The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Is it a COVID Car or Mask-Optional Car? Rail Commuters Decide
A midwestern commuter rail line found a unique, if controversial way to achieve 100 percent mask compliance on its trains: Set aside one car, though preferably not the bike car, for riders who opt to travel maskless.
Study: Oahu Could Lose 40 Percent of its Beaches by 2050
A new study calls for changes to coastal management policies to better protect sandy shorelines retreating under the pressure of rising sea levels.
Amy Coney Barrett's Only Property Rights Ruling, Careful, Narrow, Deferential
A month ago, Barrett dismissed a challenge to Chicago's deal with the Obama Center by rejecting a very expansive claim of a "taking" under the 5th Amendment and by showing great deference to the city.
Looking Ahead and Way Back as the U.S. Passes 200,000 Coronavirus Deaths
It's been eight months since the first confirmed infection from the novel coronavirus in Washington state. As deadly as COVID-19 is, Americans should reflect when 200,000 died in a single month from a far deadlier virus 102 years ago.
Big Business in Portland Doesn't Want to Pay for Metro Transportation Funding Measure
A heated dispute over a $5 billion Metro transportation funding ballot measure has erupted between climate activists and a group representing Portland's big business interests.
Americans Aren't Likely to Start Driving at Pre-Pandemic Levels Soon
Vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and gasoline production trends point to VMT in the United States staying ten to 12 percent lower than in 2019 for the next few months, at least.
Covid-19 Outdoor Dining Rules Could Last Through 2021 in Philadelphia
Emergency outdoor dining regulations approved in June and set to expired in December could now be extended through the coming year.
Wall Street Wagering on a Permanent Suburban Renter Class
Expectations that the economic downturn of the COVID-19 pandemic will create a wave of homeowners leaving the market, whether by choice or necessity, are driving big acquisitions by private equity firms and Wall Street investors.
Richmond-to-Raleigh High-Speed Rail Gets Big Funding Win
Federal grant funding awarded recently takes a critical step toward making high-speed intercity rail service a reality between North Carolina and Virginia.
New Google Map Layer Shows COVID-19 Infection Rates
A new layer showing the seven-day average of confirmed COVID-19 cases started rolling out to Android and iPhones last week.
Union Station Redesign Gets a Placemaking Do Over
Criticisms of a draft plan to revamp D.C.'s Union Station have described the proposal as far too concerned with car storage.
New York Outdoor Dining, Open Streets Programs Now Permanent
New York City will now be measurably less car-centric for the indefinite future.
Affordable Housing Project Fails From Community Opposition in Honolulu
The final demise of a closely watched, controversial affordable housing project was reported this week in Honolulu.
BLOG POST
4 Urban Planning Fails We Need to Correct in 2020
Here are four urban planning fails that should be near the top of the list as professionals assess what to address in 2020 and 2021.
Mega-Project Aims to Transform South Boston
Developers with a ground lease for land owned by the University of Massachusetts Boston want to build a new mixed-use development to rival Kendall Square in nearby Cambridge.
Vision Zero on the Streets of D.C.
Bike and pedestrian deaths have been on the rise in D.C. despite a Vision Zero commitment. New legislation will pave the way for new infrastructure and safety improvements.
A New Guide to Black Voices on the City
Introducing a new interactive resource that presents the contributions of the Black community to a growing understanding of cities and the built environment.
Legacy Cities, Post-Pandemic
The question of how the pandemic and all of its corresponding crises will alter the future of cities and planning has persisted since March. This article rightfully focuses those large, challenging questions of the Legacy Cities of the United States.
Bike Ridership Booms in Some Unlikely Cities
A fitness tracking app reports dramatic increases in bike ridership since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.
Gone by 2035: Gas-Powered Car Sales Have an Expiration Date in California
California Governor Gavin Newsom announced yesterday an executive order that would ban the sale of cars powered by internal combustion engines by 2035. California is the first state in the country to take such action.
City of Thousand Oaks
City of Wisconsin Rapids
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA)
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.
