The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

White NJ Transit parked at station with blue stripes.

NJ Transit Steps in to Replace Bankrupt Bus Operator

The agency is using a new subcontractor to provide service in Hudson and Passaic counties after Coach USA declared bankruptcy.

August 14 - Smart Cities Dive

Aerial view of coast in Maui, hawaii with hotels and condo buildings at sunrise or sunset.

Maui Condo Sales Drop as County Weighs Short-Term Rental Regulations

A proposed county bill would phase out some 7,000 short-term rental units.

August 13 - Maui Now

Close-up of white pedestrian and bike symbols painted on concrete path.

California Bill Promotes ‘Quick-Build’ Road Safety Solutions

The bill is part of an effort to reverse entrenched patterns in traffic engineering and speed up the adoption of safer infrastructure for people walking and biking.

August 13 - CalBike

Black and purple hybrid Phoenix Public Transit bus.

Phoenix Launches Hybrid Bus Fleet

The city aims to have a zero-emissions transit fleet by 2040.

August 13 - KTAR

Tent City Bay Area

The Fight Continues Against Criminalization of Homelessness

Though disappointed in the Supreme Court’s ruling allowing sleeping bans, homeless advocates are energized and organizing around other solutions.

August 13 - Shelterforce Magazine


Close-up of Department of Veterans Affairs sign in Washington, D.C. with American and MIA flags on flagpole in background.

Disabled Veterans Gain Access to Supportive Housing Assistance

Disability benefits will no longer exclude veterans from supportive housing programs.

August 13 - Stars and Stripes

Aerial view of Baltimore's Inner Harbor with downtown skyline.

Baltimore Invests Billions to Clean its Waterways

Like Paris, the city has been working to improve its wastewater system and make local waterways safe for swimming.

August 13 - NPR


Google street view of Amboy Road in Staten Island, New York.

Staten Island Road Widening Project Moves Forward

New York’s Department of Transportation plans to double the width of a Staten Island street to accommodate more vehicular traffic.

August 13 - StreetsBlog NYC

Close-up of orange and white traffic cone on street with blurred worker in orange vest in background.

FEATURE

Book Review: Killed By A Traffic Engineer

In a new book, engineering professor Wes Marshall explains why American roads are so unsafe.

August 13 - Michael Lewyn

Intersection with stoplight and "no right turn on red" sign in San Francisco, California.

San Francisco Officials Call for Citywide Ban on Right Turns on Red

A proposal to prohibit turns on red at some downtown intersections prompted calls for a blanket ban for the entire city.

August 12 - CBS News

Aerial view of Grants Pass, Oregon on cloudy day.

Grants Pass Bans Outdoor Sleeping, Creates Designated Camping Areas

The Oregon city was at the heart of a controversial Supreme Court case that paves the way for the criminalization of homelessness.

August 12 - AP via Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Overhead view of houses being 3d printed in concrete from the ground up.

3D-Printed Community in Texas Nearly Complete

Upon completion, the 100-home Wolf Ranch Community north of Austin will be the largest 3D printed neighborhood in the world.

August 12 - Parametric Architecture

Domino's Pizza delivery bikes parked on a sidewalk in London, UK.

Cargo Bike Use Up Dramatically in London

Bike advocates attribute the growth to new protected bike lanes.

August 12 - Forbes

Low angle view of a pedestrian crosswalk traffic signal lights in a city.

Austin Adds Pedestrian Improvements at Hundreds of Intersections

The city added leading pedestrian interval technology to over 600 intersections, giving pedestrians time to cross before vehicles.

August 12 - KXAN

Close-up of traffic congestion from behind cars on a freeway in the San Francisco Bay Area.

States Claim Highway Expansions Reduce Emissions

The argument is being used to channel climate funding to projects that expand automobile infrastructure, according to an analysis from Transportation for America.

August 12 - Bloomberg CityLab

Tall mature green trees lining a concrete walkway next to a street with multistory apartment buildings on other side and sun filtering through the leaves.

The Economic Value of Street Trees

Far from just providing shade and improving air quality, trees can also contribute to more resilient roads, lower energy costs, and reduced flood risk.

August 12 - Strong Towns

Man with baby in sling holds red grocery basket while looking at refrigerated store section.

Even in ‘Food Deserts,’ Independent Grocers Struggle to Survive

Government support has helped open stores in underserved communities, but cost and scale make it difficult for small businesses to survive long-term.

August 12 - ProPublica

Vintage multi-story brick apartment building and modern concrete and glass apartment building separated by a steep public stairway in Los Angeles, California.

FEATURE

Good As New: The Vital Role of Preservation in Solving the Housing Crisis

Preserving historic buildings and existing affordable housing stock has the potential to ease America’s dire affordable housing crisis and promote equity, inclusion, and justice.

August 11 - Bonnie McDonald

Close-up of white BUS letters on asphalt bus lane with blurred bus and traffic in background.

Bus Lanes as Traffic Calming

Dedicated bus lanes on busy arterials can act as traffic calming mechanisms to reduce speeding.

August 11 - State Smart Transportation Initiative

Aerial view of Union Station train terminal front entrance in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Amtrak Gains Final Approvals for Return to the Gulf Coast

A vote by the Mobile city council secured three key agreements that will pave the way for bringing passenger rail service back to coastal regions east of New Orleans.

August 11 - AL.com

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