The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Plans for the 'Loop Trolley' in St. Louis Threatened by High Costs
Plans for the 2.2-mile Loop Trolley in St. Louis have encountered problems before—now planners and construction contractors reportedly have different ideas about how much it will take to build the line.
$202 Million Streetcar Plan for Oakland's Broadway Corridor
Oakland city officials are considering a streetcar between two of the city's transit and entertainment hubs in the hopes of solidifying the stream of investment coming into the city.
Nuances Of NIMBYism
Harvard Professor Naomi Oreskes' recently issued a plea to "stop hating on NIMBYs." But the righteousness of NIMBYism, or the "hatred" thereof, depends, in large part, on whether opposition takes place in an urban or rural setting.
Did Advocates Overreact to Bike Safety Report?
When I read the subtitle to the recent GHSA bike safety report, "Adult Males and Urban Environments Now Represent Bulk of Deaths," I took an interest as I fit that demographic. I was surprised to read here about the dispute that erupted from it.
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Open Letter to a Car-Addicted City
A car-dependant city is at the crossroads. Can Perth, Australia, or any driving addicted city for that matter, change tracks to a multi-modal city, where good urban design is valued and walking, biking, and public transport are inviting options?
Bus Rapid Transit Proposed for Queens to Rockaways Route
New York implemented bus rapid transit with the Select Bus Service, but has yet to develop the kind of busways found in Bogota or Guangzhou. Will a route in Queens deliver the full BRT experience?
Using Data to Plan for Equity
Denver’s Equity Atlas is a pioneering effort between private, public, and non-profit interests to visualize a variety of statistics for the Denver metro area.
Commute Nightmare Awaits Amtrak and New Jersey Transit Passengers
At best, it will take seven years to build the Amtrak Gateway tunnels, the replacement of Access to the Region's Core. If one of the existing two aging tunnels has to be shut to make repairs before the project is completed, commute nightmare ensues.
San Francisco Voters Increase Height Limits for Waterfront Development
Voters gave Forest City Enterprises' Pier 70 development the go-ahead on Tuesday by increasing height limits from 40 to 90 feet. The 65-acre property will be developed into mixed use, with 2,000 housing units, 30 percent affordable, and open space.
Scarecrows 2.0
A new Dutch invention uses lasers to scare birds away, intended to mitigate their interference with critical industries.
The Many Benefits of Traditional Development
Charles Marohn assesses some of the economic benefits of traditional commercial development as compared to those of auto-oriented commercial development.
Los Angeles Breaks Ground on Purple Line Subway Extension
The long awaited groundbreaking for work on Los Angeles’s Purple Line Extension commenced. The project is expected to open in 2023.
25-Cent Gas Tax Increase Proposed for New Jersey
New Jersey's transportation trust fund is so broke that by next fiscal year, all of it will go toward debt payments. Democratic Assembly Deputy Speaker John S. Wisniewski's legislation would increase the petroleum tax paid by gasoline distributors.
Detroit's Bankruptcy Exit Plan Approved
Federal judge Steven Rhodes approved Detroit’s plan to shed $7 billion of the total $18 billion debt.
The Rise of Memphis as a Cycling City
In 2009, Memphis was one of the worst cities for cycling, but it quickly reversed its course, becoming the most improved city for cycling according to Bicycling magazine in 2012.
Portland's Unique Tours Offer Insight Into Neighborhood History and Culture
A small non-profit in Portland, Oregon is attempting to provide neighborhood-based historic and cultural information for residents and tourists in specific, unique ways.
Why Developers Love Parks—the High Line in New York as an Example
The High Line is proving to be a powerful catalyst for development but the same can be true for nearly all parks (less perhaps the starchitect-designed projects near the High Line), explains former Empire State Development Corp VP Carol Berens.
How to Recover from a Poorly Attended Public Meeting
From the periphery, planning and community engagement seems easy. You schedule a few public meetings. You confer with a few experts and put together a plan for the future of a community. Easy? Nope.
Artisan Manufacturing Mixes Uses with Residential
Looking to integrate artisan manufacturing into a residential neighborhood? Berlin examples provide a few pointers, via Hazel Borys.
Brookings Study Maps Freight Traffic in the United States
A new report by the Brookings Institution "analyzes domestic and international goods trade data from 2010" toward the goal of better coordinating freight policies and investments between regions.
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.
