The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Buy Mass Transit Tickets With a Smartphone In Portland

Portland launches first U.S. mobile ticketing apps to enable mass transit riders to buy tickets with their iPhone and Android smartphones.

September 6 - Engadget

Philadelphia Skyline

Philly Swaps Squad Cars for Foot Patrols

Philadelphia's police force has increased the proportion of police on foot in its most violent neighborhoods. Not everyone likes the new presence, but the change has has achieved remarkable reductions in violent crime.

September 6 - The Economist

California County Votes to Secede

Dissatisfied with state regulation and feeling that rural interests go unrepresented, the Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors voted this week in favor of leaving the Golden State to create a state called Jefferson.

September 6 - The Los Angeles Times

App To Warn You When You Are About To Be Hit By A Car

Carmakers are developing technologies to alert drivers and pedestrians if they are about to collide.

September 6 - The Car Connection

Maglev Breaks Speed Record in Japan Trials

New maglev train in Japan reached 310 mph on a test track. With construction about to begin, some worry that declining population would make the project unsustainable.

September 6 - Wired


Size of A City's Middle Class Predicts Poor's Economic Mobility

Researchers find that among the largest 100 metro regions in the U.S. , those with a larger middle class, provide higher economic mobility.

September 6 - The Atlantic Cities

Why Cities Should Aim Beyond Carbon Neutrality

Keynote at Future of Cities Forum conference argued that carbon neutrality is not enough, He urged cities to adopt regenerative urban development that mimic natural processes and actively improve the environment.

September 6 - Future Cities


Developers Hack Conventional Office Spaces to Attract Corporate America

The decline of the 9 to 5 business district and changing corporate culture have landlords and tenants clamoring "to make their offices less square" and architects and planners eager to help transform conventional office spaces.

September 6 - Los Angeles Times

Baltimore Red Line Gets Green Light in $1.5 Billion Transportation Spending Plan

A new 14.1-mile light rail project through downtown Baltimore is among the 17 projects to be funded by Maryland's recent gas tax increase, Governor Martin O'Malley announced this week.

September 6 - The Baltimore Sun

A Never-Ending Map Of Imaginary Cities

Artist spends decades creating an always-growing hand-drawn paper map of an imaginary place. Development is determined by drawing a random card from a custom deck of cards.

September 5 - Visual News

Amsterdam Bikes

College Campuses Embrace Bike Share

In order to differentiate themselves from other universities, some are offering perks to students, such as bike share programs or free bikes in exchange for not driving.

September 5 - The New York Times

An image of a path through sand dunes to ocean in New Jersey

At What Cost an Ocean View?

New Jersey has to decide how to protect homes, roads and development from future storms. The Army Corps of Engineers has proposed to build protective sand dunes, but a small number of beachfront property owners refuse to allow the plan to proceed.

September 5 - The New York Times

Google's Photo Share Takes You Where It's Street View Cannot Go

Android app enables users with smartphones to take panoramic photos of remote places to share on Google Photo Sphere.

September 5 - Los Angeles Times

London Skyline

Seven Skyscraper Design Fails

This week, sun rays bouncing off the "Walkie-Talkie" skyscraper in London have caused cars to melt and forced the city to ban parking in the area. Here are 7 other skyscraper design fails that have led to mishaps and disasters for cities.

September 5 - Future Cities

Walking While Distracted: Pedestrian Injuries Rise Amongst Teens

A study finds that 20% of high school students cross the street while being distracted by a digital device.

September 5 - WNYC: Transportation Nation

Car Dasboard at Night

What's Causing The Decline In Driving?

U.S. Public Interest Research Group does a state-by-state analysis of the decline in driving in an attempt to determine it's chief causes.

September 5 - Governing

An image of a winery in Paso Robles

One of California's Most Famous Wine Regions is About to Run Out of Water

Paso Robles -- one of California's premier wine-producing regions -- is on the verge of running out of water, pitting wine producers against rural residents. At stake is the possible future of the region.

September 5 - Los Angeles Times

New York Skyline Fisheye

How To Make A City Great

Respected consulting firm McKinsey & Company offers a detailed report on the steps city leaders around the world take to transform their cities into great places to live and work.

September 5 - McKinsey & Company

Citibike 00001 jeh

NYC Mayoral Candidate Positions on Planning Issues

From stop-and-frisk to sugary sodas to popular pedestrian plazas, The New York Times reviews the positions of NYC's candidate pool on the important issues -- many of them planning-related -- facing the Big Apple's next mayor.

September 5 - The New York Times

A marriage proposal in Gorky Park

Gorky Park's Transformation from Gritty to Glam

Moscow's Gorky Park, once the rundown backdrop of a murder novel, has experienced a remarkable turnaround. Today, the mayor imagines its recovery as part of his legacy while Muscovites simply see it as the perfect place to play, dine, and relax.

September 4 - The New York Times

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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.