The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

West Side Chicago Votes to Tax Itself to Fund Mental Health Services

After the city's government cut funding to mental health services, closing many of the city's clinics, residents of Chicago's West Side voted overwhelmingly to tax their properties to reverse that trend.

December 9 - Chicago Tonight

Construction

Brazil's Embattled Development Bank

Less than half of the $7 billion that Brazil's development bank committed since 2009 has been disbursed. As it withdraws from foreign projects, BNDES is beset by scandal.

December 9 - Bloomberg

Long Beach

Inside the P3 that's Reinventing Long Beach

Several years ago, officials in Long Beach, California, found themselves in a pickle. They had an aging city hall in need of seismic retrofits (price tag: $194 million). Fast-forward to last July, when ground was broken on a $520 million project.

December 9 - Doggerel

Trinity River Dallas Floodplain

The Country's Largest Urban Park—Coming Soon to Dallas

A Dallas News op-ed argues for a repackaging of the Dallas' ongoing open space and park investments to properly acknowledge the scale of the city's accomplishments.

December 9 - Dallas News

Mansion

New ULI Report Classifies Differences Among Suburbs

The U.S. remains largely a suburban nation, though central cities are experiencing a great comeback after years of population loss. But what exactly is a suburb? A new report from the Urban Land Institute provides answers by providing subcategories.

December 9 - Urban Land Institute


Paris towers

Choking Air Pollution in Paris Prompts Driving Restrictions and Free Transit

A weather inversion has caused the highest air pollution in the French capital in ten years. To coax commuters from their cars, free transit and odd-even license plate driving restrictions were enacted by Mayor Anne Hidalgo on Tuesday

December 9 - NPR

Google Timelapse

Friday Eye Candy: A 30-Year Timelapse Reveals Humanity's Expanding Footprint

The Google Timelapse feature has been updated. The only thing that stays the same is that everything changes.

December 9 - The Verge


Scott Pruitt

Trump Picks Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt to Head EPA

The selection of Scott Pruitt, a climate change denier, who is suing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, signals the incoming Trump Administration's antipathy for the environmental legacy of its predecessor.

December 8 - The New York Times

Cincinnati Streetcar

Cincinnati Streetcar Ridership Falling as Service Flounders

Supporters of the Cincinnati Bell Connector are confronting mounting concerns about the operation of the city's new streetcar system. Meanwhile, ridership is declining, quickly.

December 8 - Cincinnati.com

Ghost bike in New York

One Year Later: No Progress Toward Vision Zero in D.C.

The death toll on the streets of Washington, D.C. are unchanged a year after the District launched its Vision Zero initiative.

December 8 - WAMU

Aerial photo of the US 131/M-6/68th St. interchange in Wyoming, MIchigan

Report: Michigan has $4 Billion in Annual Infrastructure Needs

A recent report out of the state of Michigan lays the groundwork for a coordinated approach to the state's infamous infrastructure challenges.

December 8 - Detroit Free Press

Trans Alaska Oil Pipeline

The Geography of Oil and Gas Pipeline Accidents [Updated]

Safety is one trigger in the heated debate over whether fossil fuels should be transported by pipeline. While the industry insists the method is safer than others, the spread of accidents since 1986 is substantial.

December 8 - CityLab

Achieving Community: Let's Get Real

The benefits of authentic community are extensive. Maybe even transcendent. But how do we get to that point? Scott Doyon's latest blog has a few thoughts.

December 8 - PlaceShakers

Home Sold Sign

Missing Out on Low Interest Rates

Wall Street Journal piece says loan regulations hurt home buyers with imperfect credit.

December 8 - The Wall Street Jounal

Soup Kitchen

Poverty and Pollution Blowing East

A new study shows how pollution and poverty can create a persistent cycle in poor neighborhoods.

December 8 - City Observatory

Utah

The State with the Worst Drivers…

A new study from Quote Wizard finds Utah and Rhode Island have the worst and best drivers, respectively.

December 8 - Quote Wizard

Sustainability or Survivability? How Environmental Crisis Follows Inequality Crisis

Asia's fast-growing cities are having disastrous impacts on both environment and civilization. A Singapore-based firm is trying to create news ways of building before it's too late.

December 8 - n+1

Houston

BLOG POST

All I Want for Christmas Is a Transportation Infrastructure Plan That Helps

If the country is about to embark on a new era of infrastructure investment, care will be necessary to ensure long-term benefits for mobility.

December 7 - Steven Polzin

Broadway Los Angeles

Top Housing Markets In 2017: Phoenix, Los Angeles, Boston

The National Association of Realtors weigh in on 2017 housing forecast.

December 7 - Modern Cities

Dakota Access Pipeline

Victory for Native Americans and Supporters at Standing Rock—for Now

The Army Corps of Engineers denied Energy Transfer Partners an easement for the Dakota Access Pipeline under Lake Oahe, advising them to explore alternative routing and conduct an environmental review, granting indigenous peoples a rare victory.

December 7 - 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.