The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

New Zoning Code Evolves as Affordability Concerns Linger
The city of Des Moines is working on a new zoning code intended to ease the process of developing homes. The proposed regulations have triggered warnings from affordable housing advocates as well as local and nation home builders.

Hepatitis A Outbreak in Philadelphia Leaves City Scrambling
Philadelphia isn't the first city to deal with a Hepatitis A outbreak after wavering on the question of whether to deploy public bathrooms and hygiene stations

Friday Funny: Who's Neglecting Transit Payments Now?
Satirical news website The Onion turns up the heat on New York politicians, this time flipping the tables of the fare evasion debate.

2.5 New Jobs for Every New Home in Boston
The Boston region has achieved a jobs-housing imbalance only bested by the San Francisco Bay Area since the Great Recession.

New Jersey Power Company Goes Carbon-Free
PSEG, the largest and oldest power company in New Jersey, pledges to completely eliminate its carbon emissions by 2050.

$1 Billion Project Would Add Six High-Rise Building to the Phoenix Skyline
Zoning changes for a potentially transformative, transit-oriented, mixed-use project called "The Central Park" were approved by the Phoenix City Council in July.

What it Means to Design With Nature in 2019
It's been 50 years since Ian McHarg released Design With Nature, and projects all over the world are continuing to employ and improve the design ethos described in that groundbreaking book.

Climate Gets a Mention in First Committee's Approval of Federal Transportation Bill
A $287 billion, five-year transportation reauthorization made its way out of its first Senate committee this week.

The High, Regressive Costs Imposed by Electric Vehicles
Two UC Berkeley economists evaluated whether to charge electric vehicles a mileage fee since they pay no fuel taxes. A study from the Mineta Institute evaluated the impact of new EV registration fees and increased fuel taxes in California.

Ban on Sleeping in Cars Extended in Los Angeles
Three years ago, Los Angeles passed temporary regulations to limit where people living out of cars could park their cars to sleep. The City Council extended those restrictions in a heated hearing this week.
Effort to Rid Apartments of Lead Poisoning Risk Pushes Forward in Philadelphia
It’s been a tough slog for a bill designed to force landlords to remove lead from all buildings before they can charge tenants for rent.

A Giant in an Era of Mega-Developments
In-depth reporting on the history and present of Related Cos., the developer of several of the largest mega-developments in the United States.

Study: Not All Green Spaces Are Created Equal
Tree canopies deliver the most benefits to health and social outcomes to neighborhoods.

Feds Spend $85 Million on Next Gen Bus Technology
The awardees of the Low-No grant program were announced recently. Only transit systems looking to add hydrogen fuel cells, battery electric engines, and related infrastructure improvement need apply.

Electric Bus Rapid Transit Between Pittsburgh and Oakland Takes Crucial Steps Forward
The Port Authority of Allegheny County will lead the remainder of a project to deliver major transportation improvements between Downtown Pittsburgh and Oakland.

No 3D Crosswalks in Cincinnati After Federal Guidance Finds Risk
A proposal to paint three-dimensional crosswalks near schools, approved by the Cincinnati City Council, has been rejected by the Cincinnati Department of Transportation and Engineering.

AI and the Digital City
Adie Tomer, of the Brookings Institution, writes about the role of artificial intelligence in the new digital age transforming cities.

Local Internet Is Faster
More than 300,000 speed tests showed that six of the ten fastest internet service providers were locally run, including the fastest: Sonic in California.

Congestion Pricing Gains Traction in Seattle
Congestion pricing is a popular subject of conversation in Seattle, even if the idea hasn't yet proven popular with voters. The city is looking for ways to lead on climate change by reducing emissions from transportation.

TxDOT Could Spend $600 Million to Improve Highway Safety
Texas leads the nation in automobile-related deaths, and the state is considering spend a large amount of money to lower the number of fatalities on the state's highways.
Pagination
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
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.