The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Visualizing Manhattan's Shrinking Density
Although Manhattan has seen in influx of skyscrapers since 1910, overall residential density has shrunk since then.
Report Reveals Imbalanced Investments for Atlanta's BeltLine
While the neighborhoods on northern segments of the Atlanta's BeltLine has received 94 percent of funding invested towards parks and trails, segments to the south have received 86 percent of affordable housing investments.

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CicLAvia: Reclaiming Streets in the Car Capital of America
The second in a series profiling grassroots activism to increase biking among the diverse populations of Los Angeles County. In this installment, Planetizen spoke with Robert Gard, director of communications for CicLAvia.
Cops Crackdown on Speeding Cyclists after Second Pedestrian Death in Central Park
For the second time in as many months, a cyclist crashed into a pedestrian in Manhattan's Central Park with fatal consequences to the pedestrian. On September 18, Jill Tarlov, 58, was hit by Jason W. Marshall, 31, riding a racing, brakeless bike.
The Importance of Inter-Urban Walkability
In his third "place-decoding" essay from France, Chuck Wolfe recalls all that we can learn from walking between settled places.
Report Details Deep Inequality in the St. Louis Region
Ken Leiser shares the results of survey finding that "Blacks are far more likely than whites to live in poverty, to be unemployed and to drop out of school in the St. Louis region."

On the Los Angeles Urbanism Boom
Urban planner and researcher, C.J. Gabbe, shares insights from his past two years living in Los Angeles, including surprising innovations in planning and development.
Competing for Transit Service in North Texas
After expanding its light rail system until it was the largest system in the United States, Dallas Area Rapid Transit still finds itself struggling to attract cities to join the agency, even as rival agencies are emerging as competitors.
Database Reveals Bay Area's Parking Waste
A new tool from TransForm shows where parking is underutilized in the Bay Area, even finding wasted space in a city as notorious for parking difficulties as San Francisco.
Speeding Camera Issues 6,000 Tickets in a Day—Is it Unfair?
After issuing 6,000 speeding tickets in one day, a speeding camera in Sheepshead Bay in New York City has already influenced driving habits. But some in the community are calling the location of the cameras a trap.
Federal Highway Administration to Develop Guidance for Protected Bike Lanes
In a major policy departure for federal level bureaucracy, the Federal Highway Administration is developing guidance for the design and engineering of protected bike lanes in two separate policy documents
Protected Bicycle Lanes Now Welcome in California
Thanks to California Gov. Jerry Brown signing San Francisco Assemblyman Phil Ting's "bikeways" bill on Sept. 20, expect to see many more protected bike lanes constructed by cities throughout the state. Another signed bill will increase bike funding.
What's Your 'Elevator Pitch' for Greener, Healthier Cities?
Kaid Benfield shares his placemaking pitch.
10 Misconceptions about Form-Based Codes
Several common assumptions about new urban codes fail to stand up to scrutiny.

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New York City BIDs Have Indifferent Impacts on Economic Growth
"Rather than serving as a buffer against economic decline for independent retailers, it seems that Community BIDs are a hindrance to sales and employment growth..." writes Dr. Stacey Sutton in the Journal of Planning Education & Research.
MTA's Five-Year Capital Plan Calls for $32 Billion in Investments
The Wall Street Journal takes an advance look at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's 2015-2019 capital plan.

Where to Go in the Event of Climate Change
Anchorage, Seattle, and Detroit will be pretty cozy compared to just about everywhere else in the United States if climate change models hold true.
Pilot 20 mph Speed Limit Shows Multiple Benefits
A press release announcing the results of Edinburgh, Scotland's 20-mph speed limit pilot finds multiple benefits in walking, biking, and the number of children allowed outside.
Cleveland and Pittsburgh Lead First-Time Buyer Market
Calling Pittsburgh "the next Boston," recent analysis finds Pittsburgh and Cleveland are bucking trends in stagnant first-time buyer rates in the housing market.

Study: Positive Psychological Effects for Walking and Biking to Work
A research study finds evidence of the positive psychological effects of walking and biking to work, joining a quickly growing body of academic research supporting multi-modal lifestyle choices.
Pagination
City of Clovis
City of Moorpark
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.