The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Transit Planners Put Ann Arbor-Detroit Commuter Rail in Motion
A long-stalled, but partially built-out, commuter rail line has achieved institutional legitimacy with the Regional Transit Authority of Southeast Michigan. Novembers will have a chance to decide on the idea in November.

BLOG POST
Does New Housing Create New Demand for Housing?
One argument against new housing is that it creates demand for housing, thus increasing housing prices.

Reintegrating Ex-Convicts Means Giving Them a Place To Live
The New Orleans Housing Authority has approved reforms to policies on public housing for ex-convicts in an attempt to stem homelessness among the newly released and to foster better reintegration.

Why the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Doesn't Use 'Accidents'
Call them crashes, collisions, even incidents, just don't call them 'accidents,' emphatically states Mark R. Rosekind, Ph.D., Administrator for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the nation's premier traffic safety agency.
Equity, Engagement, Community: Empathy Ain't Enough
if a community planning effort is to be judged by the degree to which all voices are heard, then anything short of a big turnout is going to feel like failure. Ben Brown talks equitable engagement, and aligning promises with implementation.

Critiquing Uber's Cross-Border Service from San Diego to Baja California
In Mach, Uber launched Passport, a service allowing cross-border service from San Diego to any location in the northern Baja California region. A columnist's experiment with the service reveals more PR effort than mobility service.

Plans to Create a Community of Start-Ups in Las Vegas Hits Speed Bumps
The Downtown Project was envisioned as a five-year plan to develop a hub of start-ups, small businesses, and cultural attractions in Downtown Las Vegas, but things haven't gone according to schedule.

A Few Big Cities Lead the Economic Recovery
As the debate about whether people prefer to live in the suburbs or the big city rages on, data from the U.S. Census reveals a clear preference on the part of economic trends in the wake of the Great Recession.

BLOG POST
Lessons in City Planning from the Mexican Corner Store
Mixed use neighborhoods and walkable neighborhoods in Mexican cities and towns.

BLOG POST
Bringing By-Right Affordable Housing to California
Reviewing Governor Jerry Brown's recent proposed legislation to permit projects that provide affordable housing to be approved as-of-right.

Is This the Trinity Park Plan of Dallas' Dreams?
Architecture critic Mark Lamster finally sees a proposal worth cheering for in Dallas' plans for a new park along the Trinity River.
New York City's Zoning Code, First in the Nation, Approaches its Centennial
New York's 1916 zoning code would not have allowed 40 percent of buildings in Manhattan to be built today, according to a recent analysis. It also turns 100 on August 27 of this year.

Black Flight From Gun Violence: Chicago's Loss Is Suburbia's Gain
Middle class African-Americans are fleeing Chicago due to crime, not due to being priced out, as is common elsewhere. "On average more than 10,000 African-Americans leave the city every," reports Brandis Friedman of WTTW for the PBS NewsHour.

What L.A.'s New Expo Line Extension Won't Do
The $1.5 billion, 6.6-mile light rail extension from Culver City to Santa Monica is projected to double trips on the line by 2030, giving commuters a viable alternative to driving. Just the same, don't expect the extension to reduce congestion.
Why Chicago Park Advocates Want to Preserve a Parking Lot
A Chicago nonprofit drew criticism for opposing the planned Lucas Museum in favor of a large parking lot. But the organization says it fits into their mission of promoting open space.
More Kudos for Denver's Rail Network and Newest Rail Line
Rail has transformed the Mile-High City, and the new University of Colorado A Line from Union Station to the airport is but one of many lines that has turned Denver one of the nation's fastest growing and attractive cities. And more lines are coming!

In Support of the Right to Cross the Street
Benjamin Ross argues that the walk signal is a fundamentally flawed approach to creating walkable streets and shareable roadways—making walking slower, less convenient, and more dangerous.

What Distinguishes a 'Real' CSA?
Community-supported agriculture (CSA) programs originally let local buyers support local growers. But with a rise in subscription-based "food box" clubs, it's getting harder to say what a real CSA looks like.

Photos: Why So Many Former Stores Are Now Homes in Washington, D.C.
If some residences look a little out of place in Washington, D.C., it may be because they were originally retail shops. A Tumblr is devoted to these homes, and the zoning laws that created them.

Ontario, Canada Working on Sprawl-Killing Legislation
It's hard to imagine a policy that so comprehensively acts to create disincentives for sprawl gaining political traction anywhere in the United States.
Pagination
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
City of Clovis
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
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.