would raise $17 billion for a wide variety of transportation improvements, including extended light rail.
BLOG POST
A Better Solution to Reusing Abandoned Property: Evidence from Flint and Detroit
Margaret Dewar of the University of Michigan blogs about her new article in Journal of Planning Education and Research, which investigates reuse of abandoned property in Detroit and Flint. You can download the article free until August 31, 2015.
Foundations for First U.S. Offshore Wind Power Towed to Construction Site
Last week the foundations for five wind turbines were towed into place off Block Island, 13 miles east of Rhode Island in the Atlantic Ocean. Scheduled to go online in 2016, they will be the first offshore wind turbines in the United States.
Proposed Chicago TOD Ordinance: Increase Density, Eliminate Parking Requirements
Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced an update of the city's 2013 transit oriented development ordinance. The new version of the ordinance would have a sweeping effect on the land uses around transit stations in Chicago.
Land Use Planning to Activate Downtown Nightlife
The Arlington County, Virginia downtown district of Rosslyn will provide the region's latest case study of a commercial district leveraging land use regulations to activate a dormant nightlife.
Jamaica, Queens: More Than Just a Stop on the Way to the Airport
Public and private interests have emerged to revitalize the Queens neighborhood, an inter-modal hub ten miles east of Midtown Manhattan.
Map Depicts Nationwide Geography of Inequality
An analysis and accompanying interactive map from the Urban Institute show where the nation's richest and poorest tend to live. The map tells a tale of deeply ingrained wealth segregation.
Tyler Technologies
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
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.
