The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Subway Station

Second Avenue Subway Phase 2 Takes Step Forward

The federal government has signed off on the plan for Phase 2 of the Second Avenue Subway.

December 11 - Patch

New York Street

Thumbs Down to Planning Rules of Thumb

In planning, a number of common principles of practice are widely accepted. However, an alternative set of guidelines can better serve as information and decision-making tools.

December 11 - City Commentary

Queen Anne Hill Seattle

Seattle Needs More Housing Diversity and Less Single-Family Zoning

The city should look back to its past for lessons about creating more livable, affordable, and equitable neighborhoods, says a new report.

December 11 - The Urbanist

End of the rainbow

The U.S. Has Pole Position in the Race to Deliver Autonomous Vehicles

For a country that loves cars and driving so much, the eagerness to automate transportation is conspicuous.

December 11 - Quartz

Ontario, Canada

A More Complete Picture of the 'Smart City' Plans in Toronto

The game changing redevelopment proposed by Sidewalk Labs for the Toronto waterfront district of Quayside took new shape recently after the company presented an updated draft of its plan.

December 11 - Curbed


Arctic Mining Town

Massive Mine Encroaching on Swedish City

The Swedish city of Kiruna will have to move after one of the world's largest iron mines opens a crack in the earth that is spreading straight for the city.

December 11 - The Guardian

Metro Bus

The State of the D.C. Region's Bus Network

The Bus Transformation Project recently released its findings on the state of bus transit in the Washington, D.C. region.

December 10 - Greater Greater Washington


Tejon Ranch

Wildfire Risks Make Southern California Development a Gamble

The Tejon Ranch development would bring thousands of homes to a highly fire-prone area in L.A. County.

December 10 - Los Angeles Times

MARTA Trains

Commuter Rail, Bus Rapid Transit Plans Approved for Atlanta Region

Approval of two plans to bring new transit modes to the Atlanta region, reaching into the suburbs, mark a turning point in the transit history of the Southeast.

December 10 - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Recreational Vehicle

Legislation to End Sales of Gas and Diesel Passenger Vehicles in California Reintroduced

Assemblymembers Phil Ting and Ash Kalra have reintroduced the Clean Cars 2040 Act with the goal of banning the sale of passenger vehicles powered by internal combustion engines by 2040, with the California Air Resources Board playing a lead role.

December 10 - SF Gate

MIT campus

Where Campus Planning Meets Urban Planning

As universities become a universally accepted and celebrated economic development power, there's still work to be done in getting the town and gown relationship on the same page.

December 10 - Metropolis

Gold Line alongside 210 Freeway

Congestion Pricing in Los Angeles?

The city of Los Angeles is looking for ways to close a $26.2 billion funding gap for its plan to complete 28 transportation projects by the 2028 Summer Olympics.

December 10 - Los Angeles Daily News

Child on Train

Public Transportation Is Good for Kids

Using transit gives children experiences, skills, and perspectives that they won’t get riding in a car.

December 10 - Apolitical

HUD

HUD's Spotty Record on Inspections

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is desperately in need of reform in its system of inspections and enforcement of living conditions in public housing.

December 10 - The Southern Illinoisan

Road Maintenance

The Study of Maintenance

A highly recommended long-read, published by Places Journal, lays the groundwork for the study of maintenance and care.

December 10 - Places Journal

Stone Arch Bridge

Putting a Bow on Top of the Minneapolis 2040 Comprehensive Plan

The City Council overcame a last minute legal challenge to approve the Minneapolis 2040 Comprehensive Plan late last week.

December 10 - Star Tribune

Highway Interchange

U.S. Report: Raise the Federal Gas Tax to Pay for Infrastructure Fixes

A report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine endorses an idea that is sure to be controversial.

December 9 - The Mercury News

Suburbia

Thoughts on California's Housing Strategy

Balance between state and local control and between private and public solutions are necessary for meaningful improvement in housing affordability, according to planning activist and affordable housing developer Murtaza Baxamusa.

December 9 - UrbDeZine

Portland Interchange

Interstate Highway Tolling Takes Major Step Forward in Pacific Northwest

The state that implemented the first gas tax and the first bike tax took a huge step on Thursday toward becoming the first, since 1956, to toll all lanes on an interstate highway by approving an application to the Federal Highway Administration.

December 9 - The Columbian

Rural Utah

When Cities Prosper, Rural Areas Are Better Off

The pitting of cities and rural communities against one another is the wrong approach. Instead, policies that help cities thrive will benefit rural areas in the long run.

December 9 - Brookings

Post News

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.

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.