The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Ranking the '10 Most Exciting Suburbs'
Ranking suburbs on metrics of excitement? That’s a zesty response to the suburb-bashing parlance of the times, and the Movoto Real Estate Blog has done just that.
In Transit, Is Better Station Architecture Worth the Cost?
Do transit stations with sleeker designs boost ridership? Evidence suggests that the answer may be yes. But does that mean that we should spend limited transit funds on better architecture?

Bike and Pedestrian Infrastructure Financing Bill Introduced in Congress
Rep. Albert Sires (D-N.J.) introduced the New Opportunities for Bicycle and Pedestrian Infrastructure Financing Act of 2014 (H.R. 3978), modeled on TIFIA, to promote investment in bike and pedestrian facilities to make streets safer for all modes.
‘Mass-Transit Super Bowl’ Not-So-Super for Attendees
With parking limited around the stadium for yesterday’s Super Bowl, attendees relied on the New York region’s transit system to get to and from the game. After months of worry about the weather, mass transit was the Least Valuable Player on game day.

How to ‘Not Be a Gentrifier’—Oakland Edition
As an urbanist, it can be easy to think of gentrification as a macroeconomic trend or a collection of data points, not as an individual experience. A community organizer in Oakland would like to bring the issue home for the city’s newcomers.
After Tornadoes, Towns Plan for the Future
Dealing with the scars left by past tornadoes, towns like Greensburg, Kansas, have involved the community in planning efforts to rebuild and reimagine the future.
Millennials—Saviors of St. Louis?
Writing more than just a defense of the urban proclivities of Millennials, Alex Ihnen argues that starting with Generation X, young people have saved St. Louis from death by contraction.

BLOG POST
The Pluck of Dawn Zimmer
Planners can learn a lot about the havoc money unleashes on otherwise benign development plans from the moral fortitude displayed by Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer.
Wrestling with the ‘D’ Word (Density)
There are few hot buttons in planning conversation like the word “density.” One writer in San Diego claims that the breakdown inspired by the term originates from concerns with cars, not buildings.
BLOG POST
See-Saws, Circles, and Narrative Fallacies
A minor word of caution on statistical inference and the stories it can tell
BLOG POST
The Roots of Snowmageddon
Last week, many Atlantans were stuck in traffic overnight because of fewer than three inches of snow. What went wrong?

8 New Jobs City Hall Needs Now
City Hall isn't what it once was. Here are eight new positions that your local government should be hiring for this year.

Bridge Redesign a Victory for Pedestrian, Cycling Advocates
In Los Angeles, months of agitation by pedestrian and bicycling advocates have finally paid off.
Stayin’ Alive: The life and death prospects of community ties
Connected communities aren't just about fun and frolic. When the goin' gets rough, they can make the difference between life and death.
Tax and Borrow Plan Advanced by Delaware Gov. Markell to Fund Transportation
The 10-cent gas tax hike the governor proposed would only meet Delaware's transportation needs half-way. Gov. Markell also endorsed borrowing $50 million a year, matching the additional gas tax revenues. Combined, DelDot's debt load would be reduced.
Behind the Scenes of Philly's New Land Bank Law
In Philadelphia, an alliance of unusual suspects worked together to convince the city to create the land bank. The law isn't perfect but the new land bank will significantly improve the city’s vacant property process.
Bringing Caltrans Into The 21st Century
Can the nation's largest state department of transportation, long oriented to building highways and fighting congestion, be brought into the modern, multi-modal era? The State Smart Transportation Initiative's report for Caltrans may do just that.
Step Right Up: Play the City Name Game
Nomenclature changes, especially for cities with chronologies spanning centuries and even millennia. Test your knowledge of historic, even ancient, place names.
The Mythical Search for 'Congruity' in the City
In the eighth installment of the Urban Juxtapositions series profiled in Planetizen on January 16, Chuck Wolfe asks if we are using the right language when it comes to densifying urban spaces.
"What Did He Know, and When Did He Know It?" Bridge-Gate Plot Thickens
David Wildstein, the former Port Authority official who resigned over the George Washington Bridge-Gate lane closures and has refused to answer investigators' questions, indicated in his lawyer's letter that N.J. Gov. Christie knew of the closures.
Pagination
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
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.