Chicago

After the Scourge: Regions Struggle to Sustain Plantlife
The Chicago Region Trees Initiative provides a regional model for planting and protecting a sustainable natural environment in and around cities and communities.

Bruce Rauner's Highway to a Shrinking Chicago
How a proposed expansion of Chicago's I-55 could further disperse Chicago's population.
$8 Billion 'Chicago Bypass' Freight Line Proposed
A private developer is pursuing a proposal that would invest $8 billion in a freight line in the Midwest.

Urban Demographics: The New Elite
Economist Jed Kolko's recent study on how the lack in affordability of cities determines who's moving there, whose moving out, and how these changes are shaping cities and suburbs. His paper is the basis for several articles by leading urban writers.
How High is Too High for Transportation Sales Taxes?
Sales taxes are regressive, but unlike the gas tax, they bear no relationship to transportation. Should a November transportation ballot measure pass, sales taxes in three cities in the county of Los Angeles would exceed 10 percent.
Chicago's 'Current' Initiative: A Public-Private Partnership to Solve Water Challenges
Chicago has set lofty goals to become a leader in the next-generation technology and infrastructure of the global future.
Study: There's Too Much Parking in Chicago
With underground parking spaces costing $37,000 and more to build in Chicago, it might come as a shock that a recent study found much more parking supply than demand around the city's apartment buildings.

Open Data Tool Boosts TOD in Chicago
A "TOD Calculator" developed by a Chicago non-profit promises to deliver quantifiable, digestible data on the community impacts of transit-oriented development.
Chicago Mayor Emanuel Announces Park Plans to a Skeptical Audience
In a much-hyped address earlier this week. Mayor Rahm Emanuel chose the title "Building on Burnham" to describe his survey of the Chicago's ongoing and future plans to develop parks and open space.

Chicago's Never Built Skyscraper—Now a Hole in the Ground and a Pile of Dirt
The high-water marks showing where the last boom broke under the pressure of the Great Recession are still visible in cities all over the country. The Chicago Tribune recently checked on a particularly poignant example in Chicago.

A Black Exodus from Chicago
Black residents of Chicago are leaving for cities like Atlanta in massive numbers—away from the waves of crime tearing apart their hometown.
Accounting for Seasonal Variations in Transportation Mode
People use different transportation systems depending on the time of year, yet transportation planning rarely accounts for this seasonal variation.

Chicago Moves Forward on O'Hare Express
This month, the city of Chicago will choose a team of engineers to brainstorm an express rail line to O'Hare Airport. The plan has come under criticism for diverting future resources away from transit in low-income areas.
Chicago Buys $1.3 Billion in New Rail Cars
The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) will replace half its rail cars by the year 2020.

In Chicago: Faster Trains, Faster Trips
The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) has eliminated 20 miles of slow zones since 2011.

New Tool Accesses Chicago Open Data
OpenGrid gathers together Chicago's open data, letting users specify areas of focus on a map of the city. Users can also overlay different datasets on the same map.
Details of Chicago's Vista Tower—Soon to Be the Tallest Building Designed by a Woman
The Vista Tower is expected for completion in 2020, when it will become the world's tallest tower designed by a woman.
Viaduct Removal Coming to Chicago's Western Avenue
Demolition of the Western Avenue viaduct will begin on March 1. An at-grade intersection will replace the old structure.
Loan Program Provides Gentrification Defense Near Chicago's 606 Bike Trail
That beautiful new bike lane, known as the 606, in Chicago has brought along with it local concerns about gentrification. The city and a local non-profit have teamed up to create a loan program to help current residents stay ahead of the curve.
Mayor Emanuel Pitches Expanded Density Bonuses in Downtown Chicago
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel proposed an expansion of the city's Downtown Zoning District this week. The changes would allow taller buildings in a larger swath of the city.
Pagination
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)