The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Michigan Economic Development Ideas Include Innovation Districts
Stakeholders in Michigan have bought in to the innovation district concept.
Economic Recovery Harder to Find at the County Level
You've probably read the news that the country has recovered all the jobs lost in the Great Recession. A new report that analyzes four measures of economic health at the county level reveals a much bleaker picture of the economic recovery.

Outcry Over Manhattan's Latest 'Supertall' Developments
An article in The Guardian argues the side of New Yorkers opposed to a new round of high-rise development proposed for Manhattan.
South Dakota Governor Proposes Perpetual Gas Tax Increase
Gov. Dennis Daugaard, who pledged not to raise taxes during his first term, proposed in his state of the state to increase the state gas tax two cents on July 1, and then two cents a year thereafter, to fund state and local roads and bridge repairs.
Can the 2024 Olympics Help Boston Plan for a Better 2124?
Can the Olympic bid provide an impetus for long-range planning for the Boston metropolitan area?
Making Transportation Options Safer for Women
A post by the World Band surveys efforts around the world to mainstream gender on public transport—an effort challenged substantially by continued risks to the safety of women.
Is Housing 'Baggage' Holding America Back?
Throwing money at our housing problems is clearly not the answer, but are there ideas from markets in Europe that might work for us?
The Evolution of Austin—Found on Sixth Street
A Dallas Morning News column illustrates the evolution of Austin by exploring the changes in the neighborhoods along the city's famous Sixth Street corridor.
Architecture for Humanity Closes—Cites Lack of Funding
A sad day for the mission of using design to benefit the most vulnerable among us, Architecture for Humanity closed its doors earlier this month.

Debunking Myths about NFL Stadium Construction
Political leaders in San Diego have spent years characterizing the city's NFL team as a regional asset, requiring a new stadium to keep in place. A column debunks some of the logic behind how and why behind some of that reasoning.
Conservative Columnist Promotes $1 Gas Tax Alternative
Charles Krauthammer offers his own brand of gas tax hike that differs from others mentioned recently. One, it's much bigger. Two, revenues won't be used for transportation. It would be revenue neutral; all funds would be returned to taxpayers.
Lessons for the Real World in SimCity 4's Homeless Problem
Emanuel Maiberg discusses an ongoing crisis in a simulated version of reality familiar to many planners—i.e., the homelessness problem in SimCity 4.

Pop Quiz: Can You Name Cities from their Transit Maps?
What better way to wind down from a long week thinking about cities and maps and transportation than by taking a quiz to show off your knowledge of cities and maps and transportation?

More Evidence of the 'Neighborhood Effect'
Two recent studies find evidence of a powerful "neighborhood effect" for economic mobility—especially on the incomes of blue collar and service workers as compared to knowledge and creative workers.
Critic: Development Proposal to Close for Comfort to Philadelphia's Rodin Museum
Architecture Critic Inga Saffron decries the development proposal making progress through the approval process in Philadelphia—a large, glassy residential building that would encroach on the tiny serenity of the Rodin Museum.
State-Level Data Reveals Earlier Peak Driving than Previously Thought
With implications on the narrative of peak driving and on the economic forces that drive the country, a new study reveals that some statewide populations began driving less as early as 1992.

When 'Gentrification is Good'
Looking a little closer at a city not called New York, San Francisco, or Boston, one writer argues that gentrification is often a good thing.
A Small Town Supports Citywide 25-mph Speed Limit
One town in Georgia recently conducted a public opinion poll finding that most of its 19,000-plus citizens support reduced speed limits on all city streets.
California High-Speed Rail's Second Construction Contract: $1.36 Billion
A week after the groundbreaking ceremony for California's beleaguered high speed rail project, a second construction contract has been awarded. The rail authority will now build 29 miles north and 65 miles south of Fresno to the Kern County line.
Checking in on New York City's Affordable Housing Efforts
First, a new report from NYU's Furman Center details the evolving characteristics of subsidized rental housing in New York City. Second, the results from Mayor Bill de Blasio's affordable housing efforts are in from his first year in office.
Pagination
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
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.