The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Traffic Deaths Soar—Is Cheap Gas a Culprit?
An August 17 press release from the National Safety Council indicates the United States is on track to exceed 40,000 road deaths this year, the highest since 2007. A January NPR report links the spike to decreased gas prices.
Stress Test: On the Connection Between Gentrification and Helicopter Parenting
A subject sure to hit close home to many readers: the relationship between the modern concerns of parenting and expense urban living. In other words: how gentrification leads to helicopter parenting.
Visiting Urban Parks Makes People Healthier...but Wealthier?
Recent studies show that urban parks are healthy in surprising ways in addition to physical and emotional health, writes Jeff Caldwell of Litchfield Landscape Elements.
Complex Traffic Signals Make for Dangerous Intersections
When it comes to intersections, adding more complexity can do more harm than good, according to a recent, detailed post on Greater Greater Washington.
New Funding, New Priorities for Georgia Department of Transportation
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution checks in with new leadership at the state's department of transportation.
Escaping the Cycle of Inflated Housing Costs
In an insightful article, William Fulton unpacks the supply-demand cycle driving costs skyward in certain areas. To address the problem, new construction needs an unprecedented level of diversity.
A Central Hub for Open Data
Designed by researchers at the University of Chicago, the Plenario platform gathers all available open data for a specific area. Then it presents the data in an easy-to-use format.
The Case For and Against Red Light Cameras
Eric Jaffe of CityLab looks at what went wrong with what should have been a clear way to employ technology to reduce crashes and save lives, and what can be done to stem the tide of cities removing red light cameras.
Sacramento's Careful Approach to Legitimizing Airbnb
The battles in New York and San Francisco have cities like Sacramento preparing for the growth of the home-sharing economy.
BLOG POST
Transportation Apps Designed to Ease the Commute
We all travel, so it's great when a handy new mobile app makes it easier to move around. Whether it is navigating the city, parking, or making our ride safer, there is likely a transportation app for that.
Op-Ed: Texas Should Lead, Not Litigate, on Clean Power
A Houston Chronicle business columnist argues in defense of the Obama Administration's new environmental rules.
Yes, Urban Millennials Do Drive Less
Proof from the Census Bureau's latest American Community Survey on commuting by auto shows that millennials, if they live in cities, do indeed drive less. Census researcher Brian McKenzie describes the finding in the bureau's blog, Random Samplings.
Mapping (and Ranking) the Natural Amenities of U.S. Counties
Wonkblog illustrates the results of a "Natural Amenities Index" created by the federal government.
Luxury Multi-Family Housing Boom Creates Scarcity in Other Markets
The Wall Street Journal examines one of the causes of the missing middle of the housing market—luxury multi-family developments pencil out while the supply of mid- and market-rate housing options dwindles.
The Golden Age of Television's New Subject: Public Housing
A new miniseries on HBO, from the creators of the seminal series The Wire, will spend the next weeks addressing issues raised by public housing and desegregation in Yonkers during the 1980s.
Household Formation on the Rise—For a Surprising Reason
Writing for the Terner Center for Housing Innovation at U.C. Berkeley, Jed Kolko breaks down the data on recent trends in household formation.
TIF Shifts to the Suburbs in Minnesota
A common and sometimes controversial funding mechanism is growing in popularity in suburban Minnesota, even as its use in the urban core decreases.
Heart of the Arctic: Reflections
Even remote nature reinforces the need for compact settlement patterns.
Density Bonuses Proposed in High-Demand San Francisco Neighborhoods
The San Francisco Planning Department is proposing new densities in certain neighborhoods in exchange for building new units for low- and middle-income residents.
Billboards Still a Thorn in the Side of Cities
Cities around the world have continued to implement drastic measures in reaction to a proliferation of billboards.
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.
