The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
After Two Disasters in Less Than a Year, Can the Jersey Shore Recover?
What Hurricane Sandy couldn't sweep into the sea a devastating fire ravaged yesterday in Seaside Park and Seaside Heights, NJ. More than 20 businesses, Funtown Pier, and a historic carousel were destroyed just months after renovations were completed.
Build A 3D City Model Within Minutes
ESRI's CityEngine software enables 3D modeling of urban environments. The forthcoming version of the software will enable developers to use the 3D city modeling technology in their own software.
End of the Line Looms for Short Amtrak Routes
In 19 states across America, "small-town mayors, state budget hawks and fans of passenger rail" are debating whether to subsidize passenger rail service or see it disappear thanks to a 2008 Congressional mandate. States have until Oct. 1 to pony up.
Lack of Plumbing Aside, We Could Learn a Thing or Two from India's Slums
Asserting a controversial opinion, Michael McQuarrie takes a fresh look at the state of community development by comparing it to the slums in Mumbai. These vibrant and economically active slums make him wonder: have we created a dependent poor?
Help Pick Boston's Next Transit Map
The six finalists in an open competition to design Boston's next subway map have been revealed, and the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA) is asking the public to weigh in on the winner.
Nation's Toughest Fracking Bill To Be Signed By CA Gov. Jerry Brown
SB 4 passed the legislature over strong objections from the oil and business community. California will go from having no well stimulation (includes acidizing) regulation set in statute to the nation's toughest, so why are environmentalists unhappy?
Deal Clears Way for Construction of Minneapolis' "Grand Central"
After a year of closed-door negotiations, the Twins and Hennepin County have reached agreement on a plan to transform the rail hub being built adjacent to the team's new ballpark into an engine for revitalizing the surrounding neighborhood.
4 Steps to Building Bike Lanes in Your City
Want to encourage city leaders to hop on the biking bandwagon and expand cycling infrastructure where you live, but don't know where to start? Kristin Smith lays out four key steps for joining the "pedal-powered, green lane movement".
New Initiatives Aim to Slow Spread of Sprawl Across Mexico
Though 78 percent of Mexico’s population is urban, for the past three decades it's been importing a disastrous development pattern from its northern neighbor - urban sprawl. A new set of institutions and policies are aimed at reversing the trend.
Small Cities Explore Sustainable Energy Solutions
From solar panels to waste-to-energy to geothermal systems, small cities across Minnesota are exploring ways to take advantage of the latest in distributed energy generation technologies to reduce costs and improve local economies.
Icon of Intellectual and Architectural History to Become "Virtual City"
After siting vacant for more than 5 years, AT&T's famous Bell Labs campus designed by architect Eero Saarinen will undergo a $100 million renovation aimed at creating a mixed-use center for Holmdel, New Jersey.
Study Likely to Recommend Few Changes to D.C. Height Limits
A congressionally mandated study into potentially altering D.C.'s Height of Buildings Act of 1910, which has kept the city's skyline uniquely low, will recommend small tweaks to the rules and further study of relaxing limits outside downtown.
CEQA Reform Amendments Strengthen Social and Traffic Impact Analysis
As long-debated reforms meant to streamline California's landmark Environmental Quality Act near passage, interest groups from the right and left have found plenty to quibble with. But in two key areas, observers are cheering new amendments.
Meant to Deter, Utah's Bad Air Alerts Actually Increase Driving
Call it the law of unintended consequences. Alerts of "bad air days" that ask motorists in the Wasatch Front to reduce driving had the opposite effect, prompting some residents to drive away from lowlands to the mountains where air may be healthier.
Pilot Program Will Monitor Car Computers to Fix New York Streets
A pilot program operated by New York's DOT will gather data from 500 city motorists' vehicles in order to find problematic city streets and help drivers reduce their gas use and increase their safety.
Expanding Bike Lanes a Focus of Sydney "Access Strategy"
New South Wales Government have published the "City Centre Access Strategy", their vision for transport planning in Sydney for the next two decades. Jacob Saulwick reviews the mixed responses to the long awaited plan.
Study Finds Food Waste Is Third-Largest Greenhouse Gas Source
A new study from the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization found that the 1.3 billion tons of food wasted every year make it one of the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions.
Density Is the New Fertility Bogeyman
Joel Kotkin's muddle-headed theory on babies and urban living is aimed at blocking housing choice for young families, argues Robert Steuteville.
Livable Streets Advocates Are Winners on NYC Primary Day
Bill de Blasio wasn't the only candidate backed by the newly-formed livable streets political action committee StreetsPAC to emerge victorious from Tuesday's primary elections in NYC. 13 of 18 council candidates supported by StreetsPAC won.
New Orleans' New Stormwater Plan: Let It Flood
New Orleans is planning a novel approach to managing the city's perpetual threat of floods. Instead of trying to prevent and pump out every last drop, the city will slow and store stormwater under a 50-year, $6.2 billion program of retrofits.
City of Clovis
City of Moorpark
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.
