The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Key Facts from L.A. County's Park Needs Assessment Study
L.A. County's Parks and Rec Dept. has just completed a major study of the county's park needs. Departmental Facilities Planner Clement Lau explains the study and below are a few things that came to light.

Op-Ed: Highway Tolling Can Have Multiple Benefits
The editorial board of the Toronto Star picks a side in the policy debate over highway tolling.

BLOG POST
The Toxic State of Public Discourse and How to Clean It Up
Dave Biggs interviews author James Hoggan about his new book, "I'm Right and You're An Idiot: The Toxic State of Public Discourse and How to Clean It Up."
Which Came First: the Road Diet or the Reinvestment?
According to a recent article in Urban Milwaukee, plans for a road diet have preceded a wave of reinvestment in the Walker's Point neighborhood.

What Mayors Talk About When Everyone Is Listening
An annual report analyzing the "State of the City" speeches of 100 mayors finds remarkable consistency in messaging.

Urban Taxidermy: When Authenticity and Artificiality Collide
A new breed of preservation has sprung up in Toronto, where existing structures are partially preserved to give new building's old facades. But is this attempt to preserve the existing streetscape actually succeeding?

FEATURE
Macabre Ethical Dilemmas: Just the Tip of the Iceberg for Robot Cars
The ethical quandaries that will confront self-driving cars as they navigate the world pose a lot of difficult questions. Antonio Loro charts a course for answering these tough questions.

Taxis Taking a Back Seat to Uber and Lyft at Airports
The Bay Area provides a case study of the effect of transportation network companies on ground transportation to and from airports.

Broadband Inheriting the Discriminatory Patterns of Previous Infrastructure Systems
The challenges of bridging the digital divide are exacerbated by the racist legacies of previous infrastructure systems, according to a recent presentation to the New York Regional Plan Association.
Opening of Denver's B Line Bittersweet for Commuters From Northwest Suburbs
The 6.2 mile, two-station electrified commuter rail line is opening as expected next Monday, July 25, but future service to the northwestern counties of Broomfield and Boulder will be delayed due to an unexpected funding shortfall.

$1.25 Billion Approved for Caltrain Electrification; More Funding Needed
At their July 7 meeting, the Caltrain Joint Powers Board, a 3-county body that administers the crowded San Jose-to-San Francisco commuter rail line, unanimously approved $1.25 billion in contracts to rail and infrastructure firms for electrification.

Opponents Delay Albuquerque's Bus Rapid Transit with Lawsuits
A well organized opposition to a planned Bus Rapid Transit line in Albuquerque, New Mexico has stalled the beginning of construction on the new transit line with lawsuits.

Portland Seeks Affordability By Subtracting Parking
Portland's City Council has sided with housing advocates against neighborhood groups who wanted new developments to include parking spaces.

Changing Tastes Push Minneapolis' Parks From Baseball to Soccer
In a move to address changing preferences, some Minneapolis' parks are slowly eliminating baseball diamonds and tennis courts in favor of adaptable fields and multi-purpose courts.

Borders From Above Are More Than Just Lines On A Map
International borders viewed from above show how different patterns of political, urban and agricultural development often collide.

Planetizen Week in Review: July 18, 2016
The Planetizen Week in Review is back.

BLOG POST
A Connected, Walkable City: Building for Urban Wildlife
More than any other place, wildlife have impact on human health, quality of life and aesthetics in urban areas. Thinking about city planning at the terrestrial wildlife scale could support mutual objectives of city planning.
Alleys as a Community Asset
Often overlooked, alleys can be transformed into valuable community spaces

A Guide to Cooling the House in Summer Heat
Christopher Ingraham does everyone a favor and produces a how-to guide for cooling your house "like a wonk."

Dallas to Offers a $3 Million Carrot for Grocery Store Development
Hoping to attract investments in grocery stores in the food desert of southern Dallas, the City Council recently approved a $3 million enticement.
Pagination
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.