The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Rio's Pricey Sky Gondola Goes Full Stop
The sky gondola system built prior to the Rio Olympics has ground to a halt, leaving residents of the city's favelas with little to show for such a grand investment in infrastructure.

State Legislation Could Make Parking Meters Legal in North Dakota Again
A law making its way through the North Dakota Legislative Assembly would challenge a prevailing assumption in the state that free parking is a human right.

On-Demand Public Transit in Kansas City Leaves a Lot to Be Desired
Kansas City's novel effort to handle transit’s last mile problem has failed to attract ridership.

Tech Success Contrasts With Immigrants' Peril In Los Angeles
The 800,000 undocumented immigrants in Los Angeles County are at the opposite end of the socioeconomic spectrum from the 1,900 employees at Snapchat. The fate of both populations have deep implications for L.A.'s housing crisis.
Placemaking: Geek Niche or the Root of Pretty Much Everything?
Placemaking: what does the term really mean? And how it can most effectively serve the needs of the most people. Scott Doyon shares some ideas.

Portland's Biketown to Include 'Adaptive Bikes' to Ensure Universal Access
The city of Portland is wearing the Yellow Jersey on equity issues connected to the Biketown bikeshare system.

How Los Angeles Can Design for Density
Good urban design can make growth more appealing.

Council Proposes Plan for Transit-Oriented Development in Philadelphia
Philadelphia City Council seeks ways to spur development without creating new traffic issues.

Mixed-Income Development in Chicago's Jefferson Park Faces Protest
A development on Chicago's Northside faces protests and picketers who don't want new density, height, or low income residents.

New York City's Kosciuszko Bridge Getting Demolished
Traffic-plagued Kosciuszko will soon be replaced, and some commuters are celebrating its demise.

Israel Plans to Harness the Power of Waze to Save Wildlife
Just in time for United Nations World Wildlife Day, a new initiative in Israel has launched to identify deadly road crossings for animals by harnessing data collected from the Waze app.

An Ordinance to Curb Street Performance in Chicago Draws Criticism
Chicago Aldermen are considering an ordinance to outlaw street performances audible from more than 20 feet away, but in a segregated city, some fear that a quieter downtown might be more unwelcoming.

Big Idea: One Less Highway Through Kansas City
Eric Bunch argues that removing I-70 from downtown Kansas City presents a big opportunity for the city.

Trump Administration Reviewing U.S. DOT's Automated Vehicle Guidelines
Among the many guidelines and rules going back to the drawing board (or ceremonial execution by executive order) at the federal level are guidelines for self-driving cars released only months ago by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Nation's Newest Transit Funding Income Tax Approved in Indianapolis
It took awhile, but the city of Indianapolis has finally approved the nation's newest income tax to raise revenue for the IndyGo public transit system.
How to Build a $12 Billion High-Speed Rail Line at No Cost to Taxpayers
Unlike the nation's more well-known high-speed rail project in California, the 205 miles-per-hour, Dallas-to-Houston bullet train will be almost entirely privately financed. How is that possible?
Changes in Environmental Policy Already Apparent on the EPA Website
A group of researchers monitoring government websites noticed changes to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's website. The changes fit into the Trump Administration's "America First" politics.

Casinos Still Illegal in Georgia
A nascent effort to legalize casino gambling in the state of Georgia fell short of the necessary legislative support.

Why Aren't We Building Middle Income Housing?
For low-income residents in high-cost areas, there's no substitute for the public sector to provide below-market rate housing. But for middle-income households, the market should be able to produce housing without subsidy. So why doesn't this happen?

Yet Another Flawed Congestion Report
The new INRIX Traffic Scorecard uses "big" data to calculate congestion costs. Like previous studies, it exaggerates traffic congestion costs and roadway expansion benefits.
Pagination
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie
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.