The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Should Tesla Buyers Receive a $2,500 Rebate from California?

Currently, California residents who purchase plug-in electric vehicles can receive up to $2,500, depending on the type of electric vehicle, with all-electrics receiving the maximum rebate. However, the Air Resources Board is proposing a change.

April 21 - Capitol Weekly

Downtown North Little Rock

BLOG POST

New Research On Smart Growth Benefits

New research indicates that smart growth helps residents become wealthier and healthier.

April 21 - Todd Litman

Which Way, Dallas?

Architecture critic Mark Lamster describes Dallas as a city at a defining moment in its history. He poses the following questions: “What are our goals, and how do we achieve them? What exactly do we want Dallas to be?”

April 20 - Dallas Morning News

CN Tower rises above Gardiner Expressway on Toronto Waterfront

Ranking the Most Resilient Cities

Resilience has entered into the planning and urbanism lexicon as a large challenge for all places pursuing prosperous, sustainable futures. A new study examines the world’s leading cities for lessons in resilience.

April 20 - Urban Land Magazine

Biking Boom Takes to the Sidewalks

The city of Santiago, Chile offers a cautionary tale for cities amidst a biking boom that don’t rethink the mode balance on their streets: there’s nowhere for bikers to go except the sidewalk.

April 20 - Atlantic Cities


Durham North Carolina

BLOG POST

Finding Authenticity

The coveted creative class is in search of neighborhoods and communities with lots of character. Why are such places so hard to find? Maybe it is because we are trying too hard.

April 20 - Mark Hough

Billboard pepsi

BLOG POST

Billboards, Big Money, and (Political) Blight

Planners typically pay attention to the Supreme Court when a Fifth Amendment case, like Kelo v. New London, comes along. The recent McCutcheon decision is a case in which the court could have paid attention to planners.

April 20 - Josh Stephens


Study: Active Commutes Correlate to Positive Public Health Outcomes

The Alliance for Biking and Walking’s 2014 Benchmarking report found a strong correlation between active commuting rates and health outcomes like diabetes, obesity, and high blood pressure.

April 20 - Streetsblog USA

Uhaul Trucks

The Urban Reordering: Can the United States Make it Stick?

The trend toward the urban has been documented from every possible angle, but a recent op-ed wonders whether it will be possible for the federal government to make a course correction that ceases the endless subsidies for the suburbs.

April 20 - New York Times

Seattle’s Cap on Uber, Lyft, and Sidecar Rescinded by Referendum

After Seattle Citizens to Repeal Ordinance 124441 acquired twice the necessary number of signatures necessary to send a March ordinance capping the number of Uber, Lyft, and Sidecar drivers in the city, the mayor will negotiate with the companies.

April 19 - GeekWire

The Economics Behind Crude by Rail

Sure, it costs more than moving by pipeline—double or triple the price per barrel. But look at the speed: five days versus 40. A new rail terminal in Beaumont, Texas sheds light on the economics that make CBR attractive to shippers and refineries.

April 19 - The New York Times - U.S. - The Texas Tribune

Enough with the Parking Garages: Baltimore's Inner Harbor Redo Criticized

The first step in the transformation of Baltimore’s Inner Harbor is a proposed renovation of Rash Field. But one commentator sees the subterranean parking garage included in conceptual plans as more of the same car-domination.

April 19 - Greater Greater Washington

Ohio River Bridges Project Price Tag Climbs Again, but Why?

The price tag for massive project to bridge the Ohio River in Louisville, Kentucky complete with dual approach tunnels, has long been a source of controversy. Another sudden cost increase has one commenter wondering how this keeps happening.

April 19 - Urbanophile

Breaking News on Keystone XL Pipeline: More Delay

Don't expect President Obama to issue a yes or no decision on whether to build TransCanada's Keystone XL pipeline until after the November elections. A pending Nebraska court case and millions of public comments were given as the reason for the delay

April 19 - USA Today

Desert Signage

Mapping Where People Don't Live

A map released this week and shared on numerous websites shades the 4,871,270 U.S. Census Blocks with zero population. That includes rugged backcountry and suburban super malls.

April 18 - mapsbynik

How Cities Miss the 'World Class' Mark

A recent article on the Stanford Social Innovation Review blog argues that instead of chasing gleaming skyscrapers, planners in developing cities should build a new model of the "world class" city.

April 18 - Stanford Social Innovation Review

Chicago Planning Flyover Fix for North Side El Lines

Fairly sizable funding contingencies still have to be resolved, but the so-called Red-Purple Bypass Project could increase rush hour capacity at a critical North Side junction by 30 percent.

April 18 - Crain's Chicago Business

Study Maps the Spatial Patterns of U.S. Environmental Injustice

A new study by researchers from the University of Minnesota presents a sweeping portrait of trends in exposure to nitrogen dioxide across the United States.

April 18 - The Washington Post - Wonkblog

Seattle Adopts New Bicycle Master Plan

Resolution 31515, which officially approved the Bicycle Master Plan, is called a “transformational new way of thinking about bicycle projects within Seattle.” Time, and funding, will tell if the plan lives up to its promise.

April 18 - The Seattle Times

Freeway Cap, Penn’s Landing Waterfront Details Emerging in Philadelphia

Project planners estimate that a $200 million investment in an 11-acre cap park over I-95 that will reconnect the city with the Delaware River could return $1 billion in private investment.

April 18 - PlanPhilly

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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.