The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Hillsboro, Oregon

New Grant Program to Fund Off-Road Pedestrian and Bike Infrastructure in Oregon

A new grant program launched by the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) aims to fill a key gap in the funding available for bike and pedestrian paths.

August 16 - Bike Portland

Detroit Fairgrounds

Dormant Michigan State Fairground Site to Make Way for Amazon Distribution Center

Detroit officials have been trying to find a new life for the former site of the Michigan State Fair for a long time. Amazon will fill the void, according to a redevelopment proposal announced last week.

August 16 - Detroit Free Press

Flushing, Queens Historic Theater

A Development Proposal 34 Years in the Making

Or a historic preservation fight, 34 years in the making, depending on your perspective.

August 16 - Queens Daily Eagle

Public Service Announcement

Criticism of San Jose's Plan to Add New Billboards to the City

San Jose banned new billboards in 1985, but a proposal making its way through the planning department would allow for a wave of new billboards in the city. One local columnist isn't buying it.

August 14 - The Mercury News

Plano DART

The Day after Plano Tomorrow

Planners in Plano, Texas are ready to pick up the pieces and move on from the demise of the Plano Tomorrow comprehensive plan.

August 14 - The Dallas Morning News


Police Enfocement

Investment in Public Transit Could Reduce the Need for Police Traffic Enforcement

In Nick Demarsh and Rick Banks' opinion, defunding the police requires cities to reconsider car culture.

August 14 - NextCity

Manhattan, New York City, New York

Manhattan Residents Don't Want Empty Hotels to House the Vulnerable During the Pandemic

The Upper West Side of Manhattan is embroiled in controversy as local residents react badly to at-risk New Yorkers being housed in a local hotel for safety during the pandemic.

August 14 - West Side Rag


Mobility

Mobility-as-a-Service Still Searching for a Market Foothold

Policymakers and venture capital firms love the idea of Mobility-as-a-Service. The public hasn't proven as receptive, despite the willingness to download apps by the millions.

August 13 - Bloomberg CityLab

Bike Lanes

Bogotá Commits to the Bicycle

Colombia's capital city, the birthplace of the Ciclovía, is devoting public space to bikes during lockdown. To reduce traffic, the city plans to allocate even more public space to bike infrastructure and sustainable mobility moving forward.

August 13 - Bloomberg CityLab

Transitioning from Tourism to Tech: San Diego's Path to Recovery

TPR caught up with San Diego City Councilmember and candidate for mayor Barbara Bry to discuss her Roadmap to Recovery plan, as well as her priorities for housing, density, and economic development post-COVID.

August 13 - The Planning Report

San Francisco

After Decades of Failure, 1,000-Plus Homes Coming to the Balboa Reservoir in San Francisco

Four developers tried, and four developers failed, until the San Francisco Board of Supervisors changed the story in August 2020.

August 13 - San Francisco Chronicle

La City Hall Cycling

Los Angeles City Planning Hires First Chief Equity Officer

Faisal Roble, the newly appointed chief equity officer of the Los Angeles Department of City Planning, will be tasked with crafting a Racial Equity Action Plan for the department.

August 13 - MyNewsLA

Campaign Rally

The Two Conflicting Sides of the Federal Approach to the Pandemic

While President Trump is publicly stating the virus "will soon disappear," his task force is releasing detailed, county-level data on how all 50 states are dealing with the coronavirus and making recommendations – but the reports are not public.

August 13 - The New York Times

Cleveland, Ohio

Bus System Redesign Coming to the Cleveland Region

The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA) revealed a draft system redesign this week.

August 13 - Cleveland.com

Massachusetts State Capitol

'Housing Choice' Ready to Overcome the Planning Status Quo in Massachusetts

After several failed attempts, Massachusetts Legislature is close to a breakthrough on the Housing Choice initiative proposed by Governor Baker as a tool for generating a lot of new housing supply in the state.

August 13 - The Boston Globe

Donald Trump

Skepticism for Trump's Executive Orders

President Trump put on a show while signing a batch of executive orders late last week, but on further evaluation, the president's signatures on these orders aren't likely to save anyone from the economic devastation of the coronavirus.

August 12 - The Washington Post

Private Bus Operators

Private Bus Line Connecting New Jersey to New York City Shuts Down Due to COVID-19

A reminder of the consequences of the pandemic on transit operations, in this case with an example of a highly used private bus service in New Jersey.

August 12 - NorthJersey.com

Freeway Interchange

Metropolitan Planning Organizations, Explained and Evaluated

Knowing is half the battle, and most people have a lot to learn about metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) and how they maintain the status quo of transportation planning and spending in the United States.

August 12 - DOTs and State Level Steez

Brightline

Brightline and Virgin Trains Splitting After 17-Month Partnership

Among the collateral damage of a quick divorce between Brightline and Virgin Trains USA is the name for the planned high-speed connection from Las Vegas to Southern California.

August 12 - Las Vegas Review-Journal

Oregon

The 'Most Pro-Housing Reform in U.S. History' Expected for Approval Today in Portland

The Portland Residential Infill Project is expected for approval by the Portland City Council today, culminating a six year process that became more and more ambitious with every iteration.

August 12 - Sightline Institute

Post News
Senior Manager Operations, Urban Planning

New York City School Construction Authority

Building Inspector

Village of Glen Ellyn

Manager of Model Development

Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO

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.