The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Cities: Skylines

Cities: Skylines as an Urban Planning Tool

Computer simulations continue to play a novel and important role in urban planning, especially in finding new ways to engage the public and add some fun to the process of planning for the future of cities.

August 10 - parCitypatory

Sprawl

Connecting Sprawl to Inequality and Climate Change

The consequences of more than a century of planning and zoning are gaining more attention in the media as the country struggles through a pandemic. Will these lessons win new political support for more density in residential neighborhoods?

August 10 - NPR

Waterplace Park

BLOG POST

Transitioning from Climate Justice Planning to Climate Justice Action

The Providence Climate Justice Plan offers an exemplary approach to prioritizing the communities and neighborhoods most impacted by the environmental effects of development and industrial pollution.

August 10 - Joan Fitzgerald

Hyperloop

It's Time To Reconsider How Speed Limits Are Set

Speed limits are currently determined by a calculation that considers only the status quo of vehicular velocity. Standard practices for speed limit setting and legislators should prioritize the safety of community members, according to this article.

August 9 - Forbes

Chicago, Illinois

Lincoln Yards, Chicago's Controversial $6 Billion Mega-Project, Set to Break Ground

Groundbreaking for the first component of Chicago's massive Lincoln Yards redevelopment project has been scheduled for early 2021.

August 9 - Chicago Tribune


Social Distancing

Pandemic's New Phase: Spreading to Rural and Urban Areas Alike

A top public health expert in the Trump administration warned that the U.S. is in a "new phase" of the pandemic, different from March and April when the coronavirus largely affected a few big cities. Now urban and rural areas alike are vulnerable.

August 9 - CNN

George Floyd Protests

Planners Call for Deep Police Reforms

A letter signed by over 600 planners calls on the American Planning Association to advocate for fundamental police reforms, in other words, to defund the police.

August 9 - Bloomberg CityLab


Former President Dwight D. Eisenhower

First Look at the New Eisenhower Memorial in Washington, D.C.

The idea for the Eisenhower was approved by Congress in 1999, and though the opening date for the Frank Gehry-designed memorial was delayed from May 2020, the public will finally get a chance to see newest memorial in D.C. this September.

August 7 - The Washington Post

Houston, Texas

Seeking '20-Minute Neighborhood' Status in Texas

The neighborhood of Montrose in Houston has undertaken a self-funded study to assess the facts on the ground about walkability in the neighborhood.

August 7 - Community Impact Newspaper

Arlington County, Virginia

Limiting Sidewalk Gatherings to Limit the Spread of Coronavirus

Pedestrians in Arlington County, Virginia can be fined for gathering on sidewalks in groups larger than three.

August 7 - DCist

Subcompact Cars

Good Luck Buying a Small, Affordable Car in the United States

Honda recently ended the Fit, a small, affordable subcompact car favored by urban dwellers (like the managing editor of Planetizen). The U.S. car market is now completely dislocated from the reality of the rest of the world.

August 7 - Vice

Washington State

Washington State Having a 'Dam-Busting Summer'

Two dams have been removed from watersheds in Washington State in as many months.

August 6 - The Seattle Times

DJ dude

I Love the Nightlife: Reopening Entertainment Scenes

The first chapter of a forthcoming report form VibeLab, a nightlife consultancy firm, makes a variety of pertinent suggestions for facilitating al fresco events and safely regulating crowds in a new context.

August 6 - Bloomberg CityLab

Los Angeles, Hollywood Sign

A 10-Minute Walk to a Park for Your Health and Well-Being

The “10-Minute Walk Campaign” is a nationwide movement to ensure that everyone has safe access to a quality park or green space within a 10-minute walk. In the midst of a pandemic, it is especially important now to have a park close to home.

August 6 - Planning Magazine

Portland, Oregon

Design Alternatives Revealed for Portland's Burnside Bridge Replacement

Multnomah County is planning to spend $825 million to replace the Burnside Bridge, which engineers say is unlikely to withstand the force of a large eathquake.

August 6 - The Oregonian

Oakland to San Leandro Bus Rapid Transit

New, Fully Stocked Bus Rapid Transit Coming to the East Bay Area

Elevated stations, level boardings, dedicated lanes, camera enforcement of lanes—AC Transit's Tempo bus rapid transit line has it all.

August 6 - The Mercury News

Downtown Houston pedestrians

Walkability Plan, Including Parking Reform, Adopted in Houston

The city of Houston is embarking on an ambitious plan to reshape how new development in the city prioritizes walkability, and deprioritizes the automobile.

August 6 - Houston Chronicle

Coronavirus

The Geographic Disparities of Pandemic Unemployment

Neighborhood level unemployment data estimates reveal the deepening social inequality of the current economic crisis.

August 6 - The New York Times

HUD

The Policy That Will Replace the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Rule

The Trump administration didn't just dismantle an Obama-era fair housing rule—it replaced it with a new policy of its own called Preserving Community and Neighborhood Choice.

August 6 - Politico

Bike Rescue

FEATURE

Rescuing Shared Bikes (and E-Scooters) During a Pandemic

An interview with Kurt Kaminer, founder of the Bike Share Museum in Miami.

August 5 - Mark Tirpak

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.