The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Is Peak Oil Demand In Sight?
With driving and oil consumption declining across many developed countries due to long-term structural shifts, Nick Butler sees reason to believe the world will soon reach peak oil demand.
Canadian Social Housing Vulnerable as Federal Funding Disappears
Low-income Canadians who depend on subsidized housing will face uncertainty in the coming years as federal funding agreements come to a close. Ottawa has, as of yet, no plans to renew them.
Arrival of D.C.'s First Streetcar is Cause for Civic Celebration
On a dark and cold December night, D.C. residents celebrated the delivery of a holiday gift a half-century in the making when a gleaming red streetcar was lowered into place along the city's new line for testing.
For Next Act, Bloomberg and Pals to Lead "Urban SWAT Team"
The mystery of what outgoing mayor Michael Bloomberg and his top lieutenants will do for their next act has been solved. Many will continue to work together at a new consultancy exporting the ideas they've championed in New York to other cities.
Holiday Gift Ideas for the Plan-Nerd
Holiday gift recommendations for your urban planning geek friend or family member (or yourself) from L.A.'s ultra-plan-nerd, Clement Lau.
L.A. Union Station's Pilot Program Discriminates Against Subway Passengers
Los Angeles’s Union Station is trying something new to keep the homeless at bay: restricting waiting room seating to ticketed passengers.
San Francisco's Electric Bus Pollution Problem
There are no emissions of pollutants or noise from these electric buses that receive power from overhead wires; but it's the wires that are viewed by some as visual pollution. Powered from the city's hydroelectric dam, they are truly carbon-free.
Spain's Colossal Casino Project Dealt a Bad Hand
Las Vegas Sands and its billionaire owner Sheldon G. Adelson have cancelled outlandish plans to build a $30 billion megacasino near Madrid.
Happy City Highlights
Hazel Borys shines today's PlaceShaker spotlight on "Happy City" by Charles Montgomery. Check it out and you'll be questioning our collective priorities in no time. C'mon get happy!
Census Data Shows Which Cities Encourage the Most Walking
Multiple metrics have been developed to measure which areas are the most friendly to pedestrians. But by looking at Census Data on commuting patterns, one can glean which city's residents are making the most of their "walkable" environs.
You're Paying for Parking, Whether You Use It or Not
Think you’re not paying for parking because you opted out of renting a space in your apartment complex’s garage? Think again.
Multiple Choice Referendum to Decide Vancouver's Transit Future
British Columbia will proceed with a public referendum on transit spending for the province. In an interesting wrinkle, Premier Christy Clark says the referendum will offer multiple choices. City leaders are concerned about the possible outcomes.
Feds Get Behind Participatory Budgeting
Participatory budgeting (PB) has been tried on a limited local level in several cities across the United States. A new White House initiative indicates the practice may become a common way of determining how to distribute certain federal funds.
Detroit Blight Fight Begins in Earnest Monday
75 teams of surveyors will fan out across Detroit on Monday to begin cataloging the city's vacant buildings block-by-block. One of the leaders of the effort is estimating that eliminating blight could cost $1 billion.
FEATURE
The 100 "Best" Books on City-Making Ever Written?
After looking over his extensive library of books on urbanism, Brent Toderian selects the 100 best books on city-making that he's collected and read over the years.
Friday Funny: The World's Worst Place to Raise a Child
The Mariana Trench has beaten out Mt. Everest, the cone of Hawaii’s Mauna Loa volcano, and St. Louis to claim the title of the world's worst place to raise a child for the seventh consecutive year, reports the satirical newspaper The Onion.
Grant Helps Extend NYC Plaza Program into Less Affluent Areas
By transforming excess street space in areas like Times Square and Herald Square into pedestrian paradises, New York City's plaza program has been a huge hit. But with maintenance costs borne by local businesses, less affluent areas have missed out.
45 Million SF of Development Planned for Densifying D.C. Suburb
A report from Cushman & Wakefield details the 45.3 million square feet of development currently projected at four Tysons Metro stations that will open soon along Northern Virginia's new Silver Line.
Feds Order Unprecedented Review of Metro-North Safety
In the aftermath of a derailment that killed four passengers and other recent safety lapses, the U.S. Secretary of Transportation has ordered an unprecedented in-depth review of the "operations and 'safety culture'” of Metro-North Railroad.
New Report Recommends a Regional Solution to S.F.'s Affordability Crisis
Could Silicon Valley play a key role in alleviating San Francisco's growing affordability crisis? That's among the suggestions put forth in a new report from SPUR that outlines specific ways that San Jose could attract young professionals.
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
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.
