The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

As part of a study into potential changes to D.C.'s Height of Buildings Act requested by Congress, the results of an economic feasibility analysis were presented this week. Relaxing limits would create jobs and several thousand new housing units.

July 25 - The Washington Post

Michael Kimmelman comes out against the plan to rezone a 73-block area around Grand Central Terminal to allow the replacement of "aging commercial buildings with giant new office towers". The city should focus on planning, not zoning, he argues.

July 25 - The New York Times

79 people are confirmed to have died so far in Spain's most deadly train accident in 40 years. The accident involved an Alvia train traveling from Madrid to Ferrol that was said to be operating at more than twice the advised speed when it derailed.

July 25 - El Pais

Driven by student activism and less idealistic motivations for improving energy efficiency, college campuses across the Unites States are pioneering 'innovative approaches to rethinking energy infrastructure'.

July 25 - The Atlantic Cities

Planning professor Doug Kelbaugh lives in one of the few neighborhoods outside Manhattan with a perfect 100 Walk Score. His brother's house in South Carolina has a Walk Score of 1. Kelbaugh reflects on the extremes, and what they mean.

July 25 - Congress for the New Urbanism

Residents of New Jersey, and particularly its coastal communities, have an emotional connection to the state's seaside towns. But in the rush to rebuild after Hurricane Sandy, Scott Gurian asks if emotion is getting in the way of good planning.

July 25 - NJ Spotlight

When it comes to meeting the transit needs of millennials, real time information about train arrivals is as important as the transit itself. This is one of the key findings of a New York MTA survey conducted to inform strategies for the future.

July 25 - The New York Times N.Y. - Region

London-based Transport for All bemoans the inaccessibility of our urban environs for older residents. In this article, they ask designer Neil Chambers how he would design a city to 'facilitate an active and flexible lifestyle for the elderly.'

July 25 - Bettery Magazine

In a wide-ranging interview with Metropolis Magazine, CNU founding member Peter Calthorpe opines on China's planning process, the future of America's suburbs, CA high-speed rail, and why he would retire the term 'transit oriented development'.

July 24 - Metropolis POV Blog

There are now 227,000 individuals and families on the NYC Housing Authority's wait list for subsidized apartments, more than the city's entire public housing stock. With only 5,400 to 5,800 units available annually, the list is a dead end for most.

July 24 - The New York Times

This summer marks a key moment in the effort to transform the Los Angeles River from eyesore to amenity. A newly announced greenway plan and much-delayed U.S. Army Corps of Engineers feasibility study could fundamentally change the river's course.

July 24 - Los Angeles Times

Just outside of downtown, and a short walk from the Detroit River, developer McCormack Baron Salazar is planning to build a new neighborhood of town houses, apartments, and retail on mostly vacant land - a $60 million bet on the city's future.

July 24 - Detroit Free Press

A UCLA master's student and Don Shoup found that Santa Monica, CA's flexible parking requirements have led to significant fiscal and urban form benefits. A sample of parcels showed eight-times more sales tax revenue per sq. ft. than a control group.

July 24 - Streetsblog L.A.

Mark Lebetkin highlights 19 of the best bike paths to be found in America's cities. From San Deigo to Boston, the paths were chosen for their beauty, accessibility, and functionality.

July 24 - The Active Times

Ideally, the best way to encourage sales of non-polluting electric vehicles would be to price carbon emissions. But if that isn't possible, why not reward EV owners with perks such as free parking; or would that be a distortionary incentive?

July 24 - UC Berkeley: Energy Economics Exchange

Tired of the private shuttles ferrying tech workers to Silicon Valley campuses clogging city streets and illegally using 250 city bus stops, San Francisco's Municipal Transportation Agency has proposed a plan for regulating their operation.

July 24 - Next City

During the Great Recession, household formation in the U.S. was well below historic levels, dimming the demand for new homes. Although many sectors of the economy have experienced sustained recoveries, household growth still lags.

July 24 - Trulia

The latter half of the twentieth century saw the slow decline of train travel and the deterioration of America's grand railroad stations. Amid growing rail readership, the country is embarking on a new era of station construction.

July 24 - Urban Land

With thousands of abandoned homes located in neighborhoods of varying shape and character, Chicago has a massive challenge in returning its vacant properties to active use. Can algorithms help leaders decide on the right solutions?

July 23 - Next City

Rick Jacobus looks for a way out of gentrification paralysis, and suggests that incremental improvements to lower-income neighborhoods can be a bulwark against broad displacement.

July 23 - Rooflines