The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Heady Market in Chicago's North Side Drives Teardowns
Lakeview, located north of Lincoln Park and adjacent to Lake Michigan, leads the city by a wide margin in residential teardowns over the past five years. Local developers are selling new homes for four times the original price paid.

Op-Ed: Sharing Cities We Can Trust
Duncan McLaren and Julian Agyeman launch a withering critique of the sharing economy as we know it, and envision "sharing cities" built around technologies that put community before commerce.
Survey Reveals Mayoral Support of Bike Infrastructure
The U.S. Conference of Mayors recently released the results of the 2015 Menino Survey of Mayors, which finds political support for bike lanes has reached the highest ranks of local government.
The First Leg of Germany's New 'Bike Autobahn' Is Complete
The first five kilometers of a bike route that could eventually stretch 100 kilometers opened recently in Germany. An eventual "bike autobahn" could become even more expansive.
Coming This Week to D.C. Metro Stations: Grocery Delivery
Three D.C. Metro stations will now include grocery delivery. The service could expand, especially if it raises revenues for the cash-strapped transit agency.
Philadelphia Getting Its Very Own 'Complete Streets Commissioner'
Philadelphia magazine says a staffing decision by new Mayor Jim Kenney is a big victory for urbanists and bike advocates.
Big Development Investments Expected to Follow New Detroit Red Wings Arena
Developers are predicting that the new $627.5 million arena to house the Detroit Red Wings, paid for with both private and public money, will spur another $596 million of investment in the neighborhood.
New Houston Mayor Calls for a Paradigm Shift in Highway Planning
On the heels of the #NoNewRoads campaign, new Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner gave a "rousing" speech calling for the state of Texas to change its thinking about highway widening projects.
Filling in the 'Missing Middle': No New Wheels, Please
A new crop of developers are delivering fine-grained urbanism. Ben Brown checks into their boot camp and provides an update on the movement.
Portland DOT Gives Protected Bike Lanes New Clout
Portland, Oregon Transportation Director Leah Treat quietly enacted one of the nation's most pro-bike policies last fall.
What's Wrong With the Ethanol Mandate?
A former EPA official makes the case in a New York Times op-ed that the ethanol mandate, a major issue in Monday's presidential caucus in Iowa, the nation's top corn producer, is implemented so poorly that it is not benefiting the environment.

FHWA Ruffles Feathers With Font Change for Highway Signs
After adopting the Clearview font in 2004, ending the Highway Gothic in use since the 1960s, the U.S. Federal Highway Administration reversed course in January and will again require the older font. This small change matter a great deal.

Everyone Wants a Piece of Havana—Can Cuba Keep Up?
Cuba and its capital city of Havana are experiencing several, simultaneous revolutions. The opportunity for residents is also an opportunity for developers and architects, as well as a challenge for planners.
London Gets £13 Million to Boost Electric Vehicles
London is one of the four U.K. cities that will become international pioneers of green vehicle technology, after getting £13 million (€17m, $18.5m) to boost the number of plug-in cars on their roads.
Columbus Political Leadership Wants a New Transit Plan
Columbus, Ohio is expected to grow to 500,000 residents by 2050, but all recent efforts to raise the funds for a large investment in transit have stalled. The new City Council president wants to try again.
The Trouble With Using GDP to Measure Economic Growth
Following recent bad news about the sluggish growth of the country's gross domestic product (GDP), the Brooking Institution reminds policy makers that growth does not necessarily trickle down to economic well-being.
How to Beat Extreme Heat
Louisville, Kentucky has recently been named the "most rapidly growing urban heat island" in the U.S., but what led to this title? Jeff Byles traces how cities are becoming increasingly warm through a number of different factors, including economic.
Advocating for Planning When Presidential Campaigns Come to Town
All eyes are on Iowa's caucuses today, but presidential campaigns will be touring communities all over the country for months. The APA wants planners to be ready to explain the importance of planning when such rare opportunities arise.
Facebook Developing Carpool Capabilities
The most popular social media site in the world is the latest entry in the quickly evolving world of mobility applications after filing a patent to for technology that would connect carpoolers.

Houston's Lower-Income and Minority Communities Face Lack of Access to Medical Care
Maps showing the concentration of medical facilities in Houston, shows a greater density in higher-income areas.
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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.