The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

2017 Twin Cities Rail Ridership Up
Light rail ridership increased in 2017 in Minneapolis and St. Paul, despite a decline in bus ridership.
One Native American Family, Two Housing Crises
In Oakland, California and Torreon, New Mexico, Julian Brave NoiseCat reports that "[f]or Indigenous people, the crisis of the home is intergenerational."

Demand For Higher Density Development Slowing Down
Will 2018 signal the end of the latest real estate cycle as we know it?

Factoring Freight into Complete Streets Plans
The goods movement industry wants a seat at the table.

New Tools for Making Walkable Places
Eleven ways to make a city more walkable.

Saying No to Surface Parking in Downtown Detroit
Multiple proposals to demolish downtown buildings and put up surface parking lots are meeting resistance.

Catch Up With Austin's CodeNEXT
CodeNEXT is one of the most ambitious, and controversial, zoning reform projects ongoing in the country, with lessons to offer planners all over the country in code writing, public outreach, and planning outcomes.

Portland's Division Street Express Likely Delayed to 2022
To close a $14 million budget shortfall, TriMet may scale back aspects of the planned bus line.

Bitcoin Mining as Economic Development
The New York Power Authority is considering a new kind of economic development scheme.

Reclaiming Malls: How About a High-Speed Rail Station?
A Texas mall that opened in 1968 and largely closed ten months ago has been picked by Texas Central Partners as the Houston terminal of the Dallas-to-Houston high-speed rail. The site is far from downtown and distant from public transit.

Dockless Bikeshare and Racist Dog Whistles: 'Why are you assuming that bike is stolen?'
Urbanist and advocate Kristen Jeffers decries the thinly veiled racism underlying complaints about D.C.'s dockless bikeshare program.

Saving America's Small Cities
Small cities are an asset to the country, so politicians and thinkers on the left and right would do well to stop calling for their inhabitants to flee, Henry Garbar argues in Slate.

L.A. Tenants Link Planned 'Design District' to Displacement
Community leaders say a design district in Westlake could pave the way for the erasure of L.A's Historic Filipinotown.

FEATURE
How Lyft and Uber Can Fix—Not Cause—Congestion
While evidence mounts that Uber and Lyft are stealing rides from public transit, there's still a chance for ride-hailing apps to do more to help than hurt congestion. The key: using ride-hailing apps to carpool.

Amazon Holding Down Wages for Warehouse Employees in Small Towns
Small cities around the country with high unemployment are desperate for jobs, but when an Amazon distribution center moves into town, it's not all good news.

Lowering the High Costs of Transit Investments
A new report from the Regional Plan Association identifies the nature of the problem with the New York MTA's construction costs, and recommends 11 possible solutions.

Curbs Have the Power to Transform Cities
Curb design and management play a huge role in other aspects of city life. Put simply, what happens on the curbside directly impacts what happens on the street, both in terms of social and business connectivity.

'Smart Columbus Operation System' Looking for Developers
"Smart City" plans for the city of Columbus are taking shape.

Mapping the Fastest Growing Companies in the United States
Here's a helpful tool for understanding economic growth.

Study: Mixed-Use Neighborhoods Fail Affordability
A study published recently in the Journal of the American Planning Association finds that mixed-use neighborhoods in Toronto are only delivering benefits to those who can afford to pay a premium.
Pagination
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
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.