The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Tenants' Rights

Op-Ed: The Shortcomings of Matthew Desmond's 'Evicted'

Matthew Desmond's ethnographic study has received critical praise. But David Adler asks whether the book's approach tacitly lets affluent non-landlords off the hook.

May 20 - Current Affairs

Master Planned Communities

California's Inland Empire Ready to Build Again

As an article in Builder puts it: the 'Inland Empire Strike Back' with a large new masterplanned community in Riverside County. This region, hit particularly hard by the housing crash of the Great Recession looks ready pick up where it left off.

May 20 - Builder

Pittsburgh Transit

Pittsburgh Trains Going Cashless

This summer, the Port Authority of Allegheny County will implement a long-expected plan to go cashless on the T light-rail system.

May 20 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Alaskan Way Seawall Construction

Seattle's New Seawall: An Experiment in Climate Adaptation and Habitat Restoration

Engineers and scientists in Seattle are testing a new generation of shoreline infrastructure that hopefully can do a better job of letting people and wild animals—in this case salmon—coexist.

May 20 - EarthFix

Four Miles of Protected Bike Lane Proposed After Queens Bike Fatality

A two-way bike lane protected by a concrete barrier could be on the way for Northern Boulevard in Queens as a way to increase bike safety around the Joe Michaels Mile bike path.

May 20 - StreetsBlog NYC


Columbia River

Vancouver, Washington Ready to Adopt a Complete Streets Policy

According to Smart Growth America, more than 1,000 local, regional, and state agencies have adopted Complete Streets policies, which means many suburban communities, like Vancouver, Washington, are focusing on safety for all users.

May 19 - The Columbian

Port Authority Bus

Budget Surpluses and Capital Investments in Pittsburgh

A transportation agency with a budget surplus and money to spare on capital investments isn't something that happens every day, especially not in cities considered part of the "Rust Belt."

May 19 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette


Rio Atrato

Colombia the Latest to Recognize the Legal Rights of a Cherished River

Colombia joins New Zealand and India as countries that have recognized the legal status of rivers in recent months.

May 19 - International Rivers

Harbor Beach Power Plant

Large Michigan Utility to Go Coal-Free by 2050

Apparently Michigan's largest electricity supplier did not receive the Trump memo that the Clean Power Plan will be rolled back as they are proceeding on a plan that will achieve even higher carbon emission reductions.

May 19 - Detroit Free Press

New York, New York

The Scourge of Setbacks

Accepted by planners as a way to make buildings feel less 'crowded' and baked into many zoning codes, setbacks achieve no benefit other than giving opponents of development a bargaining chip.

May 19 - California Planning & Development Report

Forest Lightning

Inside the Interior Department's Review of National Monuments

The fate of 26 national monuments hangs in the balance, as the Interior Department holds a review process. Public comment is open until July 10.

May 19 - CNBC

Construction

A Call for Prevailing Wages as a Housing Solution

An op-ed written by city officials from two South Bay Area cities argues that reform of land use regulations won't be enough to solve California's housing crisis.

May 19 - The Mercury News

Crumbling Infrastructure

Detroit to Step Up Street Repaving Work

Perhaps it's a sign of recovery: the city of Detroit will greatly expand the amount of roads it improves over the course of the next year.

May 19 - Detroit Free Press

nyc. subway.

New York MTA Proposes 6-Point Plan to Reduce Subway Headaches

The new plan to reduce delays on New York's subway system will rely on short-term fixes, rather than long-term modernization projects.

May 19 - The New York Times

Central Park from Rockefeller Center Historic Photo

Friday Eye Candy: A Mobile App That Provides a Historic Window Into New York

The Urban Archive app will be popular with anyone interested in the history of New York City. Hopefully the idea spreads to other cities soon.

May 19 - The Architect's Newspaper

Indego

Philadelphia's Indego Bikeshare System Reports Equity Successes in its Second Year

With the help of grant funded infrastructure and community outreach programs, Philadelphia's Indego bikeshare system has shown impressive leadership in equitable bikeshare.

May 18 - PlanPhilly

Oregon Voters Support LNG Export Facility

A proposed $7.5 billion facility to export liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Oregon's south coast received a resounding vote of support on Tuesday from Coos County voters who rejected a ballot measure that would have banned its construction.

May 18 - Oregon Public Broadcasting

Seoul, Korea

Seoul to Debut Its Own High Line

Instead of a disused rail line, Seoul will repurpose one of its many old overpasses. The goal is to introduce green space and build up connective pedestrian infrastructure.

May 18 - The Washington Post

President Obama

Op-Ed: Obama's Weak Climate Change Legacy

David Bookbinder argues that the Obama Administration dragged its feet on climate change, only implementing last-minute actions that will be easy to reverse.

May 18 - Vox

Houston

Is Houston a City of the (Demographic) Future?

Bucking Texas political stereotypes, Houston is standing by its immigrant community. One reason: the city is one of country's most racially diverse.

May 18 - Los Angeles Times

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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.