The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Safe Streets Grants Announced
The federal Safe Streets and Roads for All program funds planning and implementation for road safety projects aimed at reducing traffic deaths and building safe infrastructure for pedestrians, cyclists, and other vulnerable road users.
Wisconsin Workers Struggle to Find Affordable Housing
The state is facing a workforce housing shortage and rising costs, but some cities and towns make it difficult to build new housing near jobs.
Federal Government Awards Over $1 Billion to Nine ‘Mega’ Projects
The funding comes from a discretionary grant program aimed at supporting infrastructure projects too massive or complex for traditional funding mechanisms.
U.S. Transit Agencies Face a Financial Crisis
Transit providers around the country are scrambling to find new sources of revenue to replace lagging ridership and reorienting their systems to a future less dependent on daily commuters.
California Rejects Six-State Colorado River Plan, Proposes Its Own
State officials claim a proposal agreed upon by the other six states using Colorado River water disproportionately impacts California farmers.
Washington Focuses Road Safety Efforts on Individuals, Neglecting Design
Legislative efforts to reduce traffic deaths could move the needle toward Vision Zero, but state leaders failed to commit infrastructure funds to making structural improvements.
Bike Lanes Are Good for Business. Why Don’t Business Owners Believe It?
Proposed bike lanes often come up against opposition from local merchants who believe losing street parking will hurt their business, but research repeatedly shows the opposite effect.
BLOG POST
Learning Loss and Urban Schools
Did urban students lose ground academically because of COVID? Yes, but no more so than suburbanites.
Massachusetts Zoning Reform Law Reaches First Deadline
Cities and towns had until January 31 to submit their draft plans for rezoning areas near transit stations to comply with a new state law.
Is an Algorithm Driving Up New York City Rents?
While landlords and boosters are touting a ‘flood’ of returning residents to the city as the reason behind rising housing costs, one New Yorker doesn’t buy it.
Manhattan Preservation Groups Block New Development—On a ‘Historic’ Parking Lot
A judge ruled against a decision by the Landmarks Preservation Commission to approve a 324-tower in the South Street Seaport Historic District, highlighting the tensions in a city facing a dearth of affordable housing.
L.A. Times Editorial Board Calls for CEQA Reform
The Board argues that the environmental law, while important, has too often been ‘weaponized’ by NIMBY groups to delay or halt housing development.
Seattle Brings Free Transit to Public Housing
Linking transit programs to housing can lower administrative costs and streamline the process for riders.
Columbus Could Lower Downtown Speed Limits
The city council will vote on a proposal to lower speed limits to 25 miles per hour to improve safety and make downtown more walkable and welcoming to pedestrians.
Traffic Safety Bills Proposed in Washington’s State Legislature
As traffic fatalities continue to climb in Washington and around the country, three proposed state bills would prohibit some right turns on red, reduce the BAC limit for DUI arrests, and require more young drivers to take driver’s education courses.
America’s Best New Bike Lanes
PeopleForBikes highlights some of the most exciting new bike infrastructure projects completed in 2022.
Proposed D.C. E-Bike Subsidy Packs an Economic Punch, Analysis Finds
A proposed rebate on electric bikes in the District would be more cost-effective in reducing gasoline miles driven than electric car subsidies thanks to the higher elasticity of e-bike demand.
Survey: Most Mayors Fail to Link Zoning and Homelessness
Despite the powerful impact of local land use and zoning policies on housing costs and supply, many U.S. mayors believe they have little control over homelessness in their cities.
Despite Water Crisis, Desert Golf Courses Thrive
Officials in the Coachella Valley seem reluctant to restrict water supplies to the many golf courses and ornamental lakes that dot the region, opting instead to cut water deliveries to a groundwater recharge facility.
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
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.
