The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

According to new research, London's congestion pricing program has improved traffic safety both in the cordoned city center and in the free adjacent areas. Although traffic is moving faster, fatalities have been reduced.

March 15 - The Guardian

In February, the Federal Aviation Administration released rules for the commercial operation of drones that were (to many observers) surprisingly business friendly. A landscape architect imagines the potential of drones for planning and design.

March 14 - ASLA The Dirt

A look at what HUD-VASH supportive housing vouchers can do, from the perspective of one of the agencies administering them.

March 14 - Shelterforce

The county of Santa Clara is exploring the possibility of establishing an Urban Agriculture Incentive Zone—a relatively new land use incentive enabled by recent statewide legislation.

March 14 - Seedstock

In a bid for revenue and rejuvenation, Newark is selling vacant lots for $1,000. Buyers promise to build a home and stay for at least five years.

March 14 - New York Times

BLOG POST

Metro Vancouver is about to vote on a historic Transportation and Transit Plan, and an associated sales tax increase to pay for it. Will the citizens of this model transit Metro vote against a transit-friendly future? Canadian urbanists weigh in.

March 14 - Brent Toderian

Michael Graves, founding principal of Michael Graves & Associates, who produced some of the world's most recognizable examples of post-modern architecture, passed away this week at 80 years old.

March 13 - The Oregonian

Phillip Washington will leave his role as CEO of the Denver Regional Transportation District to take the same position at the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

March 13 - Los Angeles Daily News

One of Detroit’s most defining modern characteristics—and most pressing dilemmas—is its huge amount of neglected and vacant land.

March 13 - Mapping Detroit

While many California were protesting oil trains carrying the hazardous Bakken crude, a funny thing happened—they stopped coming. While protests may have delayed the construction of new oil terminals, economics is at the root of the slowdown.

March 13 - The Sacramento Bee

It's just one block, but a block disrupted by changes happening just a quarter-mile away. So these businesses came together to rebrand their street and bring customers back.

March 13 - Elevation DC

Places Journal has just launched Reading Lists: a new, interactive tool that enables readers to create and share topical lists of articles, books, and other media from diverse sources.

March 13 - Places Journal

Tom Rothmann explains how and why Los Angeles is updating antiquated language governing land use in the city.

March 13 - The Planning Report

A city councilmember in Sausalito in the North San Francisco Bay Area is ready to limit the number of tourists riding rental bikes into her city from across the Golden Gate Bridge.

March 13 - ABC7

The Atlanta Regional Commission is engaging Millennials in an ongoing planning effort that will determine the shape of the region through 2040.

March 13 - Atlanta Regional Commission

Clickhole, the Buzzfeed-style spinoff of The Onion, has produced a listicle of what the New York Subway line you're riding says about your personality. Prepare to learn nothing and laugh a little.

March 13 - Clickhole

In an interview, architect Renzo Piano says European suburbs are not desolate. He argues they shouldn't be treated as such in the quest for cohesive cities.

March 12 - WNYC

An urban renewal district established in 2011 in the city of Beaverton, Oregon has so far fallen short of its 150-million potential. But as the local economy improves, so too does the tax increment and bond financing potential of the district.

March 12 - The Oregonian

According to a Denver Post article, the Denver metropolitan area has 31,000 homes in the development pipeline. All but 2,600 of those homes would be built in suburban counties surrounding Denver.

March 12 - Denver Post

Ending the use of tax-exempt bonds to finance the construction of pro sports facilities has high level support from President Obama's 2016 draft budget, but it's too early to tell if the proposed ban on such financing mechanisms will be approved.

March 12 - The Wall Street Journal