The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Salt Lake City Looks West for Downtown Revitalization

The Salt Lake Tribune looked at the development plans made possible by the West Side Master Plan for Salt Lake City.

January 3 - Salt Lake City Tribune

India Rescinds Tax Break on Cars

The price of cars in the country of India will increase—a lot—as the government rolls back tax breaks.

January 2 - BBC News India

How the Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust Gets the Job Done

In a city of increasingly scarce land, the Los Angeles Neighborhood land Trust has a track record of ushering community gardens and other public health resources in low-income communities.

January 2 - Seedstock

New York MTA Buses to Alert Pedestrians When Turning

Following the lead of programs in Los Angeles, Portland, and Baltimore, a pilot program by the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority will install warning systems to alert pedestrians to turning buses.

January 2 - New York Daily News

'GrowSouth' Plan Demolishes Record Number of Structures in Dallas

A Dallas economic development plan called "GrowSouth"—spearheaded by the office of Mayor Mike Rawlings—removed a record number of blighted and nuisance structures in 2014.

January 2 - The Dallas Morning News


Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton Proposes Gas Tax

The tax would be a wholesale tax paid by fuel suppliers as has become more common in the last two years, not a retail tax at the gas pump. The Democratic governor's main problem may be his timing—the house flipped to Republican control.

January 2 - Pioneer Press

Kids Biking

Study Casts Doubt on Bike Helmet Laws for Children

Do bike helmet laws prevent injuries for children, or do they just discourage children from riding bikes?

January 1 - The Incidental Economist


New Orleans Streetcar

Has the Streetcar Boom Reached the End of the Line?

Politico takes a critical look at the streetcar trend in American cities—which had some high profile setbacks during 2014—with an eye toward the legacy of the Obama Administration.

January 1 - Politico

Boston Redevelopment Authority Preparing for 2015 Building Boom

The Boston Globe reports on a year of massive investments, as well as sweeping changes in leadership, taking place in the offices of the Boston Redevelopment Authority.

January 1 - The Boston Globe

Turkey Tunnel City

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.

January 1 - Hurriyet Daily News

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.

January 1 - New York Times

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.

December 31 - Next City

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.

December 31 - CityLab

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.

December 31 - The Urbanist

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.

December 31 - LA Observed

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.

December 31 - The Washington Post

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.

December 31 - Gizmodo

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.

December 31 - San Francisco Chronicle

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.

December 31 - The Wall Street Journal

Americans Are Multimodal

82 percent of public transportation users last summer report having an automobile in their household.

December 31 - American Public Transportation Association (APTA)

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.