The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Vision Zero Is Largely a Failure in the United States. Why?
From NIMBYism to entrenched traffic engineering culture, a variety of complex obstacles have prevented Vision Zero advocates from achieving the movement’s goals in the U.S.

How Japanese Cities Enable Toddlers To Roam Independently
A TV show featuring young Japanese children going on errands on their own highlights the differences between Japanese and American urban design that enable even toddlers to safely navigate big cities.

FEATURE
River Scenes: How Rivers Contribute to More Vibrant Urban Communities
The role of rivers in urban areas shifted in recent years from production to consumption. Now, access to a river's waterfront has become a highly valued amenity within cities.

Maryland Proposes $400 Million Redevelopment Around Commanders Stadium
The state is offering to make a massive investment in revitalizing the neighborhood surrounding FedEx Field, but offering no direct incentives to the NFL team.

Protected Bike Lanes Deliver Numerous Benefits, Study Says. But Is it Enough to Change State Law?
Advocates in Philadelphia are pushing state lawmakers to finally pass a law to make it easier to install protected bike lanes on state routes.

Maryland Legislators Override Governor’s Veto to Support Regional Rail Investments
The latest round of Gov. Larry Hogan v. public transit goes to the latter.

Resilience Planning for Suburban Growth
Whether or not the suburban shift accelerated by the pandemic continues, policymakers can implement climate resilience strategies and guide sustainable growth in both cities and exurbs.

Proposed Offshore Wind Project Could Be the West Coast’s Largest
If approved, the plan to build a 2,000-megawatt facility off the coast of Washington State would be a milestone for floating offshore wind production in the United States.

Concerns Mount as Pandemic Eviction Protections Expire
With eviction protections in Virginia set to expire at the end of June, advocates warn that an “eviction tsunami” could still sweep up the state’s renters.

The Net Zero Building Boom Is Ready to Scale
While the cultural and infrastructural changes necessary to eliminate carbon emissions from the transportation sector still seem far-fetched, scaling up a net zero building boom is “eminently possible.”

American Airlines Latest to Replace Flights With Bus Service
A trend is emerging in intercity travel in an era of pilot shortages and high fuel prices: intercity buses are replacing flights for shorter regional trips.

Thousands of Affordable Homes Threatened as 30-Year LIHTC Restrictions Expire
The Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program has helped create more than 3 million affordable housing units across the country. But if something isn’t done soon, thousands of those homes could be lost forever as affordability periods expire.

Study: Distracted Driving Contributing to Dangerous Roads
Many drivers report feeling pressured to respond to work-related calls or texts while driving, leading to more distracted driving and riskier road conditions.

Miami-Dade County Housing Market in ‘Crisis’ as Rents Soar
The county’s mayor has declared housing affordability a crisis as costs in South Florida cities rise by as much as 30 percent.

New Hampshire Could Permit Short-Term Rentals Statewide
A proposed bill would prohibit towns and cities from enforcing bans against short-term rental properties.

Lessons From Oakland's Universal Basic Mobility Pilot
A program that distributed prepaid, transit-only debit cards to 500 Oakland residents has been successful in shifting transportation patterns for many of its participants.

Why Inclusionary Zoning Alone Won't Solve the Housing Crisis
Building enough affordable housing to meet current shortages will take more concerted effort from policymakers.

European Union Takes Initial Step to Ban Russian Energy Imports
After a second day of talks in Brussels, ambassadors to the European Union agreed to ban coal imports from Russia as evidence of widescale atrocities committed by Russian troops in Ukraine surfaced after their withdrawal from the outskirts of Kyiv.

Transit Riders Skipping Mondays
The new commute normal includes far fewer transit rides on Mondays, reflecting new hybrid work schedules that gives workers the options of choosing days to come into the office.

The Trouble With Slip Lanes
Right-turn lanes can make traffic flow more smoothly, but make roadway conditions more dangerous for pedestrians and other road users on non-motorized vehicles.
Pagination
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Ada County Highway District
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
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.