Housing on city fringes may be cheaper, but research has shown that after a certain threshold (about 15 miles), the high cost of commuting is no longer offset by it.
"ULI's press release summarizes the findings neatly:
'Housing located far from transit and employment centers places a heavy financial strain on working families in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan region, according to a new publication . . . Beltway Burden documents the challenges faced by area working families who are forced to 'drive 'till they qualify' for housing, incurring higher transportation costs that eventually erode their housing cost savings. It finds that area families are victim to combined housing and transportation costs that constitute, on average, nearly 47 percent of the area median income . . .
'The report points out that 'we need to use our existing infrastructure more wisely and more intensively.' Public policies are needed to preserve the existing stock of affordable housing in the city and older suburbs. More compact development would make public transit more economically feasible and attract retail and other uses, thus reducing congestion, greenhouse gas emissions and transportation costs, the report says.
'These challenges will only increase with the projected addition of 1.7 million new households over the next 20 years in the region.'"
FULL STORY: An in-depth look at location, transportation, and affordability (Part 1: ULI analyzes a metro region)
New Bus-Only Lanes Arrive in D.C.
The new bus lanes will operate at morning and afternoon rush hours starting today.
Vision Zero Proposal Includes Citizen Parking Enforcement
One perhaps overlooked detail of an ambitious Vision Zero bill proposed last week for Washington, D.C.: a provision that would allow ordinary citizens to issue parking tickets.
D.C. Transportation Bills to Move Vision Zero Plan Closer to Reality
Washington, D.C., is not meeting its Vision Zero goals. Three proposed bills would put requirements in place to make traffic safety a priority.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning
SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.
The Tiny, Adorable $7,000 Car Turning Japan Onto EVs
The single seat Mibot charges from a regular plug as quickly as an iPad, and is about half the price of an average EV.
Seattle's Plan for Adopting Driverless Cars
Equity, safety, accessibility and affordability are front of mind as the city prepares for robotaxis and other autonomous vehicles.
As Trump Phases Out FEMA, Is It Time to Flee the Floodplains?
With less federal funding available for disaster relief efforts, the need to relocate at-risk communities is more urgent than ever.
With Protected Lanes, 460% More People Commute by Bike
For those needing more ammo, more data proving what we already knew is here.
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.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)