The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Rural

King County, Washington Won't Budge on Rural Developments

The city of Snoqualimie's requests to expand in to "rural" King County has been denied.

December 19 - KUOW

Environmental Justice

The Return of Social Justice to the Causes of Environmentalism

The Trump Administration's politics could provide a nudge to bring environmentalism back to its roots in social justice.

December 19 - The Atlantic

Bay Bridge, New Year's Eve

Bay Area Voters May Be Asked to Hike Bridge Tolls 60 Percent

Before the ballot measure would go to voters, state legislation needs to be written, passed, and signed by Gov. Brown. The first step was taken Dec. 14, when the region's planning agency discussed the option. Tolls are $5, last raised $1 in 2010.

December 19 - SF Gate

Woman on Transit

Building Cities to Meet the Needs of Women

Men are often overrepresented in consultations about how city facilities are built. To account for this, planners need to seek out women's comments and look for ways to better serve them, argues Alexander Starritt.

December 18 - Fast Co.Exist

Construction Site in New York City

de Blasio Balancing Act Puts Manufacturing Jobs, Hotel Industry Interest in the Balance

The New York Times reports details about the de Blasio Administration's negotiations concerning land use regulations that will impact industrial and hotel business. With a re-election campaign looming in 2017, the story reveals a lot about the politi

December 18 - The New York Times


Philadelphia

Philadelphia Goes High-Tech to Monitor Vacant Properties

The city of Philadelphia has deployed high-tech sensors and a new statistical model in its ongoing fight against the blight and health problems that follow vacant and abandoned properties.

December 18 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

Expect Passenger Vehicles to Talk to Each Other in the Near Future

The U.S. Department of Transportation wants light-duty vehicles to communicate with each other via advanced technology, known as connected vehicle technology, to prevent crashes. The vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) rule would be phased in over five years.

December 18 - U.S. Department Of Transportation


Coming to Chicago's Grant Park: A 'Health Park'

A proposal to build a new "health park" in Downtown's Grant Park is still in the early phases,

December 18 - DNAInfo

Wildlight: New Urbanism's Answer To Lowcountry Living?

Is it possible to create a community combining the best elements of Lowcountry southern living, cuisine, and architecture with industry and New Urbanism?

December 17 - Modern Cities

Rex Tillerson

The Surprising Climate Change Believer Among Trump's Cabinet Picks

Compared to nominees for cabinet positions that deal with energy and the environment, Rex Tillerson, Trump's choice for Secretary of State, appears to be the only 'climate believer' even though he heads America's largest oil and gas corporation.

December 17 - The Washington Post - Energy and Environment

Casinos

Madrid to Build Mega Casino, Betting on New Jobs and Tourist Dollars

Spain's capital may build a huge casino, but many fear that the facility will flounder in the way similar mega-projects have in the past.

December 17 - CityLab

Portland

Recent Pedestrian Deaths Move Portland Residents to Protest

Portland's Division Street has been the site of a number of high-profile pedestrian deaths.

December 17 - Oregon Live

Pittsburgh Bike Lane

'Bikelash' Over Downtown Pittsburgh Bike Lanes

Business owners in Downtown Pittsburgh are speaking out in opposition to a proposed, and funded, bike lane project on Fort Pitt Boulevard, raising concerns about parking and access to businesses.

December 17 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Nativity Scene

Ohio Man's Zombie Nativity Scene Deemed an Accessory Structure

A man's front yard nativity scene featuring zombies was declared an accessory structure, in violation of the zoning code, because it had a roof

December 16 - Cincinnati Enquirer

Parking

Transit Up, Parking Down in Seattle

Facing an affordability crisis, Seattle is betting on dense, walkable development. The transition away from guaranteed parking promises to be no easier here than elsewhere.

December 16 - The Seattle Times

Highway at night

The Roads Could Soon Charge Electric Trucks in Colorado

The Colorado Transportation Department and Aecom Inc. are exploring options for an electric trucking charging system that uses a coil buried in the road to charge electric trucks as they drive.

December 16 - The Wall Street Journal

fisheye photo of DC subway in station

D.C. Metro Will End Late-Night Rail Service for Two Years

A tough decision that has been on the table since the summer has now been made official by the WMATA's board of directors.

December 16 - The Washington Post

Denver Streetcar

Denver Has Grown, but its Density Hasn't Changed Since 1950

The city of Denver lost its streetcar more than half a century ago, and it's been growing east ever since.

December 16 - The Denver Post

Tide Light Rail

This Light Rail Line Lowers Nearby Home Prices

Not every transit project has a positive effect on adjacent property values. A study finds that people do not, in fact, want to live next to Norfolk, Virginia's Tide light rail.

December 16 - Next City

Gentrification the Killer in Oakland Fire

Already, the Ghost Ship tragedy is being used as a justification for code enforcement crackdowns that will likely further gentrification. But how can we combat gentrification and displacement and improve safety at the same time?

December 16 - Shelterforce/Rooflines

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