The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Peachtree Street Atlanta

Atlanta To Nix Peachtree Pedestrian Project

Rather than committing to a new direction for urban design, Atlanta is backpedaling on a 'people-friendly' makeover on three blocks of Peachtree Street.

March 14 - Urbanize Atlanta

Fracking

Pumping More Oil to Lower Gas Prices

Proponents of increased oil drilling in the U.S. to replace banned Russian oil argue that it will decrease prices at the pump. A Texas reporter examined the claim with a University of Texas energy analyst. If only it was that simple.

March 14 - KXAN

NIMBY Sign

PLANOPEDIA

What Is a NIMBY?

One of the most politically charged and controversial terms in planning, the acronym NIMBY stands for Not In My Back Yard.

March 14 - James Brasuell

Three people gather around a table to discuss maps made of toys and found objects.

FEATURE

Want Less Polarization? Stop Talking and Start Building

The simple acts of building and playing offer an antidote for today's polarized debates.

March 13 - John Kamp

A view up Santa Fe Drive in Denver. Stores and construction are visible along the street, and Downtown Denver looms in the background.

Denver Wants Ground Floor Retail, Sidewalk Extensions to Achieve Main Street 'Vibe'

The Arts District on Santa Fe Drive is considered one of Denver's final frontiers for revitalization. Local stakeholders are targeting zoning changes as a potential solution.

March 13 - The Denver Post


Tilikum Crossing

Opinion: How Micromobility Operators Can Stay Relevant

One micromobility CEO says operators should align themselves with cities' mobility, climate, and equity goals to maintain their relevance in the urban spaces of the future.

March 13 - Smart Cities Dive

A sign showing gas prices, all at more than $5 a gallon.

BLOG POST

Could High Gas Prices Push Riders Back to Public Transit?

The quick ascent of gas prices, at a time of economic uncertainty for many, could be just the boost public transit needs to get back to pre-pandemic levels of ridership. Or not.

March 13 - James Brasuell


Single-Family Neighborhood

Ultra-Competitive Housing Market Shows No Signs of Slowing

Home prices in the Puget Sound region continue to skyrocket as buyers engage in intense bidding wars and demand continues to outpace supply.

March 11 - MyNorthwest

This is a panoramic photograph taken on April 1st, 2021, of People's Park in Berkeley, California. During the COVID-19 pandemic the authorities eased restrictions on overnight camping by homeless persons on the grounds of People's Park. The photograph shows the presence of some of the tents set up during this period.

UC Berkeley Commits to Supportive Housing Project in People's Park

The university will work with the city and local nonprofits to provide 42 units of housing and supportive services to unhoused people living in Berkeley's iconic People's Park.

March 11 - Los Angeles Times

Atlanta Scooter

Atlanta Urges Tactical Urbanism To Speed Up Vision Zero Goals

The city's department of transportation has released a guide to help community groups implement low-cost 'tactical urbanism' projects.

March 11 - Smart Cities Dive

Rendering of Arverne East development

Net Zero Development Coming to New York City

The project, which relies largely on geothermal energy to minimize its carbon footprint, will bring affordable housing and boost storm resilience to an area devastated by Hurricane Sandy.

March 11 - Bloomberg CityLab

Wastewater California

Wastewater System Upgrade Plans Already Out of Date

Some Midwest cities' plans to upgrade decades-old sewer systems rely on outdated rainfall predictions as flood risks grow due to climate change and shifting weather patterns.

March 10 - Grist

Market Street

Zoomers Breathing New Life Into Cities

Young renters are flocking to big cities with lucrative job markets and ample social amenities, belying the 'urban exodus' myth.

March 10 - RentCafé

Interstate 635

Dallas Neighborhoods Fight Toxic Zoning

Communities in south and west Dallas are working to introduce zoning reform that would reduce industrial pollution and hold companies accountable for their impacts on surrounding neighborhoods.

March 10 - Bloomberg CityLab

 The remains of a mobile home park in Sylmar, California. 480 of the park's 600 mobile homes were burned in the Sayre Fire in November 2008.

Rental Housing at Risk From Environmental Hazards

From wildfires to hurricanes, environmental risks pose a threat to around 40 percent of U.S. rental units.

March 10 - Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University

A group of police officers wearing masks during the Covid-19 pandemic gather on a subway platform in New York City.

More Unhoused New Yorkers Died in 2021 Than in any Prior Year

New York City saw its deadliest year for people living in shelters or public spaces, with the pandemic and a rise in deadly overdoses fueling a fatal epidemic.

March 10 - City Limits

Vancouver Al Fresco

Where Urban Design And Public Health Intersect

As the pandemic emphasized, the way we design our cities can have lasting impacts on residents' health and wellness.

March 10 - Governing

pallets of green oil barrels stacked

Banning Russian Oil

President Biden announced a ban on the importation of Russian energy on Tuesday in response to Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine. He warned that gasoline prices will go even higher as a result. Europe will not be joining the ban.

March 10 - The New York Times

Houston Metro Bus

Houston's First Bus Rapid Transit Line Sees Low Ridership

Hindered by the pandemic and other factors, ridership numbers have been disappointingly low on the city's first BRT, but Metro officials are undeterred in their plans for future BRT lines.

March 10 - Houston Chronicle

The San Francisco Bay Area is visible from San Carlos, across the bay to the East Bay. Mount Diablo looms in the background.

Formerly Redlined Neighborhoods Continue to Suffer Disparate Air Pollution

How did ZIP codes become such powerful determinants of public health? New new evidence of the disparate air pollution of redlined neighborhoods partly answers that question.

March 9 - Environmental Science and Technology Letters

Post News
Senior Planner

City of Thousand Oaks

Community Development Director

City of Wisconsin Rapids

Professor of Urban Planning

Harvard University Graduate School of Design

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.

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.