The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

View from behind young girl student wearing headphones and raising her hand as she attends online class with dark-haired female teacher on laptop in front of her

BLOG POST

Learning Loss and Urban Schools

Did urban students lose ground academically because of COVID? Yes, but no more so than suburbanites.

February 1 - Michael Lewyn

Aerial view of MBTA commuter rail station in Concord, Massachusetts among green trees

Massachusetts Zoning Reform Law Reaches First Deadline

Cities and towns had until January 31 to submit their draft plans for rezoning areas near transit stations to comply with a new state law.

February 1 - Streetsblog Mass

Multicolored four-story brick New York City apartment buildings with fire escapes

Is an Algorithm Driving Up New York City Rents?

While landlords and boosters are touting a ‘flood’ of returning residents to the city as the reason behind rising housing costs, one New Yorker doesn’t buy it.

February 1 - Curbed

Google Street view of 250 Water Street parking lot with tall buildings in background

Manhattan Preservation Groups Block New Development—On a ‘Historic’ Parking Lot

A judge ruled against a decision by the Landmarks Preservation Commission to approve a 324-tower in the South Street Seaport Historic District, highlighting the tensions in a city facing a dearth of affordable housing.

February 1 - The New York Times

Rendering of red seven-story student housing building with students walking in open grassy plaza in front of building

L.A. Times Editorial Board Calls for CEQA Reform

The Board argues that the environmental law, while important, has too often been ‘weaponized’ by NIMBY groups to delay or halt housing development.

January 31 - Los Angeles Times


Seattle buses in line at a depot with Seattle skyline in background

Seattle Brings Free Transit to Public Housing

Linking transit programs to housing can lower administrative costs and streamline the process for riders.

January 31 - Route Fifty

Broad street in downtown Columbus, Ohio with two pedestrians in crosswalk

Columbus Could Lower Downtown Speed Limits

The city council will vote on a proposal to lower speed limits to 25 miles per hour to improve safety and make downtown more walkable and welcoming to pedestrians.

January 31 - The Columbus Dispatch


Stoplight with green light and "no right turn on red" pictograph on overhead signal

Traffic Safety Bills Proposed in Washington’s State Legislature

As traffic fatalities continue to climb in Washington and around the country, three proposed state bills would prohibit some right turns on red, reduce the BAC limit for DUI arrests, and require more young drivers to take driver’s education courses.

January 31 - KATU.com

Green bike lane with flexible delineators and textures paint in Hoboken, New Jersey

America’s Best New Bike Lanes

PeopleForBikes highlights some of the most exciting new bike infrastructure projects completed in 2022.

January 31 - PeopleforBikes

A map of the planned route of the Omaha Streetcar, as of January 2023.

BLOG POST

Warren Buffett, Streetcar Skeptic

Warren Buffett, bus service supporter?

January 31 - James Brasuell

Young bearded man with helmet setting up battery on back of electric bike

Proposed D.C. E-Bike Subsidy Packs an Economic Punch, Analysis Finds

A proposed rebate on electric bikes in the District would be more cost-effective in reducing gasoline miles driven than electric car subsidies thanks to the higher elasticity of e-bike demand.

January 31 - Greater Greater Washington

Construction site with 4-story apartment buildings in progress

Survey: Most Mayors Fail to Link Zoning and Homelessness

Despite the powerful impact of local land use and zoning policies on housing costs and supply, many U.S. mayors believe they have little control over homelessness in their cities.

January 31 - Governing

Golf course with palm trees and mountains in background in Palm Springs, California

Despite Water Crisis, Desert Golf Courses Thrive

Officials in the Coachella Valley seem reluctant to restrict water supplies to the many golf courses and ornamental lakes that dot the region, opting instead to cut water deliveries to a groundwater recharge facility.

January 30 - Los Angeles Times

Freeway traffic at dusk in downtown Los Angeles, California

Lonely by Design: How Urban Planning Can Intensify Social Isolation

Walkable neighborhoods, access to parks, and opportunities for social interaction can help reduce the burden of loneliness and promote community. But many of our cities aren’t built this way.

January 30 - Streetsblog USA

Blue electric transit buses at a charging bay in Gothenburg, Sweden with two-story red brick building in background

New Round of Federal Clean Transit Funding Announced

Two federal grants will award close to $1.7 billion to state and local agencies to replace aging transit fleets and boost workforce development initiatives.

January 30 - U.S. Department Of Transportation

View of concrete schoolyard in New York City through fence

How Green Schoolyards Benefit Kids, Cities, and the Climate

Transforming asphalt schoolyards into green spaces with porous surfaces can improve the well-being of students and neighbors and contribute to more effective stormwater management in urban areas.

January 30 - Next City

Pedestrians crossing a busy crosswalk on New York City street with tall buildings in background

Foot Traffic Ahead: Report Reveals the Resilience of Walkable Places

Reports of the city’s death have been greatly exaggerated, according to new research from Smart Growth America.

January 30 - Smart Growth America

Concrete building wth Department of Housing and Urban Development sign

How Federal Policy Can Support More Affordable Housing in Exclusionary Communities

The recently funded “Yes In My Back Yard” federal grant program provides support for local and state governments to implement housing policy reforms, but it doesn’t go far enough to undo the exclusionary practices of wealthy communities.

January 30 - Urban Institute

Two buses pull up to a station on a snowy day.

Increased Service, Employer Tax Breaks Entice Transit Ridership in Montgomery County

Montgomery County, Maryland transit planners are hoping workers returning to the office in 2023 will rediscover the benefits of a public transit commute.

January 30 - Bethesda Magazine

New York City skyline with construction cranes in foreground

NYC Mayor Adams Proposes Ambitious Housing Agenda in State of the City Address

Housing is one of four “pillars” proposed by Mayor Eric Adams in his “Working People’s Agenda.”

January 30 - NYC Office of the Mayor

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Senior Manager Operations, Urban Planning

New York City School Construction Authority

Building Inspector

Village of Glen Ellyn

Manager of Model Development

Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO

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The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

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A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.

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.