The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Close-up of curve ahead sign on highway

Traffic Safety Has a Men Problem

Research from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety paints a damning picture of the behavior of men behind the wheel of automobiles.

August 21 - KSL

Uber Dumbo

‘Instagrammed to Death’ or a Return to Pre-Pandemic Normal?

Familiar controversies might seem reassuring in 2022.

August 21 - The New York Times

Colorado River

Department of the Interior Forced to Intervene on the Colorado River

More questions than answers on the Colorado River this week as the federal government failed to deliver on threats to force Southwest states to cut back on water use.

August 19 - High Country News

For Rent

Explaining Rent Inflation

The delayed effects of changes in rent costs make rent inflation a difficult figure to pin down.

August 19 - The Atlantic

Two cyclists on a paved bike trail through short grass with Dallas buildings in background

Dallas Names 66-Mile Bike and Walking Trail

When complete, the newly named DFW Discovery Trail will incorporate 50 miles of existing trails into a regional ‘super highway.’

August 19 - The Dallas Morning News


Pedestrians crossing a busy crosswalk on New York City street with tall buildings in background

Vision Zero Still a Pipe Dream as Road Deaths Continue to Climb

U.S. traffic fatalities hit a twenty-year peak in the first quarter of 2022.

August 19 - Route Fifty

110 Freeway

Opinion: Los Angeles Transportation Plan Will Increase Driving

L.A. Metro’s plan to add hundreds of miles of new traffic lanes is projected to increase carbon emissions by 10 million metric tons.

August 18 - Los Angeles Times


Flooding at the Whitehall Street station, New York

How Extreme Weather Threatens Transit Systems

As weather events become more intense and unpredictable, transit agencies must take steps to protect their aging infrastructure from flooding, storms, and extreme heat.

August 18 - Next City

Denver Region

PLANOPEDIA

What Is the Transect?

In urbanism and planning, the term transect provides a conceptual framework for understanding how the scale of built environments can vary from place to place.

August 18 - James Brasuell

Close-up of car tailpipe emitting smoke

Federal Rule Would Require Regional Emissions Reduction Targets

A rule shelved during the Trump administration would require states and metropolitan areas to set targets for reducing tailpipe emissions, but advocates say it doesn’t go far enough to mandate results.

August 18 - Governing

Two cyclists on a wooden bike bridge across a bayou with downtown Houston skyline in background

Houston Bike Advocates Propose Two Bridges Across White Oak Bayou

An as-yet-unfunded proposal to build two new bridges would create essential connections and help riders avoid a mile-plus detour.

August 18 - Houston Chronicle

View from behind three traffic cameras at night on busy freeway

Philadelphia Deems Speed Camera Project a Success

City officials say an automated traffic enforcement pilot program has reduced speeding and crashes along the corridor where cameras were installed.

August 18 - ABC 6

Boston Aerial

Boston Plans To Restrict Fossil Fuel Use in Buildings

As part of the city’s broader climate goals, Mayor Michelle Wu wants to require all new buildings to eliminate the use of fossil fuels.

August 18 - Smart Cities Dive

An image of the Sample Gates at the entrance of the college campus of Indiana University Bloomington, with a street and the city in the background.

Cost of Living Rising Sharply for College Students

High inflation, rising tuition costs, and a competitive housing market are making it hard for college students to make ends meet.

August 18 - Bloomberg Wealth

South San Jose houses

The Housing Crisis: No Longer Just a Coastal Concern

The pandemic accelerated existing trends and created unsustainable housing demand in a wider range of towns and cities, exacerbated by outdated zoning restrictions.

August 17 - The Atlantic

Cars are blurred as they pass the bright lights of the Michigan Theater at dusk in Ann Arbor.

Ann Arbor Votes to Eliminate Parking Minimums

Ann Arbor, Michigan approved changes to the city’s Unified Development Code (UDC) earlier this week that eliminate off-street parking requirements for a variety of development types throughout the city.

August 17 - The Handbuilt City

Crosswalk button with illustration of visually impaired pedestrian

The Sound of Silence: Designing Electric Vehicles for Safety

Near-silent electric vehicles pose a danger to people with visual impairments, so engineers are studying ways to make the vehicles audible while maintaining the benefits of quieter streets.

August 17 - The New Yorker

Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City Streets To Get Traffic Calming

After a 19-year hiatus, the city is restarting its traffic calming program to combat the growing pedestrian death crisis.

August 17 - The Salt Lake Tribune

Pedestrians on a city street

The Freedom To Choose Your Own Pace

An opinion piece highlights the benefits of slow transportation, a luxury seldom available in our speed-obsessed society.

August 17 - Streetsblog USA

Row of manufactured homes on an asphalt street

Protecting America’s Manufactured Housing

Governments at all levels are finally waking up to the benefits of protecting and encouraging the production of factory-built homes, which offer an affordable, efficient form of housing that many Americans depend on.

August 17 - Governing

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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.