The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Austin Pedestrians

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.

April 13 - Bloomberg CityLab

Toddler walking on street

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.

April 13 - Slate

A large crowd gathers on the banks of the River Seine on a sunny day in Paris.

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.

April 13 - Martha Frish

FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland

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.

April 13 - The Washington Post

Protected Bike Lane

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.

April 13 - PlanPhilly


MARC train going through the Gaithersburg, Maryland train station

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.

April 13 - The Washington Post

Suburban Neighborhood

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.

April 12 - Brookings


Floating offshore wind turbines

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.

April 12 - Energy Wire

Coronavirus

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.

April 12 - NBC 12

The exterior and main entrance of the United States of America Embassy in London. The building is modern and sleek.

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.”

April 12 - Bloomberg

Intercity Buses

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.

April 12 - Streetsblog USA

House key with house-shaped keychain on table

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.

April 12 - Shelterforce Magazine

Text and Drive

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.

April 12 - Fleet Owner

Miami

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.

April 12 - Fox 13

"Please Be Quiet" sign

New Hampshire Could Permit Short-Term Rentals Statewide

A proposed bill would prohibit towns and cities from enforcing bans against short-term rental properties.

April 11 - The Keene Sentinel

A view of the Oakland, California skyline in Downtown.

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.

April 11 - Smart Cities Dive

Apartment complex in Maryland

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.

April 11 - Greater Greater Washington

Oil extraction pumps in winter landscape in Russia

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.

April 11 - The New York Times

nyc. subway.

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.

April 11 - StreetsBlog NYC

Rendering of slip lane with corner island

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.

April 11 - Next STL

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Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

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

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

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.