The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Detroit's New Streetcar Line Now Open For Business
Sights and scenes from Detroit's new streetcar system: The QLine

Trump Looks to Saudis to Help Finance Infrastructure Plan
President Trump will take his first trip abroad on Friday to Saudi Arabia, where he hopes to secure a $40 billion investment for his $1 trillion infrastructure plan. At home, Trump's plan was rebuffed by Texas legislators.

The Rise of Corporate Murals in LA
Downtown Los Angeles, styled DTLA by its new enthusiasts, has long been a site for street art and murals of dubious legality. Now, developers are paying artists to paint them.

A Rejuvenation Plan for Detroit's Highland Park
Along with Hamtramck, Highland Park is one of two tiny cities entirely surrounded by the city of Detroit. Here's how its leaders want its center to develop over the next five to ten years.

New Ferris Wheel Proposed for St. Louis
In Delmar Circle, a long-closed Church's Chicken and its parking lot may be the site of a 20-story Ferris Wheel.

How Aging Urban Churches Can Be Saved
Churchgoing in Washington, D.C. is on the decline, and neighborhood churches are finding it hard to pay the bills. One solution is to go mixed-use and share space with new development.
California Cap-and-Trade Overhaul and Extension Emphasizes Dividend and Equity
While California cap-and-trade survived a legal challenge last month, a haze still surrounds the program. Carbon permit sales are low, and the program's longevity is threatened after 2020. A new bill was introduced to transform the program.

Inside Downtown Los Angeles' Subway Tunneling Project
It's not the only subway under construction in Los Angeles, or event the most famous (it doesn't have the PR ring of the "Subway to the Sea"), but the Regional Connector will provide a critical link through the heart of the city's downtown.

San Francisco Moving Forward on its First Teacher Housing Project
The mayor of San Francisco announced plans to convert an old administrative building, owned by the school district, into housing for teachers. It’s a long-awaited idea that has finally come to fruition.

California Growth Shows an Exurban Pattern
The "back to the city" narrative might make for good headlines, but an analysis of California's growth patterns tell a different story. Take San Diego County as an example.
Seattle the Newest 'Urban Bird Treaty City'
A gap in the "Pacific Flyway" has been filled, after the city of Seattle has agreed to protect the migratory routes of birds.

Maryland Positions Itself as Nation's Leader in Offshore Wind Power
In a few years, Maryland is expected to be the nation's leader in offshore renewable wind power made possible by the Public Service Commission's approval on May 11 of credits to two projects by U.S. Wind and Skipjack Offshore Energy.

BLOG POST
Has Placemaking Become Cliché?
There’s very little that differentiates proposals by four distinguished planning and design firms to better connect my university to its immediate neighborhood and the wider city. Why is that, and does it have to be that way?

The New Frontier of Internet-Enabled Cities Slated for Toronto
Sidewalk Labs is preparing to launch a big experiment on the smart cities concept.
Threats and Opportunities for Low-Income Community Development Investment
Community development finance institutions (CDFIs) have tapped into the bond market, and the potential for investment is huge, but the Trump Administration could erase the progress of CDFIs.

25 Best Examples of Innovative Government Programs
The Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University will award $100,000 to a grand price winner for the Innovations in American Government Awards.

Looking Back at 30 Years of the 'America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places' List
On the 30th anniversary of the annual "America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places," the National Trust for Historic Preservation took a look back at the successes of years past.

Op-Ed: 'Share the Road' PSAs Aren't Enough to End Bike Fatalities
An op-ed wonders when enough bike fatalities will be enough.

San Jose Approves Tenant Protections, Studying a Ban on Voucher Discrimination
The city of San Jose, California is crafting regulations to give renters and low-income residents more rights and access to fair housing.
Op-Ed: The High Cost of Free Electric Vehicle Parking
Two New York city councilmembers are hoping to entice more residents to buy electric cars by offering free parking for the electric vehicles on Saturdays. Not so fast, says an op-ed for Streetsblog USA.
Pagination
Municipality of Princeton
Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission
City of Mt Shasta
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)
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.