The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Middle-Income Density Bonus Working Toward Approval in San Diego
The San Diego City Council's Land Use and Housing Commission approved a density bonus program to provide incentives for developers to build middle- and low-income housing.

A New Bicycle Master Plan for Arlington County
Arlington County planning staff have worked on a new bicycle master plan for the past two years. The Arlington County Board will consider the new plan this week.

Minneapolis Affordable Housing Practices Heading in a New Direction
Minneapolis is realigning its affordable housing practices as the nationwide as the pressures of the housing affordability crisis increase.

Residents Left Behind as L.A. Stadium Project Surges Ahead
Inglewood had fallen on hard times, but then plans for a massive sports and entertainment complex came along. While the city’s future is poised to change dramatically, the development is also displacing residents.

A Small but Significant Fuel Tax Hike for Arkansas
The 3 cent gas tax and 6 cent diesel tax increases are among the lowest of any states that have hiked fuel taxes since 2013, but combined with other revenue sources in the legislation, plus an upcoming sales tax ballot measure, it's historic.

The Case for Wildlife Crossings
If wildlife crossings seem to expensive to build with so many infrastructure needs around the country, consider the cost of not building safe passage for animals.

A Company of Scooter Vigilantes Sparks a Lawsuit
A lawsuit by Bird and Lime against the company Scooter Removal highlights the difficult challenges required to reconcile the private interests of new mobility companies with the access to the public realm on which they depend.

Housing Starts Hit Two-Year Low
Housing starts and permits are slowing nationwide. The current pace of construction would have been considered a trough in pre-recession economic cycles.

Maps: Where Teachers Can Afford Housing in California
Teachers can't afford to live in the neighborhoods where they teach in California—the biggest gap between teachers' wages and the cost of housing is found in the Bay Area.

What Was Lost When Streetcars Stopped Still Hasn't Been Found
City's don't need vintage streetcars; cities need the frequency and convenience of service delivered by the streetcar lines from days past.

'Better Buses Action Plan' Would Give Buses New Priority in New York
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio is promising to speed the city's buses by 25 percent by next year.

New Policy Would Likely Close Commuter Rail Stations on the South Side of Chicago
A new station evaluation policy, expected for adoption by the Metra Board of Directors in May, would make it easier to shut down "underperforming" stations.

The Best Kept—and Dirtiest—Secret About 5G
The infrastructure required to support 5G is going to be massive, and while improvements in throughput sound great, one of the best kept – and dirtiest – secrets about 5G is the energy consumption required to support the network.

'Hybrid' Bus Rapid Transit Design Preferred in Tacoma, Washington
A hybrid design (some protected lanes and some mixing with car traffic) is the preferred option for a planned bus rapid transit route on Pacific Avenue in Tacoma, Washington.

Montreal Plan to Ban Cars From Major Park Doesn't Stick
Following a fatal collision between a motorist and a competitive cyclist, Montreal tried closing a stretch of roadway through Mount Royal Park. The pilot encountered fierce opposition.

Elizabeth's Warren Plan for Public Lands
Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) recently published a detailed plan to protect public lands.
New Transit Center Coming to Cincinnati's Northside Neighborhood
The Cincinnati City Council this week approved zoning change to allow for the construction of a transit center at the second busiest bus transit hub in the city.
A Sci-Fi Novel About an Urban Planners and a War Over Gentrification
The Municipalists, a new novel by Seth Fried, will definitely appeal to fiction-reading urban planners.

New Jersey Wants an Exemption from Manhattan Congestion Charge
With cordon pricing coming to Manhattan in 2021, New Jersey motorists who pay up to $15 in bridge or tunnel tolls don't want to have to pay another $10 to $14 to drive into the Central District Business tolling zone, but exemptions come with a price.

Los Angeles May Bar Source-of-Income Housing Discrimination
Officials hope that improving access to housing for people who use voucher programs will help prevent homelessness in the city.
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