As the largest council of governments in the country adopts a $525 billion transportation and land use plan for the next two decades, Josh Stephens marks the beginning of Southern California's age of climate-friendly, smart-growth regionalism.
This week, the 83 members of the Southern California Association of Governments' general assembly unanimously adopted the organization's 2012-2035 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) and Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS), "a roadmap to welcome four million new residents and 1.7 million new jobs into our region by 2035," noted Pam O'Connor, SCAG President.
The RTP/SCS is just the second in the state to be adopted under 2008's landmark climate change and smart growth law, Senate Bill 375, which sets targets for greenhouse gas reduction that each the state's Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) are mandated to meet through integrated long-range land use and transportation planning via sustainable community strategies.
As such, the ambitious and progressive plan "dedicates 54 percent of funding to transit and non-highway options, more than triples the funding for bike and pedestrian projects, and reduces traffic congestion overall and per-capita delay by 24%--despite the addition of 4 million residents in the 6-county region by 2035. It would locate 87 percent of all jobs and 82 percent of all housing within a half mile of rail stations and bus stops. Apartments and condominiums would account for 68 percent of all development, up from 39 percent in the previous plan," reports Stephens.
Read the full story: Southern California Adopts $525 Billion Regional Plan
Regional Planning Paradigm Shift in Southern California
The Southern California Association of Governments, in response to new mandates from the state, has adopted a radical new approach to housing requirements in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties.
A Transit-Oriented Regional Growth Plan
The Vision 2050 plan, which charts the growth for King, Pierce, Snohomish, and Kitsap counties in Washington State, would focus almost all the growth meant to accommodate 1.8 million new residents inside urban areas.
Final Public Comment for Portland Area's $42 Billion Regional Transportation Plan
Oregon Metro's Regional Transportation Plan sets policy and project goals through 2040.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour
If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.
Chicago breaks ground on $3 billion megadevelopment
The new neighborhood, titled Foundry Park, will one day host 3,700 residences.
One of Denver’s busiest corridors to gain BRT
The project will span 18 miles and contain 74 bus rapid transit stations.
275,000 bus trips are at stake on Seattle's ballot
If passed, the Seattle Transit Measure would trigger a 0.3% sales tax and raise an average of $138 million per year to maintain and expand Seattle’s bus services.
Texas may pay Israeli company billions to ease water woes
Texas awarded IDE Technologies the contract for its Harbor Island project, which is slated to become the Western Hemisphere's largest desalination plant.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority