The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

The Rapidly Shrinking Glaciers of Glacier National Park
New research reveals the extent of the glacial retreat in the national park named for glaciers.

California Groundwater Difficult to Replenish
After a wet winter, California's historic drought is over for now. But larger stores of groundwater stored in natural aquifers, steadily depleting, will be difficult to refill.

Congress Fails to Roll Back Obama-Era Methane Emissions Rule
Current events that have nothing to do with the environment but everything to do with politics might have caused the defeat of a bill to overturn an Obama-era rule designed to reduce methane emissions on federal lands.

Friday Funny: New Transit Mode: White House Briefing Room Podium
TIL that there are no podium helmet laws in New York City.
Houston's Lower Westheimer Corridor Study Pitches Mobility and Safety Improvements
The infrastructure improvements funded by the ReBuild Houston initiative are moving forward. The latest example, the Lower Westheimer Corridor Study, recently released a concept video to make the case for a suite of roadway improvements.

Massachusetts Clear of Drought
Massachusetts is showing all signs of a state that has recovered the water it lost during a two-year drought.

Using Public Art to Make Sense of Wastewater Infrastructure
The city of San Jose and designers from the University of California, Davis have completed a community-led design process to raise awareness about the connections between the kitchen, sewers, and the environment.

Study: The Quality of Bike Infrastructure Matters
Another study shows what should be obvious by now: the higher quality the bike infrastructure, the better the results in terms of safety and mode choice.

The Most Dangerous Highway in Each State
Florida is infamous for the lack of safety on its roads. A new interactive graphic of the nation's most dangerous highways does nothing to dispel that reputation.
Milwaukee Looking for Ways to Finally Force Landlords to Pay Property Taxes
Landlords in Milwaukee have several methods for avoiding paying fines and property taxes—it's all a part of gaming the system. After the local paper investigated the "landlord games," the city is taking action.

Friday Fun: A Playlist of Transit Oriented Tunes
This one's for the straphangers.

Coming Soon: Trump's Infrastructure Plan
President Donald Trump teased the release of his promised $1 trillion infrastructure earlier this month. Here's how a collection of experts reacted to that prospect.

California Cap-and-Trade Shares the Wealth, With Zipcars for Public Housing Residents
Residents of public housing in California's state capital now have new access to economic mobility in the form of a shared fleet of electric cars—all made possible by the state's cap-and-trade system that limits and offset carbon emissions.

BLOG POST
The Gentrification of (Tiny Bits) of Gotham
Reports of New York's gentrification are sometimes exaggerated.
Repeal of Gas Tax Increase Possible in California
After several years, Sen. Jim Beall's persistent efforts to address the state's $130 billion road and bridge shortfall finally passed the legislature, but Assemblyman Travis Allen hopes to repeal the 12-cent tax hike through the initiative process.

Pokémon Go to Expand its Reach in the Community
The makers of Pokémon Go, touted for its potential to activate sedentary Americans since its release last year, will take more initiative to participate in community-based events.

Report: 20-Year Regional Disparities in Life Expectancy
Life expectancy may be rising in the nation as a whole, but in some areas it's going down. Regional gaps are widening.

Finding a Way to Bike in Orlando
Improvements in street design and bike infrastructure make life easier on bikers in car-centric Orlando, but employers and politicians could do more in the city to get commuters out of their cars.

Obama: Pedestrianize Street Next to Presidential Center
Barack Obama supports closing Cornell Drive, a six-lane road next to the future site of the Obama Presidential Center, to automobile access. He cites safety concerns and the need for green space.

Report: Tax Increment Financing Is the New Redlining
A new report from the Show-Me Institute provides a scathing critique of the demographic disparities apparent in how the city of St. Louis deploys tax increment financing.
Pagination
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.