The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Boise Idaho

Popularity of Opportunity Zone Program Grows During the Pandemic

Investors are looking for safe places to park capital gains as volatility roils the stock market. Opportunity zone programs fit the bill.

May 22 - Bisnow

U.S. Census

New Weekly Survey from U.S. Census Bureau Provides Crucial Insight for Recovery Efforts

Weekly releases of key data sets illustrate the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on U.S. citizens as a U.S. Census Bureau effort to enable data-driven decision-making in recovery planning.

May 22 - U.S. Census Bureau

Alternative Transportation

Electric Bike Sales Explode as Cities Rethink Streetscapes

North America has experienced a 5% jump in rates of cycling since the U.S. started staying home. As electric bikes enjoy impressive sales increases, cities around the world consider making the shift permanent by planning bike-friendly infrastructure.

May 22 - The Verge

New York Public Transit

Miss the Subway? There's an App for That

The NYC Subway Sounds app is a great tool for dealing with nostalgia for the old ways of life.

May 22 - The Verge

New York City Restaurant

FEATURE

Cities Are Suddenly a Little Less Car-Centric

(Opinion) After devoting more than a century of planning and engineering effort to the movement and storage of cars above all other considerations, U.S. cities have suddenly, temporarily shifted priorities.

May 21 - James Brasuell


Women Public Space

Adapting Public Engagement to Social Distancing

TransitCenter published a new report on the emerging practices of public engagement at a time when large gatherings have been prohibited.

May 21 - TransitCenter

Wood Construction

Proposed Mass Timber High-Rise In Seattle Adds Six Stories

A proposal for the development of a mass timber high-rise in First Hill is under community review in Seattle. The project, which adjusted plans to add an additional 6 floors, proposes the tallest mass timber building in Seattle.

May 21 - Capitol Hill Seattle Blog


Renter Coalition Takes Ownership From Landlord, With City Help

A few months ago, it seemed that a large group of renters in Minneapolis would be forced from their homes as the economic effects of the pandemic hit. Now these residents will own their forms in a city-supported cooperative.

May 21 - Minnesota Reformer

New York City Traffic Cop

Fatal Collisions Increase Per Vehicle Miles Traveled During Pandemic

Data from the National Safety Council show the first evidence that with fewer cars on the road during the pandemic, fatal collisions have actually been more common for every mile driven.

May 21 - The Washington Post

child playing in Peavey Plaza fountain in Minneapolis

2020 ParkScore Ranks Minneapolis at the Top

The need for access to parks and open space has never been as obvious, or as pressing.

May 21 - The Trust for Public Land

Accessory Dwelling Unit

ADU Ordinance Ready for City Council Scrutiny in Chicago

Chicago residents will have the option of building coach houses or convection units if a new law passes as written through the Chicago City Council.

May 21 - Chicago Cityscape

Coronavirus Ridership

Subway Ridership Starting to Rise in New York City, but not as Quickly as Car Trips

A noticeable increase in subway ridership has been taking place on subway trains in New York City, but not enough to call it a comeback, yet.

May 21 - StreetsBlog NYC

R.H. Thomson Expressway

'Ramps to Nowhere' Will Come Down in Seattle as New Debates Heat Up

The history of Seattle's opposition to car infrastructure is being commemorated while it's being made.

May 20 - Crosscut

Midland, Michigan,

Dams Break in Michigan: Nation's Crumbling Infrastructure Takes Center Stage Again

Reports of catastrophic infrastructure failure today in Michigan, a state already facing some of the worst consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic.

May 20 - CNN

BART Station construction

History in the Making: BART Extension into San Jose Ready for June Opening

Twenty years after voters first approved funding to build a BART extension into the heart of the South Bay Area, the project is finally ready to offer rides to the public.

May 20 - The Mercury News

Active Transportation

2020's Hot Transportation Trend: The Bike

A prominent consequence of the stay-at-home orders and social distancing of the Covid-19 pandemic in the United States has been a dramatic surge in the popularity of bike transportation.

May 20 - The Guardian

Social Distancing

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduced 17% Worldwide in April, Study Says

A recently published study predicts a 4 to 7 percent decline in greenhouse gas emissions for 2020 compared to 2019.

May 20 - The Washington Post

Urban Planning Model

New Ideas in Urban Research

Findings from graduating doctoral students undertaking urban-related research.

May 20 - Penn IUR Urban Link

Diner

Uncertain Futures for U.S. Restaurants Raise Larger Concerns About City Vitality

In many American cities, restaurants are beacons of economic revitalization and social vibrancy. Calculations are still being made to determine the toll taken on the nation's eateries, and in turn, the urban economies they serve.

May 20 - The New York Times

Public Housing

1,000-Plus Mixed-Income Units Planned in Miami

A planned development made possible by a ground lease with the county could add over a thousands mixed income units to the housing market in Miami.

May 20 - Miami Herald

Post News
Comprehensive Bikeway Design Workshop

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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.

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