Technology

Scooter Curfew in Effect in Atlanta
A fourth scooter-related fatality has the city of Atlanta taking drastic measures.

California Takes Step Toward Replacing Gas with Electricity in Buildings
Two weeks after Berkeley became the nation's first city to outlaw natural gas lines in new buildings, the California Public Utilities Commission voted to update an old regulation to allow funding for 'fuel switching' from gas to electric appliances.

The Sustainability Challenges of E-Scooters
Scooters have helped diversify the mobility landscape, but companies need to better address the recycling and reuse process and the environmental impacts of defunct devices.

Feds Spend $85 Million on Next Gen Bus Technology
The awardees of the Low-No grant program were announced recently. Only transit systems looking to add hydrogen fuel cells, battery electric engines, and related infrastructure improvement need apply.

AI and the Digital City
Adie Tomer, of the Brookings Institution, writes about the role of artificial intelligence in the new digital age transforming cities.

6 Electric Buses Coming to Atlanta
A federal grant puts Atlanta among the vanguard of cities introducing electric bus technology to the streets.

Uber Lays Off 400 Employees
The massive layoffs represent one-third of Uber's global marketing team.

New York MTA Almost Eliminated WiFi on Buses
The New York City MTA has changed the story, twice, about its plans for little used WiFi service on the city buses.

Top Planning Apps for 2019
Insights into the mobile app technology used in the practice and study of planning.

Study: It's Not Hard to Connect Anonymous Data to Specific Individuals
People have had to take it on faith that data anoymization was adequate to the task of protecting privacy of individuals. Recent research suggests such faith was misplaced.

Advocates Press for Harder Questions While Pittsburgh Experiments With Self-Driving Cars
Five self-driving car companies are currently operating in Pittsburgh, without much critical rigor in asking about the consequences of the technology to the city.

A 20-Year To-Do List for Cities
Predicting the future of challenges facing cities isn't very hard when the future is already staring cities right in the face.

Sidewalk Labs' Quayside Plans Get First Public Hearing in Toronto
The public got its first chance to weigh in on a controversial proposal to makeover a sliver of Toronto waterfront as an ambitious experiment in "smart city" technology.

Once a Surveillance Secret, Palantir Manual Becomes Public
The secret manual for the use of facial recognition and data collection software company Palantir was made public thanks to a FOIA request. It includes instructions on how to find a complete account of a person's movements.

Self-Driving and Electric Vehicles, Over Promised and Under Delivered
The slow progress of autonomous vehicle and electric vehicle technology in gaining widespread traction in the transportation market is casting doubt on the ambitious statements of a few years prior.

Seattle Clean-Air Shelters to Provide Relief to Residents
Wildfires have caused the city’s air quality to plummet in recent years. The new shelters will give residents a break when the air is not fit to breathe.

Tesla’s Renewable Energy Vision—Big Benefits Without Major Lifestyle Changes
Tesla’s fancy cars generate much of the company’s revenue, while its solar energy products are decidedly less flashy.

Reducing Transportation Emissions in the United Kingdom to Net Zero by 2050
Late last month, the UK became the first country to commit to a legally-binding target of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. A new academic research group recommends reduced auto ownership, regardless of how they are powered, to meet the target.

Did You Know? The Census Bureau Offers a 'Statistical Testing Tool'
A tool released last year helps users test the significance of comparisons between American Community Survey estimates.

Tracking the Growth and Competition of U.S. Ride-Hailing Companies
Uber is the most popular ride-hailing company, but Lyft is gaining ground, especially in specific regions around the United States.
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.
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions