Planners are hard at work in a unique corner of the city of Philadelphia—the Far Northeast.
Jake Blumgart reports on the new draft district plan for the Far Northeast in Philadelphia.
"The proposal focuses on making three key areas in the auto-centric area more pedestrian friendly. These include the two regional rail stations on the West Trenton line, Forest Hills and Somerton, and on an older corner of Bustleton near Pennypack Park," according to Blumgart's summary of the plan.
As Blumgart explains, the Far Northeast is one of the few parts of Philadelphia that was developed after World War II, so it's marked by less pedestrian infrastructure and density than the rest of the city.
The plan focuses much of the vision of the district plan on a Town Center proposal for the Busleton section of the Far Northeast, which Blumgart describes in detail. Also included in the district plan are proposals to remake the area's two regional rail stops.
FULL STORY: District plan aims to make Far Northeast more pedestrian friendly

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

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

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Bend, Oregon Zoning Reforms Prioritize Small-Scale Housing
The city altered its zoning code to allow multi-family housing and eliminated parking mandates citywide.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

LA Denies Basic Services to Unhoused Residents
The city has repeatedly failed to respond to requests for trash pickup at encampment sites, and eliminated a program that provided mobile showers and toilets.
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.
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