The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
The Typology That Houstonians Love To Hate
Townhouses have been growing like kudzu in Houston over the past few years as the uber-sprawling city has finally started to fill in and become more dense. Locals hate them, but there's beauty to be found in efficient land use.
NTSB Investigates Horrific Bicycle Crashes Too
The circumstances surrounding the deaths of five bicyclists and injuring of four in June by a motorist on a rural road outside Kalamazoo, Michigan, were so horrendous that it caught the attention of the National Transportation Safety Board.
Urban Design Comes to the Rescue of Dwindling Koala Population
When urban areas intrude into former wildlife habitat areas, animals face challenges moving across busy roadways. In Australia, designers have worked to create passages for koalas to avoid the dangers of speeding motorists.
This Is Climate Change: Eight 500-Year Storms Since May *2015
The extreme weather events predicted for decades by climate scientists have been on parade in the Southern United States all year. Are we ready to say, "this is climate change"?
Building Permanent Paths out of Poverty
One Tanzanian nonprofit is putting the focus on skill-building to fight poverty. David Lambert, an engineer with Arup, discusses the nonprofit's latest endeavor, a new vocational school near the town of Same.
California's Water Districts Opting Out of Voluntary Conservation
Checking in with the level of participation from California water districts in efforts to conserve water a few months removed from an average rain year once predicted to deliver El Niño-sized excess.
Six U.S. Cities to Workshop the Methodologies of Tactical Urbanism
Funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, a recently announced series of tactical urbanism workshops will take place in six U.S. cities.
New Jersey Gas Tax Standoff Leaves Construction Workers in the Lurch
The plight of laid-off laborers who had been repaving a New Jersey bridge illustrates that people suffer as well as infrastructure and mobility when transportation funding bills fail to pass.
Reviewing Potential Amendments to the Seattle 2035 Comprehensive Plan
The Seattle City Council is currently considering the Seattle 2035 Comprehensive Plan. The plan could change significantly from Mayor Ed Murray's proposed draft to the final, approved version.
Gentrification Concerns Sink Inclusionary Housing Development Proposal in Manhattan
Several publications were reporting the expected defeat of a proposed development project in Manhattan this week. The 15-story project was the first private application of the city's new Mandatory Inclusionary Housing policy.
Last Chance to Comment on U.S. DOT's New Performance Measurement Rule
So far the reviews have not been kind to the proposed changes to the U.S. Department of Transportation performance measurement rule. The public comment for the proposed rule closes August 20.
Could an Anti-Homelessness Program Stabilize Affordable Housing?
Periodically in the affordable housing world, a few of us acknowledge that the vast majority of low-income people live in unsubsidized rentals in one- to four-unit buildings, and we wonder how to preserve and improve those units. Here is a way.
The Car-Centric Future of Planning Data
Data collection used for planning purposes has traditionally focused on cars, rather than people. So far, innovative transportation technologies seem unconcerned with changing that pattern.
BLOG POST
The Los Angeles Mystery
A blog post exploring why Los Angeles is more car-dependent than some less dense cities.
New Report Guides Local Regulation of Drones
The National League of Cities is preparing for a future where cities will need to regulate the use of airspace by commercial drones.
Lessons From Manhattan's First 'Shared Streets' Event
New York City has several famous examples of pedestrian-only environments, but last weekend's Shared Streets event was an experiment in co-existence.
How McMansions Fail Basic Architectural Concepts
A "McMansion 101" post for those who wish to arm themselves with studied arguments against this popular style of residential construction.
Legislation Will Increase Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate in California
With comprehensive legislation to enable California to continue its powerful agenda of tackling climate change in peril, a Southern California assemblywoman will introduce legislation to tackle the specific issue of sales of electric vehicles.
Los Angeles' Purple Line Moves Past Legal Opposition
A subway extension that would cut across the Los Angeles basin has cleared another legal hurdle, despite the efforts of a coalition of opponents in the city of Beverly Hills.
When the Streets Have No Names, Three Words Will Suffice
Confronting a problem that affects roughly 75 percent of the world's population, a new system will give every place on Earth an address based on three words.
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State 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.
