The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

University of Chicago

BLOG POST

What Makes a Great Planning Program?

Ann Forsyth, professor of urban planning at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, shares insight into common traits of the best educational programs in planning.

January 13 - Ann Forsyth

Bipartisan

Talkin' Right, Leanin' Left: The 'New Consurbanism'?

If we remove our ideological blinders, we might notice that the traditional city serves the interests of both the Left and the Right. Common ground, literally and figuratively. Ben Brown explores.

January 12 - PlaceShakers

Study Shows How Useful Twitter Data Can Be for Planners

The atlantalarry blog shares news of a study in the Engineering Applications of Artificial Intelligence journal that used gelocalized tweets to map out nightlife areas in Madrid, London, and Manhattan.

January 12 - atlantalarry

Palo Alto Electeds Oppose Dedicated Lanes for El Camino BRT

As the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) considers the environmental analysis for a proposed bus rapid transit lane in Palo Alto, local officials are opposing the version of the plan that would remove parking for a dedicated bus lane.

January 12 - Palo Alto Online

In Support of the Trinity Toll Road in Dallas

The Trinity Toll Road project in Dallas is one of the most controversial ongoing infrastructure and highway projects in the country. A Dallas Morning News columnist suggests the project's opponents should act like adults.

January 12 - The Dallas Morning News


How Cities Criminalize Youth Activities

In an effort to build healthy, active public realms, many cities should considering some of the laws currently on the books that amount to shouting "get off my lawn."

January 12 - GOOD Magazine

Anatomy of a Failed Infrastructure Project: Columbia River Crossing

Bloomberg Businessweek examines the failed Columbia River Crossing project as a poster child for how political dysfunction is derailing critically needed infrastructure.

January 12 - Bloomberg BusinessWeek


Congressional Impediments to 'Considering' an Increased Gas Tax

Look no further than House Speaker John Boehner. MSNBC contributor Steve Benen reports on a Jan. 8 Capitol Hill press conference where the Republican speaker from Ohio appeared to put the kibosh on even considering a federal gas tax increase.

January 12 - MSNBC/Maddow Blog

Powerful Political Forces Aligning Against Southwest Light Rail in Minneapolis

One of the most heavily-contested transit projects in the United States, the Southwest light rail line in the metropolitan Twin Cities area, is encountering increased levels of political opposition.

January 12 - MPR News

Low Gas Prices

Three States Hope to Take Advantage of Low Gas Prices to Boost Gas Taxes

A movement at the state and federal levels would take advantage of low oil prices to boost gas taxes to pay for infrastructure. Michigan, Iowa, and Utah proposals, and a change to the federal Corker-Murphy plan, are described below.

January 12 - The Wall Street Journal

Millennials in the Wild

FEATURE

Book Review: 'Culture Crash'

'Culture Crash: The Killing of the Creative Class' by Scott Timberg argues that cities must defend and support local culture in the face of the homogenizing effects of the creative class.

January 12 - Josh Stephens

San Diego Bay, Historic

BLOG POST

The Rise of the Development Agreement

The evolution of the development agreement reveals how its proliferation as a land use tool is a symptom of a larger struggle between increasingly complicated land use regulations, the public’s conflicting goals, and developers’ desire for certainty

January 11 - Reuben Duarte

Nebraska Supreme Court OKs Keystone XL; U.S. Senate has the Next Move

The House voted for the tenth time to approve the pipeline, and a split decision by the Nebraska Supreme Court removes a key objection of President Barack Obama to ruling on Keystone XL. The Senate begins debate Monday.

January 11 - NPR: The Two-Way

Sunday Not-So-Fun-Day: More Cities Banning Sledding in Public

Cities simply can't afford the lawsuits that follow sledding injuries. Time will tell how strictly such laws are enforced.

January 11 - Quartz

Oklahoma City

Oklahoma City's Plan to Attract and Retain Millennials

The Oklahoma Gazette takes an in-depth look at the city's efforts to attract and retain millennials.

January 11 - Oklahoma Gazette

Gov. Christie Changes Stance on Cross-Hudson Transit Capacity

Buried in the Port Authority's recent report on the future its financing and operations, was a plan to move forward with a project to increase transit capacity across the Hudson River.

January 11 - Bloomberg

Documentary Examines China's 'Back-to-the-Land' Movement

Linda Poon shares news of a short documentary about a Chinese artist trying to "bring economic and cultural development to a village struggling to survive China's rapid urbanization."

January 10 - NPR

How To: Design a User-Friendly Museum Exhibition about Planning

John King writes that the "Gallery + Ideas Forum" at the Presidio in San Francisco provides an excellent model for presenting issues and ideas of planning and urban design to the public.

January 10 - San Francisco Chronicle

Safety in Scofflaws: More Research Needed on the Dirty Secret of Biking

An article on Washington Post's Wonkblog says what some bikers were thinking: sometimes it feels safer to break the law.

January 10 - The Washington Post - Wonkblog

10 Books for Kids to Spark an Urban Imagination

Next City has published a list of ten "great picture books" that explore urban life for the curious and imaginative children in your life.

January 10 - Next City

Post News

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.

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.