The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Skinny Skyscraper

Report: Skyscrapers a Driving Factor of the Urban Heat Island Effect

As cities build upwards in an effort to create more housing and increase walkability, research shows that tall buildings intensify heat and contribute to increased carbon emissions.

August 19 - Grist

Los Angeles Protected Bike Lane

Study: Bike Lanes Don't Cause Displacement

A longitudinal study shows that bike facilities don't precede neighborhood change or displacement of residents.

August 19 - Bike Portland

San Francisco, California

Ranking the Top 15-Minute Cities of the United States

The rankings in a recent report are about the potential of U.S. cities to become more like the 15-minute city model provided by Paris.

August 19 - The Urbanist

Small-Scale Apartment

Rental Assistance Still Not Reaching Tenants in Need

Federal funds meant to help renters during the pandemic are still stuck in bureaucratic limbo as the end of the latest eviction moratorium looms in early October.

August 19 - CNBC

Dry Lake in Arizona

Federal Government Declares Water Shortage as Lake Mead Reaches Critical Low

The first-of-its-kind declaration triggers major water cutbacks for Arizona farmers and reduced allocations for Nevada and Mexico.

August 19 - The Arizona Republic


A small town in the U.S. Midwest at dusk, with cars parked on a street lined with historic buildings and a water tower in the distance.

FEATURE

Small-Scale Manufacturing Can Maximize the Potential of America's Small Cities

Artisans and small-scale manufacturers offer tremendous economic opportunities for cities prepared to harness that creative and entrepreneurial energy.

August 19 - Ilana Preuss

Washington, D.C. Bus Lane

NRDC Releases 'Bus Priority Toolkit'

The kit, designed in collaboration with five U.S. cities, aims to provide lessons and tools for building a compelling case for bus priority and identifying measurable benefits.

August 19 - NRDC


Detroit Vacant Properties

Detroit Residents Find it Hard to Access Land Bank Properties

Longtime residents say the city is not fulfilling its goal of keeping vacant parcels in the hands of locals as property values rise steeply.

August 19 - Outlier Media

AirTrain Newark Airport

How Cuomo's Resignation Affects Transit Projects

With the governor stepping down, the state's transit agencies have an opportunity to reevaluate controversial projects and shift their priorities.

August 19 - Curbed

U.S. Census Bureau

BLOG POST

News Brief: Census 2020 Population Data

Most of the media commentary that followed last week's release of Census 2020 data focused on trends in the racial demographics of the country and the country's growing rural-urban divide.

August 18 - James Brasuell

A bar is adorned in festive decorations for a college football game in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

'Gameday Homes' Raise Housing Costs in Small Southern Towns

Small college towns are seeing housing costs increase as out-of-town football fans buy up properties for short-term use.

August 18 - Next City

The city of Baltimore's Inner Harbor blanketed in fog, as seen from the water.

Resiliency Hubs Help Baltimore Plan for Climate Emergency

The Green New Deal for Cities, a bill introduced in April by reps. Cori Bush (D-MO) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), includes among the list of projects eligible for funding those that "build capacity for communities to endure extreme weather."

August 18 - Next City

Denver Skyline

How One Community Land Trust Delivers Housing Affordability to Denver

The Elevation Community Land Trust's unusual ownership structure and strong initial fundraising have given it a solid footing in the Denver area.

August 18 - Next City

Aerial Texas Hill Country at sunset, with an aerial view of a highway interchange and Interstate 35 in Austin, Texas.

TxDOT Moving Forward With Plan to Widen I-35 in Austin

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) wants to spend $4.6 billion to expand Interstate 35 in Austin despite alternative plans proposed by local groups.

August 18 - KUT

Smart City

'A City is Not a Computer:' Why 'Smart Cities' Fail

The 'smart city' concept fails to take into account the necessary slowness of democracy and the unpredictability of a city's human inhabitants.

August 18 - Fast Company

A massive hole in the ground, the Bellwood Quarry, is pictured with Downtown Atlanta rising above the horizon in the background.

Atlanta Opens First Phase of the Massive Westside Park This Week

The Westside Park in Atlanta will eventually grow to 280 acres and become the largest park in Atlanta.

August 18 - Urbanize Atlanta

A maglev train undergoing testing by Central Japan Railway at the Yamanashi Maglev Test Track.

D.C. Has Concerns About Parking and the Cost of Maglev Proposal

Washington, D.C. officials are urging modifications to key components of a proposal to build a maglev system between D.C. and Baltimore, citing disruptions to neighborhoods and cost concerns.

August 18 - The Washington Post

Rent Jubilee

U.S. Rent Debt Estimated at More Than $21 Billion

The National Equity Atlas has been tracking national rent debt, which takes on new meaning since the federal eviction moratorium expired at the end of July.

August 17 - Marketwatch

Singapore Electric Bus

What’s the Fairest Way to Deploy Electric Buses? Ask This Open-Source Map

While the deployment of electric buses can help mitigate the air quality impacts of public transportation, transit authorities often face budgeting constraints that center cost reduction rather than equity—until now.

August 17 - Next City

COVID-19 Pandemic

The Vaccinated Account for 20 Percent of Covid Infections in a Few Hot Spots

All Americans, vaccinated and unvaccinated, are still in this pandemic together.

August 17 - The Washington Post

Post News

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.