The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

People swimming in Rhine River on a sunny day with low-rise, dense buildings along waterfront in background.

FEATURE

Is Your City Swimmable?

An interview with organizers of the inaugural Swimmable Cities Summit, which took place this June 22-24 in Rotterdam, NL.

45 minutes ago - Mark Tirpak

Close-up of full beer glass with purple train-themed design sitting on bar between two frosty tall cans.

Platform Pilsner: Vancouver Transit Agency Releases... a Beer?

TransLink will receive a portion of every sale of the four-pack.

1 hour ago - Cities Today

Vintage red Toronto streetcar passing in front of Rogers Arena in Toronto, Canada.

Toronto Weighs Cheaper Transit, Parking Hikes for Major Events

Special event rates would take effect during large festivals, sports games and concerts to ‘discourage driving, manage congestion and free up space for transit.”

2 hours ago - blogTO

Map of Berlin with ring roads in green and red.

Berlin to Consider Car-Free Zone Larger Than Manhattan

The area bound by the 22-mile Ringbahn would still allow 12 uses of a private automobile per year per person, and several other exemptions.

3 hours ago - Streetsblog USA

Group of senior citizens waving small American flags.

The Ratio of Older People to Children Grew in Every State

Older adults outnumber youth in 11 U.S. states.

4 hours ago - Washington State Standard

Heavy traffic at standstill on freeway at dusk.

BLOG POST

The Mobility-Productivity Paradox

New research shows that excessive vehicle travel reduces economic productivity, and that less mobility provides more productivity. Yes, you read that right.

5 hours ago - Todd Litman


Empty platform at Los Angeles Metro subway station.

LA Transit Ridership Plummets Amidst ICE Raids

LA Metro’s bus and rail lines are seeing up to 15 percent lower ridership in the wake of violent immigration arrests.

June 29 - Los Angeles Times

Aerial view of single-family homes with rooftop solar panels in planned development near Austin, Texas.

A New Texas Neighborhood is Powered by Geothermal Energy

The 7,500-home development claims to be Austin’s ‘first zero energy planned community.’

June 29 - Floodlight


Heat map of extreme heat in rural U.S. communities.

Data: In Rural America, Mobile Homes are Heat Traps

Extreme heat is often viewed as an urban problem, but rural communities face their own unique risks.

June 29 - The Daily Yonder

Zohran Mamdani, candidate for NYC mayor, speaking at event outdoors wearing black puffy jacket.

NYC: What Mamdani’s Rivals Can Teach Him About Transportation

The mayoral candidate won on a bold, progressive platform. Some of his opponents had even bolder ideas.

June 29 - StreetsBlog NYC

Two-story green apartment building in residential neighborhood in Berkeley, California with tall street trees.

Berkeley Approves ‘Middle Housing’ Ordinance

The city that invented single-family zoning is finally reckoning with its history of exclusion.

June 27 - San Francisco Chronicle

SEPTA Station

SEPTA Budget Slashes Service by 45 Percent

The Philadelphia-area transit agency is legally tasked with maintaining a balanced budget. Officials hope the state will come to the rescue with additional funding.

June 27 - Philadelphia Inquirer

Connecticut state capitol with gold dome and modern office buildings in background in Hartford, CT.

Connecticut Governor Vetoes Housing Bill

Gov. Lamont reversed his view on a controversial affordable housing bill that would have required municipalities to zone for set amounts of affordable housing to receive state funding.

June 27 - Housing Wire

"Street Subway - LIRR - Amtrak - NJ Transit" with Exit sign in front of stairway on subway platform at Penn Station with silver train stopped at right.

NJ Transit Trains Delayed by Extreme Heat

Breakdowns in the subway network’s HVAC system caused dangerously high temperatures on platforms, while heat-induced track expansion forced trains to slow down.

June 27 - News 12 New Jersey

For Rent sign on red stucco apartment building.

A Case for Universal Rental Assistance

A pair of researchers argues that expanding rental assistance programs for low-income households is the most effective way to alleviate the housing crisis.

June 26 - The Conversation

Looking up at high-rise office buildings in New York City.

Office Conversions Have Increased Every Year This Decade

Since the pandemic, office vacancy rates remain high, leading many cities to adjust zoning codes to accommodate adaptive reuse.

June 26 - Smart Cities Dive

Man walking down city sidewalk with sweat on back of his t-shirt on hot day.

Index Measures Impact of Heat on Pedestrian Activity

When heat and humidity are high, people are more likely to opt for cars when possible.

June 26 - Streetsblog Mass

Wood WELCOME sign with Bureau of Land Management name and logo next to concrete stairwell outdoors in Utah.

Most Public Lands Are Safe — For Now

A proposal to sell off federally owned lands was removed from the Republican spending bill on procedural grounds.

June 26 - Los Angeles Times

Road sign with EXTREME HEAT ALERT surrounded by orange traffic cones

Hundreds of New Yorkers Hospitalized Due to Extreme Heat

A brutal heat wave is causing hospitalizations for heat-related illnesses, an increasingly common threat as summers get warmer.

June 26 - Gothamist

Blue, white, and red Metra commuter train with Chicago buildigns in background.

Opinion: Illinois Transit Bill Could Revolutionize Intercity Travel

A bill passed by the state’s General Assembly would create a permanent source of dedicated funding for intercity rail.

June 26 - Streetsblog Chicago

Sign for Mt. Hood National Forest sign on roadside.

US Forest Service Could Open Millions of Roadless Acres to Logging

The USDA indicated it plans to repeal the ‘Roadless Rule,’ a Clinton-era regulation that prevents new road-building in undeveloped federal forest areas.

June 26 - Bloomberg Law

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.