The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Sharrow bike markings on black asphalt two-lane road with snowy trees

Early Sharrow Booster: ‘I Was Wrong’

The lane marking was meant to raise awareness and instill shared respect among drivers and cyclists. But their inefficiency has led supporters to denounce sharrows, pushing instead for more robust bike infrastructure that truly protects riders.

January 26 - Streetsblog USA

Gray houses under construction

APA Announces New ‘Housing Supply Accelerator’ in Partnership with the National League of Cities

The American Planning Association and the National League of Cities have announced a new partnership to find and implement solutions to the national housing affordability crisis.

January 26 - American Planning Association

New York Governor Kathy Hochul announces transit project in concourse for new Grand Central Madison station

Long Island Rail Now Connects to Grand Central Terminal

A new rail service launched this week could save commuters as much as 40 minutes on trips between Long Island and Manhattan.

January 26 - Bloomberg CityLab

Outdoor entrance to Salesforce Transit Center in San Francisco, California

San Francisco Tunnel Project Balloons in Cost

The plan to extend a Caltrain line to the Salesforce Transit Center is now expected to cost $6.7 billion as the agency faces a budget shortfall for its electrification project.

January 25 - Smart Cities Dive

Granny Flat

Pre-Approved ADUs Now Available in Sacramento

The city of Sacramento is making it easier to develop accessory dwelling units.

January 25 - CBS Sacramento


Close-up of calendar on day 1 of month with "Pay Rent" written in red marker

White House Announces Policies Aimed at Protecting Renters

The administration acknowledges its limited powers in solving the nation’s housing affordability crisis, but says new actions will examine unfair rental practices and recommend policies to state and local governments.

January 25 - The Washington Post

Blue portable oxygen medical device with attached clear mask

How Emergency Planning Fails People With Disabilities

In California and elsewhere, power outages can threaten the lives of people dependent on medical devices, while evacuation plans often don’t account for the needs of disabled people.

January 25 - High Country News


Row of blue New Orleans bike share bikes at a docked station on street

The Resurrection of New Orleans Bike Share

After the city lost its bike share fleet, its former manager pledged to bring it back, and did so under a non-profit model that centers equity for riders and workers.

January 25 - Grist

An aerial view of a typical suburban neighborhood in Texas.

Houston Considering a ‘Sidewalk-In-Lieu-Fee’ for Residential Projects

Developers and homeowners might be able to opt-out of the Houston’s sidewalk ordinance under legislation under consideration by the Houston City Council this week.

January 25 - Houston Chronicle

25mph speed limit sign with "Your Speed Limit" digital sign under it

Oklahoma City Updates, Expands Neighborhood Traffic Calming Program

The city announced a new cost-sharing plan and an expanded set of speed reduction devices available to neighborhoods wanting to improve traffic safety.

January 25 - Oklahoma City Sentinel

Golden sunset view of New York City subway train on elevated track with Empire State Building in background

The U.S. Lags in High-Quality Transit Investment

While other countries are boosting investment in their light and heavy rail systems, transit projects in U.S. cities have slowed, signaling diminished commitment to transit expansion.

January 25 - the transport politic

Rent

U.S. Now Thoroughly Rent Burdened

Average U.S. rent burden reached 30 percent for the first time ever at the end of 2022, according to a recent analysis.

January 24 - Moody’s Analytics CRE

View of downtown Seattle across a body of water with colorful houses in the foreground

Op-Ed: Seattle’s ADU Rules Leave Long-Term Renters Out in the Cold

One resident argues that adding a unit for long-term rental is too expensive and difficult, especially when compared to the city’s ‘super easy’ process for permitting a short-term or vacation rental.

January 24 - The Seattle Times

Blurred image of people hanging out on green lawn in a park with green trees in background

Advancing Parks and Recreation with Census Data

Census data are used in a variety of ways that impact parks and recreation, including helping to determine where new parks are built and how funds for park projects and recreation programs are distributed.

January 24 - National Recreation and Park Association Open Space Blog

San Francisco Residential Neighborhoods

San Francisco Plans for 82,000 New Housing Units

California housing regulators have granted preliminary approval for the city of San Francisco’s housing element as mandated by the state’s Regional Housing Needs Allocation process.

January 24 - San Francisco Chronicle

Docked BCycle bike share station in Houston with red bikes

Houston Transit Agency Proposes Bike Share Takeover

Metro plans to invest half a million dollars in the city’s bike share system to improve connectivity to buses and trains.

January 24 - Houston Chronicle

Crosswalk in Chicago with newly installed yellow delineators and speed bumps

Chicago Left Turn Traffic Calming Reduces Crashes

The city installed reflective posts and speed bumps at dangerous intersections to induce drivers to take left turns more slowly and carefully.

January 24 - Axios

Gate in front of Miami Beach apartment building with many lock boxes for short-term renter access

Study: Vacation Rentals Compounding South Florida Housing Crisis

A new study suggests that short-term rentals are contributing to the region’s housing shortage and helping drive up costs for renter households.

January 24 - South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Quincy Market

Boston Mayor Fights for Rent Control

Mayor Wu says putting a rent control policy in place is just one of several ways the city plans to improve housing affordability and prevent evictions, but the proposal requires state approval.

January 24 - The Boston Globe

Girl swinging on rope swing overlooking Los Angeles

Outdoor Destinations for the Carless in Los Angeles

Learn about eight L.A. parks that you can reach from Union Station without a car.

January 23 - Los Angeles Times

Post News
Senior Manager Operations, Urban Planning

New York City School Construction Authority

Building Inspector

Village of Glen Ellyn

Manager of Model Development

Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO

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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.