This audio report discusses the creeks of Seattle and how years of neglect, abuse, and pollution have endangered fish species, destroyed wetlands, and caused big problems for the area's storm drainage.
"There are people who tell tales about the time with Seattle's creeks were so thick with salmon, you could walk across their backs from one bank of the creek to the other. Fish still live in most of Seattle's urban waterways. But by the early 21st century, some fish are dying before they can spawn. Pollution has fouled the waters; culverts and other human development block the fish from reaching their spawning grounds. And every time in rains here in Rain City, a cocktail of toxic chemicals runs into the creeks with the storm water flow. In the second part of her series, 'Our Big Backyard', KUOW's Marcie Sillman looks at the impact of urbanization of Seattle's urban creeks."
FULL STORY: The Impact of Humans

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Map: Where Senate Republicans Want to Sell Your Public Lands
For public land advocates, the Senate Republicans’ proposal to sell millions of acres of public land in the West is “the biggest fight of their careers.”

Restaurant Patios Were a Pandemic Win — Why Were They so Hard to Keep?
Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.

Platform Pilsner: Vancouver Transit Agency Releases... a Beer?
TransLink will receive a portion of every sale of the four-pack.

Toronto Weighs Cheaper Transit, Parking Hikes for Major Events
Special event rates would take effect during large festivals, sports games and concerts to ‘discourage driving, manage congestion and free up space for transit.”

Berlin to Consider Car-Free Zone Larger Than Manhattan
The area bound by the 22-mile Ringbahn would still allow 12 uses of a private automobile per year per person, and several other exemptions.
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)