The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

People cross a wide street in San Francisco, with tall buildings in the background.

New density bill would require 7 California cities to establish regional transit hubs

The bill would also require major cities in California to permit high-rise residential buildings.

September 23 - Smart Cities Dive

People walking down a hill on a steep street in San Francisco, with buildings on the right.

San Francisco supervisor looks to establish city’s first department of housing

The proposed agency would coordinate planning and financing around housing, as well as support affordable housing production.

September 23 - Mission Local

Visitors view the Obama Presidential Branch of the Chicago Public Library on the campus of the Obama Presidential Center

South Chicago development proposal would 'upzone' neighborhoods to increase density

The South Chicago Land Use Framework plan also aims to promote pedestrian and transit-oriented developments.

September 23 - Block Club Chicago

"Planetizen federal action tracker" logo superimposed over black and white image of US Capitol dome.

FEATURE

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

September 23 - Zachary Whalen

A crowd of people boarding Boston's green line in an underground subway station.

Boston has spent millions making the Green Line more accessible — and there’s no end in sight

While the city has invested millions into expanding and adding platforms to the Green Line to make it more accessible, new train cars set to arrive next year will be too tall for disabled passengers to board without raising the current platforms.

September 22 - Boston Globe


Railroad tracks in Idaho passing a home by a river.

Idaho may see an 18% drop in federal surface transit funding — the largest estimated cut in the US

Transit systems in rural communities are much more reliant on federal funding to provide their services.

September 22 - Grist

A Florida family with their belongings in a wagon walks past a destroyed storm after a hurricane.

How ‘post-disaster gentrification’ alters neighborhoods after natural calamities

After hurricanes, fires or other calamities, the original residents of a community are often replaced by younger, wealthier residents.

September 22 - Inside Climate News


A person crossing a street under hanging traffic lights in Maryland.

Maryland local governments examine if they should have more power to raise property taxes

Maryland’s housing market is out of reach for the majority of moderate-income residents.

September 22 - Baltimore Sun

A paratransit bus on a palm tree lined street.

BLOG POST

Transit Planning 201: The unfunded mandate

How the ADA transformed accessibility, and created one of public transportation’s thorniest operational challenges.

September 22 - Joshua Woods

An Airo train driving towards the camera on a track. There is a forest behind it.

Northwest rail fans eager for Sept. 30 debut of Amtrak’s Airo fleet

Get ready for that new train smell and more seats. But they won’t go faster or run more frequently on the Cascades route in Washington and Oregon.

September 22 - Washington State Standard

A painted bus lane in NYC.

NYC DOT wants faster, more permanent street upgrades

The city is examining ways to build more concrete infrastructure without getting entangled in 'decades-long' projects.

September 21 - NYC Streetsblog

A woman looks at a utility bill.

'Something we’ve never seen before:' rising utility rates could strain city finances nationwide

Data centers, climate change and other factors have caused utility rates in the United States to increase by 38% since 2020.

September 21 - Smart Cities Dive

A person scuba diving in a coral reef off Guam.

Trump to overrule local leaders, lease millions of acres of America’s Pacific Island territories’ seafloors to mining companies

International law says that the Indigenous people of America’s territories have a right to prior and informed consent regarding projects that impact their countries.

September 21 - Grist

A gray building partially obscured by trees, behind a four way intersection.

A ‘shady’ deal: Chicagoans rally against planned Amtrak maintenance facility

The $900 million facility would allow Amtrak to maintain entire trains in one building, which the company says will reduce delays.

September 21 - Block Club Chicago

Zohram Mandami gesturing at one of the new public restrooms, a small, square shaped building with a green floral design.

NYC releases high-tech public restrooms — with a 10 minute time limit

The $4 million pilot program aims to make it easier for people to find public restrooms in New York City.

September 21 - Gothamist

A rendering of the planned bridge over a large river. The bridge has two main support beams that form diamond shaped arches over the bridge.

Alabama scores up to $2.5 billion federal loan for largest infrastructure project in state’s history

The Mobile River Bridge and Bayway Project aims to ease congestion at Alabama’s worst bottleneck.

September 20 - NBC 15

Public land in Idaho. Most of the photo is a green field, with mountains and a forest in the distance.

Trump is considering data centers on 6 states' public land — some state officials say they had no idea

If the administration approves the proposed projects, data center and data center-related developments will cover 17,600 acres of public land.

September 20 - The Washington Sun

Two construction workers on a wind turbine, with two more in the background against a pink sky.

Despite court ruling, Trump is keeping nearly all wind projects in the US on hold

At least 110 wind energy projects have not heard from the government since a federal judge ruled that the Trump administration's freeze on wind turbine clearances was likely illegal.

September 20 - Heatmap

A rendering of the updated plan for Park Ave, which shows a grassy median with two sidewalks on either side, and streets on either side of the sidewalk.

Community feedback ushers in changes to NYC’s Park Avenue redesign

New aspects of the design include a two-way bike lane and separate paths for cyclists and pedestrians.

September 20 - Gothamist

A busy road in Charlotte, NC, with cars driving towards an elevated camera.

Road safety in Charlotte, NC, a 'public health crisis'

Twelve serious or fatal crashes happen in the region every week. Since 2021, over 900 people have been killed in accidents.

September 20 - Yahoo News

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After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.

Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold

The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.