The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Eminent Domain Cases Roil Communities Across Massachusetts
Several communities across Massachusetts are looking to take private property to build new schools.

The Real First-Last Mile Solution: Fix the Sidewalks
Upgrading sidewalks on the way to transit stations could make a difference in cities facing declining transit ridership.

Friday Funny: The Onion Imagines a Slightly Sympathetic Jeff Bezos
The Onion is satire, so we'll never know if Jeff Bezos felt sorry for any of the cities wasting time and money on a pitch to win Amazon's second headquarters.

Friday Eye Candy: Highly Detailed Cold War Era Soviet Maps of the U.S.
A new book sheds light on maps created by cartographers in the Soviet Union that dove into remarkable detail about buildings, transportation networks, and other infrastructure in cities across the United States and around the world.

Anchorage Buses Switch to a High Frequency Grid
Anchorage's People Mover bus system is the latest in a string of U.S. bus systems to reroute onto a high frequency grid.

Cities Suburbanize While Suburbs Urbanize
As the internet makes retail more widely accessible, and poverty and density move to suburbs, the difference between cities and suburbs is shrinking, narrowing lifestyle choices.

100 LED 'Information Kiosks' on Their Way to Philadelphia Sidewalks
All the details on the new information kiosks expected to hit Philadelphia streets—80 on Center City and University City sidewalks and 20 more in other parts of the city.

An Amtrak Train Runs Through Them
Efforts to ensure that Amtrak's Southwest Chief continues its current route through three states has united more than 20 small communities in New Mexico, Colorado, and Kansas.

Ballpark Village Development Announced in St. Louis
A $261 million mixed-use development next to Busch Stadium will put the "village" in the Ballpark Village project in downtown St. Louis.

The Future of the Nation's Electric Vehicle Infrastructure
People won't drive electric vehicles much differently than they drive gas powered vehicles. That means charging infrastructure will be needed in communities to supply electricity for many short drives.

An Agrihood Takes Root in Palm Springs
Developer Freehold Communities is planning a suburban farming community in California's Sonora Desert.

Like Waze, But for Bikes
The mobile app LaneSpotter, described as a navigation app like Waze but for cyclists, has announced eight cities as the location for a pilot launch.
Cars Banned From New York's Prospect Park Starting in 2018
Decades of activism have led to this victory for pedestrian advocates, Streetsblog NYC reports.

13 Cultural Landscapes At Risk of Disappearing
Threats facing major U.S. cultural sites today include development, drilling, and the federal government.
Houston And L.A.: Kindred Spirits Meet In World Series
Planning scholar Bill Fulton, longtime resident of L.A. and relatively recent transplant to Houston, sizes up the urban implications of a World Series played between two very similar cities.

Interior Department Wants to Hike National Park Entrance Fees
Two years after increasing entrance fees at national parks, The U.S. Department of the Interior wants to raise daily vehicle entrance fees at the nation's most popular parks to $70.

Study Finds Bus Rapid Transit More Comparable to Light Rail Than Previously Thought
A new study challenges the conventional wisdom regarding the superiority of light rail over bus rapid transit.

California Gas Tax Repeal Provokes Internecine Republican Conflict
Chances for a repeal of California's 12-cents gas tax increase have doubled in that two measures aim to qualify for the November 2018 ballot. The initiatives are opposed by the state's major business groups that usually side with Republican causes.
Public Transportation Provides a Vital Mobility Link in Rural and Small Towns
A new report describes the important roles that public transit plays in rural communities and small towns, current demographic and economic trends that are increasing these demands, and examples of successful rural transit development programs.

Ground-Level Grocery Stores Proliferate in Boston
Being able to get groceries without a car can be a big draw in walkable, mixed use neighborhoods. Many Boston grocers and developers are taking that to heart.
Pagination
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
Tyler Technologies
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.