The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Amtrak’s Mardi Gras train ‘blows away’ ridership expectations
The line brought back rail service between New Orleans and Mobile, Alabama for the first time since Hurricane Katrina.
How cars killed the dream of the moving sidewalk
At the turn of the 20th century, moving sidewalks promised efficient, comfortable movement of pedestrians. Then cars took over.
Helpline calls for housing assistance reached record high in 2025
The United Way's 211 helpline received 6 million calls for referrals for housing support, almost twice as many as calls for utility assistance.
Philadelphia sees 29% drop in gun violence near new green spaces
A city-backed program that cleans up blighted and vacant lots is creating new public spaces and reducing crime in surrounding communities.
This Seattle sidewalk art only appears when it rains
Prompted to find a silver lining to the gloom of rainy Pacific Northwest days, an artist hit upon a novel solution: water-activated sidewalk paint.
Study: Capping Vehicle Size Could Reduce Global Traffic Deaths by 40%
Limiting cars to 2020 sizes could save consumers up to 22% on gas, according to a new study.
Study: Alabama’s Neglected Rural Roads Make Commutes Longer
While the state plans to spend millions on urban highways, roads in rural areas remain poorly maintained.
Chattanooga Earns North America’s First ‘National Park City’ Designation
The award recognizes cities that prioritize biodiversity and resident access to parks and green spaces.
Over 500 NYC ‘Blue Zones’ at Risk of More Destructive Floods
High-risk flood zones cover roughly 20% of the city’s land.
Denver Considers Data Center Moratorium as it Aims to Reduce Water use by 20%
The city is requiring restaurants and other businesses to cut back their water use and could pause new data center development until it addresses them in its zoning code.
El Paso has Built 1,000 Miles of Bike Lanes in 10 Years
The city is now asking the public for input on updates to its bike plan.
School-to-housing Conversions are the Fastest-growing Sector of Adaptive Reuse
In 2024, former schools were redeveloped into almost 2,000 apartments.
Asheville Could Eliminate Parking Minimums
The city is working on a multiyear overhaul of its Unified Development Ordinance.
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March Must-Reads: Top 10 Articles From Last Month
Seattle may roll back a development fee as housing permits plummet, an ambitious Google-led project in the heart of San Jose goes sideways, and a list of sci-fi books to feed your futurist dreams.
NYC Congestion Pricing Revenue Will Fund up to 1,000 Hybrid Refrigerated Trucks
Traffic to the Hunts Point Produce Market causes increased rates of asthma in surrounding neighborhoods.
Santa Monica Modular Project Offers Hope for Affordable Housing in Pricy California Cities
The Berkeley Station development used modular construction to build the project on a nine-month timeline.
Tesla Reveals Remote Drivers Temporarily Control its Robotaxis
The company admitted human drivers sometimes remotely take over robotaxi operations “if necessary.”
Downtown Salt Lake City Skyscraper Cleans the air Around it
The newly built Astra Tower filters air for its own residents and for the city.
Atlanta Flood Prevention Efforts are Causing ‘Climate Gentrification’ in its Black Communities
New infrastructure in neighborhoods that have borne the brunt of seasonal floods is making them safer — and more expensive.
Rural Ohio is Reconsidering its Laissez-Faire Zoning Culture as Data Centers Threaten Local Resources
There are at least 10 data center proposals in the pipeline in southeast Ohio.
City of Thousand Oaks
City of Wisconsin Rapids
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
