The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Reclaiming Our Space: The Battle for Open Streets
The growth of pedestrianized spaces and car-free streets depends on a transformational shift in thinking about what—and who—public spaces and streets are for.
Infamous 315-Unit Lafayette Housing Development Finally Approved
In a dramatic sign of how far zoning reform has come in the state of California, CEQA wasn’t enough to stop a 315-unit apartment development first proposed 12 years ago in the city of Lafayette.
The Deepening Transit Crisis: L.A. Times Reports Drug Use on Transit
An article by the L.A. Times earlier this week has raised the temperature of the debate about drug users and crime on rail transit. Concerns about public safety on transit are a common symptom of post-pandemic transit around the country.
FTA Waives Local Funding Match for Complete Streets Projects
Local and state agencies can apply for federal Complete Streets funding without matching funds until 2026.
Friday Eye Candy: 20 AI-Generated Cityscapes
AI-generated images are creating new landscapes and cityscapes, capable of inspiring awe or fear.
Los Angeles County Parks Department Releases Five-Year Strategic Plan
The L.A. County Department of Parks and Recreation recently completed a strategic plan which details goals, strategies, and actions that reflect the agency's commitment to advancing equity.
San Francisco Nonprofit Accused of Neglecting Tenants, Misusing Funds
A major housing organization with city contracts is neglecting poor housing conditions in its buildings while amassing lobbying power and political influence.
Rethinking the Role of Parking in the American City
In cities big and small, the tide is turning against sprawling parking lots, car-centric development, and minimum parking mandates.
Report: Pandemic Migration Accelerated Existing Trends
Despite some transformative changes and brief spikes in domestic migration, the Covid-19 pandemic seems to be exacerbating existing declines in internal mobility.
Interstate Expansion to Go Ahead in Houston
The North Houston Highway Improvement Project, stalled by a federal investigation, will now go ahead with only a few tweaks that opponents say don’t go far enough to mitigate the damage it will cause to Houston neighborhoods.
Federal Alternative Fuel Charging Grant Funding Announced
The grant program is part of the 2021 infrastructure act, which promised to invest in charging and fueling stations for electric cars and other vehicles powered by alternative energy.
Chicago Could Start Plowing Sidewalks Next Winter
Keeping sidewalks free of snow has historically been the task of adjacent property owners, forcing pedestrians and people with mobility challenges to navigate a patchwork of conditions. A new ordinance would place the responsibility on the city.
Panel Rejects LaGuardia AirTrain, Recommends Better Buses
The recommendations issued by a panel of experts concluded that bus improvements could serve travelers sooner and more cost-effectively than the proposed AirTrain rail line.
Backlash to San Francisco Development Spotlights City’s Conflicting Priorities
Residents of the Bayview neighborhood say they support new housing, but object to a proposed building that would replace one of the area’s only green spaces.
Proposed Bill Would Strengthen California’s Renter Protections
The bill would improve on the 2019 Tenant Protection Act by further limiting rent increases and adding more eviction protections for California renters.
Congestion Growing in Sunbelt Cities
Cities with rapidly growing populations and inadequate public transit systems are seeing more gridlock despite changes in commuting patterns and the rise of remote work.
Revisions Looming, Austin’s Project Connect Reveals the Obstacles of Transit Planning in 2023
A once sprawling and singularly ambitious capital investment plan for the Capital Metro system will soon be reduced in size and scope. The episode is more evidence of an emerging era of transit planning austerity.
Car-Oriented Cities See Rise in Car-Free Developments
No longer tied to minimum parking requirements, housing developers are starting to shift to more walkable, transit-oriented projects.
Tensions Rise Between Dallas and Rapid Transit Agency
The city is accusing DART of mismanagement of tax revenue that the agency had pledged to return to the city for infrastructure investments.
Fancy New Subway Cars Join the New York Subway System
New York has been planning on adding these new subway cars for years, finally achieving their goal in March 2023. More than a thousand of the new R211 trains will be running in New York within two years if all goes according to plan.
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.
