The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Smart Planning for Watershed Protection
Planning for growth impacts watersheds in rural and urban settings. Kaid Benfield provides access to best practices for both ends of the development spectrum.
How Congress Skews Commuter Benefits
Current commuter benefits favor employees driving to work instead of taking public transportation, despite years of advocacy and lobbying efforts in Congress.
Leinberger Op-Ed Supports Streetcars as Economic Development Tool
"Opposing streetcars and light rail today would be like opposing the building of freeways, the Beltway and Metrorail in the 20th century," writes Chris Leinberger in an op-ed for the Washington Post.
Do Zombie Subdivisions Have a Future?
Alana Semuels writes about the state of the zombie subdivisions scattered around the western United States—a derelict reminder of the high water mark of the last master planned community building boom.
The Challenges of Being a Chief Resilience Officer
The seriousness of resilience for cities to plan and prepare for is evidenced by the creation of a new position called the chief resilience officer.
Can a Net Zero Cottage Work in the Suburbs?
In its first year alone, Zero Cottage has produced 22 percent more energy than it consumes. But can such an urban project be replicated in a suburban setting?
Citing High Rate of Adoption, Los Angeles Considers Expanded Freeway Toll Lanes
The use of toll lanes on two of the Los Angeles region's freeways has proven popular enough that county transportation planners are considering expanding the system.
Switching to Transit in Atlanta—Affordable but Unlikely
Darin from ATL Urbanist picks up on a recent report by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) finding that residents of Atlanta can save big money by ditching their cars and riding transit.
Dallas Launches Fledgling Bikeshare Program
Meant as the precursor for a larger program and delayed from an expected summer launch, Dallas launched its first bikeshare system with two rental kiosks for use around Fair Park.
An Unintended Consequence of Unbundling Parking from Housing
Transportation and affordable housing advocates advocate unbundling parking from housing to provide an incentive to own fewer vehicles while reducing housing costs and increasing supply. But should parcel taxes be applied to parking spaces?
Study Complicates Relationship of Population Growth, Emissions Reduction
More people translates to more emissions, right? Cut back on population growth and you'll reduce emissions and the threat of climate change, along with other environmental woes—it's a no-brainer. Or is it?
How to Solve the Pension Challenge
Diana Lind of Next City poses five ways big cities can alleviate some of their pension funding problems.
The Biggest Transportation Winner on the Nov. 4 Ballot
The ballot measure generating the most new transportation funds approved by voters this month was in Alameda County, Calif. Voters chose to double an existing sales tax to one percent and extend it to 2045, raising $7.8 billion over 30 years.
BRT Planned for the Silicon Valley
A region dominated by automobile-friendly infrastructure has released a Draft EIR for a bus rapid transit project connecting central San Jose to Palo Alto via El Camino Real.
Want a Stronger Economy? Focus More on Racial Inclusion
"We asked the question: How much higher would total earnings and economic output have been in 2012 if racial differences in income were eliminated"...
If Keystone Bill Becomes Law, Would it be Built?
It's not a foregone conclusion that President Obama would veto a bill expected in the Senate next week to allow the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline. But if it were to pass and Obama signs it, would it be built? CNBC investigates.
2050: Year of the Minority Majority
Tanvi Misra discusses with William Frey of the Brooking Institution the repercussions of the demographic flip expected to occur by 2050.
Late Night Bus Stop Request Program for Women Launches in Brasilia, Brazil
The new safety law allows women to request a stop at any location along a bus route after 10 pm, in an effort to increase women's safety in transit.
Bay Bridge Bike Path: Cheaper is Better
The existing bike path on the eastern span of the Bay Bridge meets an abrupt dead end, though it will be extended to Yerba Buena Island next summer. Plans are underway to extend the path to San Francisco, but it won't be cheap.
How To: Smarter Infrastructure Investments
In the next few decades, U.S. governments and businesses are predicted to spend trillions of dollars on infrastructure. This is the reality. The question is: how do we get smart about these investments?
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie
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.
