The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Polar Vortex Shuts Down Detroit's Q-Line Streetcar
Other polar vortex-related transit news included fire on the tracks in Chicago.

Breaking News: New Federal Oversight for the New York City Housing Authority
Details are still forthcoming, but the big news out of New York City today is about the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development assuming new oversight powers over the city's troubled housing agency.

Equity Considerations Delay Congestion Pricing in Los Angeles
After discussing a staff report on road pricing at their Jan. 24 meeting, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority directors paused to weigh the equity implications of charging motorists to drive on roads.

Comparing Transit Oriented Development in the D.C. Regional Rail System
Not all Metrorail station areas are zoned for transit oriented development.

Huntington Beach Sues California Over 2017 By-Right Affordable Housing Bill
When it comes to housing lawsuits involving the state and new housing laws, Huntington Beach might be ground zero. Over a week before Attorney General Becerra sued the Orange County city at the behest of Gov. Newsom, the city sued the state.

Foxconn Changes Plans for its Wisconsin Facilities
Once promising a major manufacturing facility and 13,000 new jobs, Foxconn is now promising a research and development facility and the number of jobs is much less clear.

*Video: Explaining Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT)
Conventional planning evaluates transport system performance car-centric indicators such as roadway Level-of-Service (LOS). Many jurisdictions are shifting to Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT), which supports multimodal planning and Smart Growth policies.

'Carbon Free Boston' Puts Priority on Land Use and Transportation Planning
"It's all about cars and houses," according to the Boston Globe.

Rezoning Revealed: NYC Planning Proposes Changes in Brooklyn
The New York City Department of City Planning has released its preliminary rezoning proposal for the neighborhood of Gowanus in Brooklyn.

San Francisco's Massive 'Central SoMa Plan' Faces Litigation
The Central SoMa Plan took more than seven years of planning and debate to approve. A new lawsuit, expected to be just the first of many, threatens to erase all that work.

The City of Dallas Rejects the State of Texas on Plans to Widen Interstate 30
A plan to widen the Interstate 30 in Dallas is pitting state transportation officials, with ostensible goals to serve regional transportation needs, against local officials, who are more concerned with "neighborhood-centric ideals."

New California Governor Follows Up Tough Housing Rhetoric with Action
Gov. Gavin Newsom, only weeks into his new office, had warned cities that his office would hold them accountable for failing to meet their housing requirements. On Friday, he directed Attorney General Xavier Bacerra to sue Hungtinton Beach.

Road Tolls Considered to Replace Declining Fuel Tax Revenues as EV Sales Grow
Iceland is thinking ahead when it comes to revenue losses resulting from its newly adopted "Climate Strategy" that calls for ending petrol-powered, fuel tax-paying motor vehicles by 2030. Widespread electronic road tolls are being considered.

Visualizing Density in New Jersey
An interactive map shows the surprising density of the Garden State.

A Train Instead of the 405: The Impossible Dream One Step Closer to Reality in L.A.
A rail transit project has serious momentum in Los Angeles, offering a potentially game changing alternative to the notoriously jammed commute on Interstate 405 over the Sepulveda Pass.

The Oil Production Boom in New Mexico Could Mean More Money for Roads
With an "unprecedented" amount of money coming in from booming oil production, New Mexico legislators are considering how to spend the extra money.
10-Story Apartment Project Tests the Limits of Minneapolis' New Comprehensive Plan
A proposed development in Minneapolis would add affordable units in exchange for extra height. A neighborhood group worries about the precedent the project would set.

Transportation Priorities of the New Democratic Leadership in the House
With Democrats rising to power in the U.S. House of Representatives and the government recently reopened (temporarily at least), it's time to plot the legislative ambitions of the coming session in Congress.

BLOG POST
Scooter Media Brief: A Fork in the Road for Scooters
A few milestones stick out from the rest of the scooter news from January 2019.

Portland's Opportunity Zone Designations Raise Eyebrows
Call it "Tax Breaklandia," according to this Bloomberg article.
Pagination
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)
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