The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Underground City from 5,000 Years Ago Discovered in Turkey
An urban renewal project in Turkey yielded an unexpected archaeological bonanza: a 5,000-year-old, underground city.
The Story of New York's First Commuter
Sam Roberts tells the story of commuting in New York City, starting from the very beginning, the maiden voyage of the first ferry from Brooklyn to Manhattan.
2014 Declared the 'Year of the Bike Commuter'
"From cycletracks to helmet laws, 2014 has been a big year for bikes," according to Next City before looking back at what made 2014 such a big year for bikers.
The Year in #CityReads
CityLab gathered the best of its weekly #CityReads compendium for a list of the year's best articles about urban experiences.
Sound Transit Adopts Long Range Plan for Metropolitan Seattle
Earlier in December, Seattle's Sound Transit Board approved a Long Range Plan as a part of its final meeting of the year.
Surveying California's Recent Environmental Accomplishments
Jon Christensen and Mark Gold survey the environmental accomplishments of the Los Angeles region as well as the state of California over the course of the past year.
Rising Seas Create a Catch-22 for Miami Development
Miami is in a race against time to build defenses against climate change and rising sea levels—resilience projects that require property tax revenue generated from luxury developments built in the areas most at risk.
How Defensive Fortifications Shaped Cities
A post on Gizmodo traces the long and evolving history of defensive fortifications and how they influenced how cities were built and how people lived.
Want an Electric Vehicle but Live in an Apartment?
Two companies have teamed up to provide solar-powered, electric vehicle charging with battery storage in 68 apartment buildings in San Francisco. They will rent spaces for charging by tenants. Roofs will also be rented and covered with solar panels.
Cheap Gas Defeats Fuel Efficiency Goals
The effect of low gas prices on motor vehicle selection by consumers could set back President Barack Obama's climate legacy, which includes obtaining fuel economy standards of 54.5 mpg by 2025.
Americans Are Multimodal
82 percent of public transportation users last summer report having an automobile in their household.
FEATURE
Top Planning Trends – 2014
A deeper look at the traffic data on Planetizen reveals trends from the planning and urban design conversation of 2014.
Op-Ed Criticizes Dog Owners' Use of Public Spaces in Chicago
A scathing op-ed by Joanne Cleaver provides a laundry list of public spaces and parks in Chicago spoiled, in her opinion, by heavy use from the canine companions of residents.
New Round of Design Proposals for St. Petersburg's Off-Shore Park
After an initial failure of public approval, St. Petersburg went back to the drawing board to design new plans for an off-shore park on the historic St. Petersburg Pier.
What Makes a City Global?
Finding the existing frameworks for describing "global cities" to be highly divergent, Aaron Renn suggests his own and requests feedback to continue improving the scheme.
The Da Vinci vs. Slow-Baked Cities
Josh Stephens writes in CP&DR that the recently burned Da Vinci apartment complex will have successors that also turn their backs on surrounding streets—but cities can and should do the difficult, slow work of fostering more inclusive design.
Four Cities Making the Most of Alley Spaces
Urbanful examines four cities making the most of scare public spaces by reactivating their alleys with programming and pedestrian-friendly designs.
The Year's Worst Apps for Urban Living
Along with the annual barrage of "best of lists for 2014" comes an entry from the "worst of" lists—CityLab's "awkward to awful" apps aimed at urbanites.
Port Authority Recommends Cutting PATH Service
The Port Authority released a controversial report over the weekend that recommends cutting overnight and weekend service for Port Authority Trans-Hudson (PATH) service. So far, the governors of New York and New Jersey support the plan.
A Model Plan for Greening Suburban Downtowns
F. Kaid Benfield provides analysis of the Bethesda Downtown Plan, calling the plan for the bustling Maryland suburb an opportunity to set a standard of urban sustainability for other communities.
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.
