The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

Google to Launch Rideshare in Bay Area
The service would operate through Waze, and take a different approach than Uber or Lyft.

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.
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.

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.

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.

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.
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.
How U.S Road Safety Compares to Other Countries
That is, not very well.

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.
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.

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.

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.
Pagination
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
Tyler Technologies
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
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.