The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Bridj Comes to a Halt
Bridj's bet that it could, well, bridge ride-hailing and public transit didn't pay off. Lacking new investment, the company is shutting down.
Where It's Cheapest to Build Out a New Office
With so much attention paid to the nation's housing crisis, it's still important to keep an eye on other kinds of uses. The office market is full of surprises, like cheap office build out costs in a city infamous for residential gentrification.

Study: Greenery Improves Quality and Length of Life
Living near vegetation appears to be linked to a longer life and better mental health—for women, at least.

Beating the Heat (Island Effect) with the Japanese Tradition of Uchimizu
Can a few splashes of water on hot pavement reduce the heat island effect? Researchers find evidence to support a traditional Japanese method of cooling the environment.

Which U.S. Cities Are Growing Inclusively?
Research from Brookings identifies metro areas with economies that are not only growing, but growing in an equitable way. The list is short, but may offer some insights.

Friday Funny: The Onion Likens Gentrification to a Butterfly's Metamorphosis
The satirical website takes on the darling of community and economic development: the local craft brew industry.
Philadelphia Bills on Green Roofs and Electric Cars Show Backwards Thinking
Philadelphia's green roof law allows developers to build 25 percent more units if they put a green roof on their buildings. Councilmember Squilla wants to exempt his district from that law.

BART to Open Extension to Milpitas Station in December
Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) officials are optimistic that a new BART station, with connections to VTA light rail, will open ahead of schedule.

FEATURE
'Citizen Jane' Sets the Battle Lines for the Future of Cities
Coinciding with the 101st anniversary of Jane Jacobs's birth, a documentary film showing in select theaters around the country recounts the history between Jane Jacobs and Robert Moses, and the ideas that forced their struggle.

After Measure S: Los Angeles Leaders Ponder Growth and Equity
The controversy over the recent ballot initiative known as Measure S has Los Angeles thinking: How can the city accommodate new housing supply without disenfranchising communities?

Is this Any Way to Run a Subway?
In New York's subway, stations are not the only historic parts of the 113-year-old system. Essential communications infrastructure responsible for keeping the trains running belongs in a museum, explaining the cause of many recent delays.

Cuomo Has a Unique Opportunity with Penn Station
The disastrous state of the country's most busy transit station presents an opportunity to make big improvements.

No More Free Rides on the Milwaukee County Transit System
Dealing with a tightening budget, the Milwaukee County Transit System will eliminate free rides under the Go Pass program, which offered free transit passes for qualifying riders.

Wet and Soggy, Maybe—Pacific Northwest Cities Lead in Bike Infrastructure Anyway
Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver have all prioritized the design and implementation of bike infrastructure. A study of how each is implementing its goals reveals the many ways cities can decide to make healthy, active transportation a priority.
$1.5 Billion Development Planned for Cincinnati Exurb
Developers have announced plans for a $1.5 billion, multi-phase development to be located in Turtlecreek Township, in Warren County, Ohio.

FEATURE
Water-Smart Green Infrastructure: The Private Sector Steps Up
A new Urban Land Institute Report details the increasing implementation of citywide green infrastructure networks, including investments on both public and privately owned sites.

BLOG POST
Déjà Vu and the Dilemma for Planners
The future, once again, isn't living up to the expectations of planners. How should long-range planning work in a world that is more suburban and more auto-oriented than a generation of planners and urbanists expected?

First Look at the Future Obama Presidential Center
The former president and first lady released a first look at the designs for the future site of the Obama Presidential Center on the South Side of Chicago.

Study: House Sizes Increase at the Expense of Tree Canopies
A research study has found that increasing house sizes in the Los Angeles area have drastically reduced the number of trees shading the region's landscapes—regardless of geographic location of socioeconomic status.

Downtown Anchorage Targeted for Revitalizing Infill and Redevelopment
Downtown Anchorage has languished for decades from the lack of redevelopment. Mayor Ethan Berkowitz seeks to reinvigorate the downtown core with new housing and other development opportunities. Most of the new growth has gone to Midtown area.
Pagination
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
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.