California

California High Speed Rail Breaks Ground Today in Fresno

The long-beleaguered California High Speed Rail project will have a historic moment today, January 6. The media's coverage of the event indicates the yet-to-be-determined future of the project.

January 6, 2015 - Los Angeles Times

Bill Fulton Charts a Path for San Diego's Urban Evolution

William Fulton pens a column for the U-T San Diego assessing the city of San Diego's transition from suburban to urban after 18 months on the job as planning director.

January 6, 2015 - U-T San Diego

Streetsblog Presents 'Streetsie Awards' for the Best and Worst of Transportation

Tanya Snyder writes of the results of the 2014 "Streetsies Awards," based on the votes of Streetsblog readers.

January 5, 2015 - Streetsblog USA

Sunshine State Overtakes Empire State as Third Most Populous State

William H. Frey, Brookings Institution demographer, writes on the latest Census Bureau demographic data. California and Texas remain number one and two respectively. New York had 19.7 million residents on July 1, 2014, Florida 19.9 million people.

January 4, 2015 - Brookings

A Case Study of San Francisco's Evolution—at 10th and Mission

San Francisco Chronicle Architecture Critic John King dives into the economic and planning dynamics behind the remarkable transformation of 10th and Mission in San Francisco.

January 3, 2015 - The San Francisco Chronicle

How the Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust Gets the Job Done

In a city of increasingly scarce land, the Los Angeles Neighborhood land Trust has a track record of ushering community gardens and other public health resources in low-income communities.

January 2, 2015 - Seedstock

Surveying California's Recent Environmental Accomplishments

Jon Christensen and Mark Gold survey the environmental accomplishments of the Los Angeles region as well as the state of California over the course of the past year.

December 31, 2014 - LA Observed

Want an Electric Vehicle but Live in an Apartment?

Two companies have teamed up to provide solar-powered, electric vehicle charging with battery storage in 68 apartment buildings in San Francisco. They will rent spaces for charging by tenants. Roofs will also be rented and covered with solar panels.

December 31, 2014 - San Francisco Chronicle

The Da Vinci vs. Slow-Baked Cities

Josh Stephens writes in CP&DR that the recently burned Da Vinci apartment complex will have successors that also turn their backs on surrounding streets—but cities can and should do the difficult, slow work of fostering more inclusive design.

December 30, 2014 - California Planning & Development Report

Belden Place

Four Cities Making the Most of Alley Spaces

Urbanful examines four cities making the most of scare public spaces by reactivating their alleys with programming and pedestrian-friendly designs.

December 30, 2014 - Urbanful

Op-Ed: Time for the Bay Area to Embrace Regional Planning

An op-ed by the San Francisco Chronicle's editorial board takes cues from London's regional transportation planning efforts in an argument supporting regional planning for the San Francisco-San Jose Bay Area.

December 29, 2014 - San Francisco Chronicle

San Fernando Valley Playing Catch Up in the Los Angeles Transit Boom

Dakota Smith reports that the Los Angeles transit renaissance is leaving the political leadership in the San Fernando Valley feeling left behind.

December 29, 2014 - Los Angeles Daily News

Polk Street Bikes

Is America's Best Bike Lane Overrated?

The SF Examiner reports on America's top-rated bike lane, as rated by People for Bikes. The protected contraflow lane runs from Market Street to Grove Street, all of two blocks; only one block in opposite direction is separated

December 27, 2014 - San Francisco Examiner

Critical Support for New NBA Arena Proposal in San Francisco

After controversy derailed an earlier plan by the Golden State Warriors to build a new arena at Piers 30-32 along the Embarcadero in San Francisco, a new plan at a new location has made progress toward completion.

December 26, 2014 - San Francisco Chronicle

Mapping America's Toy Manufacturing

All those toys under the Christmas tree came from somewhere.

December 25, 2014 - The Washington Post

Los Angeles Lacking Data to Support Bike Infrastructure Investments

Los Angeles has added hundreds of miles of bike routes in recent years, but the local paper of record identifies a lack of data as contributing to ongoing discord from drivers who feel like they're being pinched by bike lanes.

December 24, 2014 - Los Angeles Times

Downtown Cincinnati

The Role of Stadiums in Urban Revitalization

Los Angeles Dodger Senior Vice President of Planning and Development Janet Marie Smith reflects on her efforts to breathe new life into downtowns through sports stadiums.

December 23, 2014 - The Planning Report

Last Minute Gift Ideas for the Plannerd in Your Life

For those searching for gifts for the "plannerds" in their life, Los Angeles County planner Clement Lau comes through with some ideas sure to bring good tidings.

December 22, 2014 - UrbDeZine

Busy Crossing Street

Big Cities Make Pedestrian Safety a Priority

New data released Dec. 19 by NHTSA shows increased safety for those traveling by car, but pedestrian fatalities are 15% higher than in 2009. Plans by San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago to increase ped safety are described by the WSJ.

December 22, 2014 - The Wall Street Journal

San Francisco Chronicle Takes a Deep Look at Gentrification in the Mission

A feature series by the San Francisco Chronicle explores the challenges of gentrification at what some might consider ground zero of gentrification in the San Francisco Bay Area—the Mission.

December 22, 2014 - San Francisco Chronicle

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.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.