The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

New York magazine recently convened a debate between two leading voices of an ongoing conversation in New York City: what to build and what to preserve.

May 14 - New York

As the world's cities grow ever larger, local governments constantly ask themselves which is better: amalgamating into one metro-wide government, or maintaining autonomy among fragmented jurisdictions? The answer remains unclear.

May 14 - The Guardian

To fund a wider I-70 on its route through Denver, the regional planning commission set aside $50 million in federal funds before considering other projects.

May 14 - Streetsblog Denver

The Northwestern Pacific RR served Marin and Sonoma counties and the North Coast in the 1890s. The route of the new SMART train, while not as long, will run in the same right-of-way, starting next year. One new train was on display in San Rafael.

May 14 - Marin Independent Journal

Real estate website Trulia has released its most recent Rent vs Buy report, breaking down the value proposition of buying a home relative to renting one for cities around the country.

May 14 - The Washington Post - Wonkblog

The death toll has risen to seven in the May 12 derailment in Philadelphia. NTSB confirmed the train was traveling over 106 mph on a curve where the speed limit is 50 mph. Positive Train Control, which would have stopped the train, was not present.

May 14 - The Washington Post - Wonkblog

FEATURE

It will take a broad coalition of interests to once again make it safe for "free-range kids" to walk and bike on the streets of American communities.

May 14 - Patrick L. Phillips

Halfway between public transit and private cars, new and varying forms of 'microtransit' threaten to out-compete traditional public services. Concerns about equity, inclusion, and employee compensation follow.

May 14 - Human Transit

Evidence is building up that the Brazil's extravagant spending on the World Cup soccer championships last year won’t have the last positive impacts promised by government officials. Next up for Brazil: the Olympics.

May 13 - NPR

Whether driveways are anti-urban or 'anti-pedestrian' depends on how we segregate street uses. As shared spaces where they cross sidewalks, driveways inform the wider question: what makes for a good street?

May 13 - Urban Kchoze

When water policy and land use planning operate in separate spheres, it's more difficult to design for efficient resource use. Better communication is needed in the drought-stricken southwest.

May 13 - Next City

In commemoration of Infrastructure Week, Bookings provides a three-step program to changing the direction on America's bad habits when it comes to infrastructure investment.

May 13 - Brookings Institution

A northbound Amtrak Northeast Regional train derailed after leaving the Philadelphia Amtrak station around 9:30 p.m, on May 12. The scene was called a disaster, with the first of the seven cars that derailed severely crushed. No cause was given.

May 13 - The Washington Times

Amid concerns about lackluster growth, Oregon's Clackamas County plans to create 10,000 new family wage jobs by 2019. But the county lacks the zoned land it needs to accomplish its goals.

May 13 - OregonLive

A well-informed, social media savvy observer is shedding light on a seemingly small change with big impacts on the quality of life available to pedestrians along Oakland's streets.

May 13 - Gejl Accident Attorneys

As Seattle considers a $900 million levy proposed by Mayor Ed Murray, locals are already wondering if new transit investments are precursor of unwanted gentrification.

May 13 - Seattle Weekly

The $100 million investment by Medpace CEO Dr. August Troendle will add a new hotel in addition to office and commercial space to the neighborhood of Madisonville. The deal that enables the project involves a lot of moving parts.

May 13 - Cincinnati Enquirer

After breaking down the reasons why left turns are so dangerous, it's also obvious how difficult a problem they are to solve.

May 13 - WNYC

Yes, there was a conspiracy led by General Motors to replace streetcars with their buses in the 1930s. But streetcars were dying well before then, due to competition with the automobile and other reasons apart from nefarious corporate collusions.

May 12 - Vox

Local port and tourism officials are pushing dual plans to add waterborne transit to Detroit—one proposed ferry route would even connect to Canada.

May 12 - Detroit Free Press