The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

An aerial view of downtown Knoxville, Tennessee, with rolling hills and autumn foliage in the background.

Missing Middle Housing Reforms Coming to East Tennessee

With the cost of housing around Knoxville, Tennessee rising, elected officials and political candidates are looking for new ways to allow residential density.

August 13 - Knox News

Close-up of 'bike lane' road sign with bike logo

Feared Traffic Increase From New Bike Lanes Failed to Materialize

Data from a much-criticized bike lane project in Montgomery County shows no noticeable decrease in vehicle capacity and a sharp decrease in bike fatalities.

August 13 - Greater Greater Washington

Amtrak train coming out of stone tunnel

New York-to-New Jersey Tunnel to Break Ground

The long-delayed new tunnel linking New York and New Jersey will begin construction in the next month.

August 13 - Bloomberg CityLab

Google street view of late Victorian home in Harvard Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles, with one-story commercial building next door.

How One L.A. Developer Uses the Law to Build Apartments

California’s density bonus law lets developers skirt some zoning regulations to build multifamily housing.

August 11 - Los Angeles Times

The Animas River winds through the town of Durango in southwestern Colorado

Durango Mobile Home Park Residents Form Community Land Trust

The model of combining housing co-ops with community land trusts could show a new path forward for increasing housing stability.

August 11 - High Country News


Diagram of proposed at-grade alternartive B for Interstate 94 project

More Options Presented for Minneapolis I-94 Project

Two new proposals for replacing the freeway with at-grade segments offer new visions for the future of downtown Minneapolis.

August 11 - Streetsblog USA

Glass office building with multicolored Google logo on Google headquarters campus in Mountain View, California

Google Shifts Real Estate Strategy to Adaptive Reuse

The company is moving away from flashy new campuses in favor of converting existing buildings with interesting histories.

August 11 - Fast Company


Nighttime view of fire truck and police cars with flashing lights on parked in a wet street

Dashcam Footage Shows Tesla Colliding With First Responder

The car failed to recognize the stopped emergency vehicle until just two seconds before the crash.

August 10 - The Wall Street Journal

Apartment buildings in San Diego, California

San Diego Planning Commission Rejects Voluntary State Density Law

The density-enabling mechanisms of the California law Senate Bill 10 are too much for San Diego’s citizen planners.

August 10 - The San Diego Union-Tribune

View of Havasu Falls with bright turquoise water and a canyon winding through red vertical cliffs in the Grand Canyon

Biden Announces New National Monument on Havasu 'Baaja Land

Almost 1 million acres of land near the Grand Canyon will now be protected from mining and extraction as part of the country’s newest national monument.

August 10 - Arizona Republic

Men and women having a business meeting around a conference table in a glass-walled office building

Note to Companies: Hire Urban Planners

An argument for the value of including planners in industries far beyond city planning.

August 10 - The Handbuilt City

Map of Panther Island flood control project

Report: Fort Worth’s Panther Island Should Emphasize Mixed Use, Walkability

Originally planned as a primarily residential development, the riverfront development could shift to a focus on entertainment, commerce, and outdoor recreation.

August 10 - Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Photo of Bruce Stiftel as a young man standing in front of a green chalkboard

BLOG POST

Youth, Inexperience, and a Sense of Mission

Forty years ago this week, I arrived in Tallahassee to take my first full-time university job. It was a nervous moment. After nearly eight years of graduate school, I was about to learn if I was any good at the career I'd prepared so long to begin.

August 10 - Bruce Stiftel

Cincinnati and Covington

A Roundtable Discussion on the Future of Cities

Since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been shortage of opinions on the coming evolution of cities. It’s time to check in with the debate.

August 10 - Vox

Rear view of man riding electric bike wearing business suit with large leather messenger bag slung across his back

Taking on the Bad E-Bike Takes

How to spot a bad-faith e-bike story.

August 10 - Streetsblog USA

An aerial view of the Anchorage metropolitan area shows sprawling development surrounded by tall mountains.

Anchorage Considering Consolidation of Residential Districts

If changes to Title 21 of the city’s municipal code are approved, Anchorage could go from having 15 types of residential zoning to one.

August 9 - Alaska Journal of Commerce

White Seattle streetcar at mid-street stop with four-story brick building in background

Feasibility Study for Proposed Seattle Streetcar Loses Funding

The $1 million cut doesn’t bode well for the beleaguered project, which some city councilmembers see as redundant and overpriced.

August 9 - The Seattle Times

Close-up of Caltrans logo on white passenger train

The ‘Three Pillars’ of Carbon Reduction, According to Caltrans

The California Department of Transportation released its draft carbon reduction strategy last month to apply for Carbon Reduction Program funds included in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Road pricing plays a prominent role.

August 9 - CalTrans

Installation of external wall thermal insulation with rock wool on Passive House residential building.

‘Passive House’ Standard Gaining Ground in Multifamily Housing

Developers in Chicago and around the country are taking notice of a design standard that encourages energy efficiency and sustainable materials.

August 9 - Chicago Tribune

Row of new contemporary rowhouses in Austin, Texas

Report: Why It Costs so Much to Build Housing in Austin

The study highlights high real estate costs as well as restrictive zoning regulations and building requirements that delay multi-family construction.

August 9 - Community Impact Newspaper

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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.