The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Boston Bus

MBTA Considering Privatization of Drivers and Maintenance Workers

A decision to privatize the employment of drivers and maintenance workers, especially for the system's buses, could lead to a wave of layoffs.

September 8 - The Boston Globe

Hells Kitchen Sidewalk New York City

Questioning the de Blasio Administration's Commitment to Vision Zero

Results showing progress in the fight to end traffic fatalities have disappeared, just like some of the safety projects installed under the banner of Vision Zero.

September 8 - New York Post

Lake Powell

Study: Time to Prepare for the Worst for Lake Powell's Water

The reservoir on the Colorado located above the Grand Canyon is dropping fast. A new study proposes a contingency plan to reduce the risk of catastrophe.

September 7 - Arizona Daily Star

Kids Crossing the Street

How Toronto's Chief Planner Prepared Her Children to Walk Alone to School

Toronto Chef Planner Jennifer Keesmaat describes how she prepared her children for an old-fashioned commute to and from school.

September 7 - The Toronto Star

Bike Commute

BLOG POST

What Kind Of Commute Makes People Happy?

The conventional planning wisdom seems to be that long drives are less beneficial to well-being than a short walk. But what about other commuting options?

September 7 - Michael Lewyn


Eastside Gold Line and Los Angeles skyline

L.A. Metro's Innovation Chief on the Appeal of P3s

The Office of Extraordinary Innovation at Los Angeles Metro is just over a year old. KPCC checks in.

September 7 - KPCC

Downtown Oakland

Oakland's Lack of Affordable Housing Declared 'Public Health Crisis'

There's a physical cost to rising rents, and Oakland residents are paying the price.

September 7 - SFGate


Ventura County

Urban Growth Boundaries Gone Awry: Protection Without Infill

Joe Mathews of Zócalo Public Square views with a great deal of skepticism the urban growth boundaries the voters of Ventura County adjacent to Los Angeles County have enacted since 1995 due to the lack of infill. Another measure is on the ballot.

September 7 - San Francisco Chronicle

Traffic

Google to Launch Rideshare in Bay Area

The service would operate through Waze, and take a different approach than Uber or Lyft.

September 7 - Ars Technica

Del Mar Station TOD

Four Ways L.A. Metro Is Increasing Affordable Housing

A median-income family in the L.A. metro area spends 73 percent of their income on housing and transportation alone. L.A. Metro explains why and how they're taking huge steps to get affordable housing on land they own—where it will do the most good.

September 7 - Shelterforce/Rooflines

About City Gates and Gateways, With a Political Gloss

A year of political obsession with walls along national borders has Chuck Wolfe contemplating city gates of the past and present. Using the foil of proposed border walls, he examines the historic role of city gates, modern gateways, and more.

September 7 - The Huffington Post

L.A. Live

FEATURE

Theme Park Urbanism

An op-ed rejects a notion of urbanism that would find a home in Disneyland, for a version of urbanism that deploys the best efficiencies and benefits of the built environment.

September 7 - Gerhard Mayer

Piedmont Park Atlanta

The Makings of Healthy Places

What makes for a healthy place? Kaid Benfield points to density of dwellings, intersections and public transport, plus access to parks.

September 6 - PlaceShakers

Accessory Dwelling Unit

State Law Paves the Way for More Granny Flats in California

The state of California stepped into to make it easier for local governments to approve permissive regulations of accessory dwelling units.

September 6 - Los Angeles Times

A New Era for Drone Aviation

New rules for commercial drone aviation went into effect on August 29, clearing the way for rapid adoption of the technology.

September 6 - Associated Press via The Dallas Morning News

How U.S Road Safety Compares to Other Countries

That is, not very well.

September 6 - The Economist

Houston Flood

Developments Surrounding Houston's Distressed Dams

The Houston Chronicle continues a series of feature articles about the persistent flooding of the region. The latest installment examines the tenuous position of the Addicks and Barker dams.

September 6 - Houston Chronicle

Over $14 Million Awarded to Eight Projects to Find Alternatives to Gas Taxes

The U.S. Department of Transportation is funding ways to transition from the gas tax to other user-based revenue mechanisms to fund transportation infrastructure. The federal gas tax hasn't keep pace with transportation expenditures since 2008.

September 6 - U.S. D.O.T. Press Release

Fracking

Anti-Fracking Initiatives Fail Before Getting to the Ballot in Colorado

An initiative to prohibit fracking within 2,500 feet of an occupied building and another that would have allowed local governments to ban fracking will no longer be on the ballot in Colorado.

September 6 - Grist

Kansas State University

A Story of Success: Manhattan, Kansas

The story of a revitalized economy in Manhattan, Kansas is a story of thorough partnership with Kansas State University.

September 6 - The Topeka Capital-Journal

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.