The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Why You Might Miss Your Commute–and How to Replicate its Benefits at Home
According to "boundary theory," a daily commute gives us time to do the emotional work of switching roles and establishing a separation between work and home life.

Opinion: Only Slower Traffic Reduces Traffic Deaths
A package of bills in the New York legislature seeks to increase licensing and safety requirements for bikes, e-bikes, and scooters. But research shows speeding and impaired driving are still the top killers of pedestrians and cyclists.

It's Time for National Cool Communities Standards
Cities are hotter because of the way we build them, and they could be cooler if we built them differently.

How Virginia Became a Leader in Passenger Rail
The state's consistent investment in passenger rail has resulted in one of the nation's most effective regional rail networks.

Wales to Cease Road Construction Projects in Bid to Achieve Net Zero Emissions
The Welsh government is taking a bold stand for climate action.

PLANOPEDIA
What Are Exurbs?
Farther out than suburbs but still connected to a major urban center, exurbs lie at the ever-shifting border between urban and rural spaces and are defined by economic ties to a city, low density housing, and high population growth.

PLANOPEDIA
What Are Comprehensive Plans?
The comprehensive plan, sometimes also referred to as a master plan or a general plan, is the foundational document of long-term planning and zoning in the United States.

Visualizing the Western Drought
Lower-than-average rainfall and reduced snowpacks have led to one of the driest and most dangerous fire seasons in history.

Los Angeles Ordinance Will Ban Tenant Harassment
The law targets "knowing and willful" actions on the part of landlords meant to drive tenants out of rent-controlled apartments.

Minnesota Transit Buses Deliver COVID-19 Vaccines
The state's department of health is deploying the retrofitted buses to administer vaccines in hard-to-reach communities.

The Biden Administration's Ambiguous Position on Drilling in Alaska
The administration's support of a Conoco-Phillips project is at odds with its suspension of Trump-era oil leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

Report: Collapsed Mexico City Train Line Had Major Structural Flaws
A New York Times investigation uncovered years of government documents showing that officials ignored warnings about major structural flaws and poorly performed work on the train line before its fatal collapse in May.

Contracts Signed, Funding Still TBD: Texas Central High-Speed Rail Moves Forward
Texas Central has its construction contracts and a court decision in its favor, but significant obstacles remain for the high-speed rail project connecting Houston and Dallas to get underway.

Amazon Financing Affordable Transit-Oriented Housing Near its New Headquarters
The company announced a $125 million investment in housing near Metro stations in northern Virginia, where the promise of jobs at its new Arlington headquarters sparked rising demand for housing.

How to Improve Bus Service and Performance on Busy Corridors
A new report collects the lessons and best practices of several years of bus priority projects in the Boston region.

Wildfire Recovery for the Nation's Largest Urban Park
The National Park Service is seeking public comments on the redevelopment of sites within the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area that were burned in the 2018 Woolsey Fire.

U.S. Traffic Fatalities Increased Most for Black Americans During the Pandemic
Two new reports confirm the racial disparities of traffic violence in the United States, revealing more proof about who stayed home during the pandemic, and who was forced to navigate the risks of the pandemic in public.

BLOG POST
8 Cities Taking Steps Toward Waste Reduction and Sustainability
These eight cities are taking steps to reduce waste and achieve sustainability of their metropolitan areas. Keep reading to learn more.

Bikelash Wins in Phoenix
Neighborhood opposition overwhelmed a plan to reduce the number of vehicles lanes on North Central Avenue to make space for a new bike lane, despite evidence of the benefits of the proposed street reconfiguration.

Inland Empire City Pauses New Gas Station Development
The reasons for a ten-month moratorium on gas station development in the city of Rancho Cucamonga portend a major shift in transportation and land use priorities in the near future.
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