The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Checking in on Philadelphia's Promised Protected Bike Lanes
Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kinney is discovering on the job that planning is much easier than delivering when it comes to protected bike lanes—as is the case in many cities around the country.

Could Seattle Be the U.S. Vancouver?
Seattle appears to be following the Vancouver, B.C. model by increasing population and residential density while investing in transit. If it works, traffic congestion will not deteriorate, and vehicle trips should drop.
Maryland's $9 Billion Project Would Be the Nation's Largest P3 for Highways
Gov. Larry Hogan (R-Md.) announced last week plans for the largest highway contract awarded to a public-private partnership: adding four express toll lanes to the Capital Beltway and I-270. A third highway widening will be completed internally.

Housing Discrimination Explained by a Comic Strip
A comic strip succeeds in presenting the complex history of redlining and housing discrimination.

Drivers Most Distracted Right When School Gets Out
A study from the company, Zendrive, found that the overwhelming majority of motorists drive distracted between the hours of 4 p.m. and 5 p.m.

Pittsburgh City Council Mulls Options for Affordable Housing Funding
Deciding to create an affordable housing trust fund is one thing, deciding how to fund it is another.

Denver Still Seeking a Solution to At-Grade Crossings on New Rail Lines
Seemingly esoteric matters of crossing safety and gate activation times are presenting a major obstacle for RTD's commuter rail expansion projects in the Denver area.

Bad Optics: The 606 Bike Trail Closed for an Upscale, Private Dinner
Chicago's 606 has proven popular among pedestrians, but the rise in property values near the amentity has made some feel unwelcome near the trail. Closing a stretch of the trail for a $200-a-plate dinner only makes that worse.
Mapping the Latest GDP Data for the Nation's Metropolitan Areas
Continuing Planetizen's survey of data dumps by the federal government is a post devoted to the gross domestic product (economic clout, in other words) of the country's metropolitan areas.

Ridership Drops As Detroit's QLine Streetcar Starts Charging
Since Detroit's new streetcar system started charging, ridership has dropped. Those who are riding aren't necessarily paying anyways.

BLOG POST
The Urban Revival Is (Probably) Not Over
Critiquing Richard Florida's claim that "the urban revival is over."

Place Attachment as a Tool for Shaping Change
We fight for what we love. When we’re connected in affection, we’re both more inclined and more empowered to organize.

The South Shore Line, one of the Chicago Area's Oldest, Gets an Update
Ninety years after its initial proposal, the South Shore Line is finally getting a double track to speed up trains and add capacity.

Accessibility Barriers Continue to Plague Some Metro Systems
Most metro systems in the United States tend to score high on accessibility, while European systems have mixed results.

Dyson Plans to Jump Into the Electric Car Market
The electric car market is about to have a new entrant as Sir James Dyson plans to spend upwards of £2 billion to develop a car that he describes as "radical and different."

Three New Bridges for Crossing the L.A. River on Foot
A plan for a bridge from Griffith Park to Atwater Village is the latest in a series of proposed pedestrian bridges over the Los Angeles River.

Bus Rapid Transit as a Solution to Atlanta's Traffic
The speed of implementation and high cost have some Atlanta officials considering bus rapid transit (BRT).

Madison to Get Three 100%-Electric Buses
$1.3 million in federal funding will contribute to a plan for three electric buses for Madison.

Without Basic Utilities, Puerto Rican Exodus Expected
Hurricane Maria left the flooded island of 3.4 million American citizens without power, communications, and running water, which may take months before they are restored. An exodus to Florida, which had begun before Maria hit, will likely accelerate.

Lessons From San Diego's Hepatitis A Outbreak
Voice of San Diego reports in detail about the months of warning San Diego officials had about the spread of Hepatitis A in public areas around the city. Still, prevention measures took a back seat to bureaucracy.
Pagination
City of Mt Shasta
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
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.