The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Jersey City

Visualizing Density in New Jersey

An interactive map shows the surprising density of the Garden State.

January 30 - NJ.com

Interstate 405

A Train Instead of the 405: The Impossible Dream One Step Closer to Reality in L.A.

A rail transit project has serious momentum in Los Angeles, offering a potentially game changing alternative to the notoriously jammed commute on Interstate 405 over the Sepulveda Pass.

January 30 - The Source

State Line

The Oil Production Boom in New Mexico Could Mean More Money for Roads

With an "unprecedented" amount of money coming in from booming oil production, New Mexico legislators are considering how to spend the extra money.

January 30 - Albuquerque Journal

10-Story Apartment Project Tests the Limits of Minneapolis' New Comprehensive Plan

A proposed development in Minneapolis would add affordable units in exchange for extra height. A neighborhood group worries about the precedent the project would set.

January 30 - Star Tribune

Capitol

Transportation Priorities of the New Democratic Leadership in the House

With Democrats rising to power in the U.S. House of Representatives and the government recently reopened (temporarily at least), it's time to plot the legislative ambitions of the coming session in Congress.

January 30 - Streetsblog USA


Electric Scooter Share

BLOG POST

Scooter Media Brief: A Fork in the Road for Scooters

A few milestones stick out from the rest of the scooter news from January 2019.

January 30 - James Brasuell

Portland

Portland's Opportunity Zone Designations Raise Eyebrows

Call it "Tax Breaklandia," according to this Bloomberg article.

January 29 - Bloomberg BusinessWeek


Wisconsin

Wisconsin County Completes First Comprehensive Zoning Code Rewrite in 70-Plus Years

Dane County, Wisconsin, which includes the city of Madison, has rewritten its zoning code to address a changing economy and a state-mandated system of local control.

January 29 - Waunakee Tribune

California Wildfire

PG&E Promises to Keep the Lights on After Declaring Chapter 11 Bankruptcy

Pacific Gas and Electric has declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the face of "actual and potential" liability.

January 29 - San Francisco Chronicle

L.A. Metro Jumps Into the Ridesharing Business

The Los Angeles County metropolitan Transportation Authority announced the launch of a one-year pilot program for on demand ridesharing, otherwise known as microtransit.

January 29 - San Gabriel Valley Tribune

San Diego metropolitan Transit System

How to Integrate Light Rail and Bus Rapid Transit for Walkability and Housing

Better integration between San Diego's various transit modes—trolley (light rail), bus, bus rapid transit, and active transit—are key to increasing use and housing options, argues AVRP planner Howard Blackson III.

January 29 - UrbDeZine

Commute

The Geography of Commuting and the 'New Urban Crisis'

How people get to work, and the geographic distinctions between trends in those choices, reveals some of the country's more ominous traits, including the trend Richard Florida calls "the new urban crisis."

January 29 - CityLab

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh's Iconic Rachel Carson Bridge Closed for Repairs Until Summer 2020

One of the symbols of Pittsburgh's status as the Steel City and the City of Bridges will be closed for repairs for all of 2019 and a good portion of 2020 as well.

January 29 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Houston Metro Bus

Houston's $7.5 Billion Multimodal Transportation Plan

The Moving Forward Plan seeks to improve transportation throughout the region, but funding and project priorities still need to be sorted out.

January 29 - Houston Chronicle

Minneapolis at Night

Minneapolis Liquor License Restriction Lifted

The city’s "7-acre rule" limited liquor licenses to restaurants in a commercial zone, but a repeal of the ordinance last year means that restaurants across the city can now apply to serve liquor.

January 29 - Star Tribune

Capitol Hill

Carbon Tax-and-Dividend Bill to Be Reintroduced

Two members of Congress, a Democrat and a Republican, both from Florida, will reintroduce their bill to put a tax on carbon emissions and return the revenue to the people in the form of a dividend.

January 29 - Washington Examiner

Sports and Entertainment District

$1 Billion Mixed-Use Complex Halts Construction in L.A.

The example of Oceanwide Plaza, which recently halted construction across the street from the Staples Center, raises more questions than it answers about foreign investment in Downtown Los Angeles' revitalization.

January 28 - Los Angeles Times

Sierra Nevada Drought

U.S. Appeals Court: Climate Crisis Justifies California Clean Fuels Rule

California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard, which requires fuel producers to reduce the carbon intensity of transportation fuels by at least 10 percent by 2020, has been opposed by corn ethanol producers and the oil industry since its inception in 2011.

January 28 - Transport Topics

Mixed-Use Development

Silicon Valley Tech Community Commits $500 Million to Fund Housing Crisis

A large group of technology and philanthropic foundations has announced multiple funds to help mitigate the crisis of housing affordability in the Bay Area. It's the second such effort announced already this year.

January 28 - The New York Times

Munich Train

Scarf Depicting Rail Delays Sells for $8,650

A German rail commuter recorded each day’s travel by knitting a scarf.

January 28 - The New York Times

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.