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Los Angeles Breaks Ground on Purple Line Subway Extension


The long awaited groundbreaking for work on Los Angeles’s Purple Line Extension commenced. The project is expected to open in 2023.

November 8, 2014 - The Source

Tailoring Bikeshare for Underserved Communities

As discussed on Longbeachize by Brian Addison, a new movement in Long Beach is working to make bikesharing more accessible for marginalized communities.

November 6, 2014 - Longbeachize

Pasadena Ditches 'Level of Service' Review for Multi-Modal Measurements

Pasadena got out in front of the state of California this week by replacing "level of service" with a more holistic, less car-centric, set of standards for review under the California Environmental Quality Act.

November 6, 2014 - Boyonabike!

Los Angeles Considering Diagonal Crosswalks

With a plan to add diagonal crosswalks at several intersections in Los Angeles on the table, will the recent shift toward pedestrian friendly streets be enough to make the idea stick?

November 6, 2014 - Los Angeles Times

Competitors File Suit Over San Francisco's Airbnb Legislation

The already controversial law enabling Airbnb in San Francisco will head to court, as a competitor believes the city has granted Airbnb an unfair advantage.

November 6, 2014 - SFGate

Campaign 2014 Results: Bay Area Transportation, Land Use, and Soda Tax Measures

Votes exceeded the two-thirds threshold to pass two vital transportation funding measures in San Francisco and Alameda counties. In Berkeley (which passed the nation's first soda tax) and Menlo Park, voters resoundingly reject anti-growth measures.

November 6, 2014 - San Francisco Chronicle

Campaign 2014 Results: Transportation, Energy, Conservation Measures

We've covered a wide variety of ballot measures that appeared on the Nov. 4, 2014 ballot. While the media has focused greatly on Congressional and gubernatorial outcomes, we'll look at the results of the state and local measures we've covered here.

November 6, 2014 - T4America Blog

Santa Monica Pier Parking

Places for Parking, Not People, in Santa Monica, California

After noting the heated rhetoric that surrounds development in Santa Monica, especially during election season, Jason Islas reveals claims of the city's overdevelopment to be true—if we're talking about cars.

November 5, 2014 - Santa Monica Next

Two Proposed San Jose BART Stations on the Chopping Block

Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) officials have sparked a controversy after announcing that they are likely to cut two of the four proposed stations, one in San Jose and one in Santa Clara, from BART extension plans.

November 4, 2014 - San Jose Mercury News

Drilling Bans on Three California County Ballots Today

San Benito and Santa Barbara County voters will decide on fracking ban measures on Tuesday that go beyond the controversial extraction technology by including acidization and "steam flooding." Mendocino County will also have a fracking ban measure.

November 4, 2014 - San Francisco Chronicle

Signs of Recovery? Stockton, California Exits Bankruptcy

Stockton, California symbolized the worst effects of the Great Recession on local governments—not to mention, to some, California's decline.

November 3, 2014 - Governing

Disney Shuttle

Disney's Political Donations Increase as Anaheim Considers a Streetcar

Disney says its supports pro-business candidates for City Council in Anaheim, but some see a proposed streetcar as the connection behind an uptick in the company's local political support.

November 3, 2014 - Orange County Register

Comparing Taxi, Transportation Network Company Fares Reveals the 'Cost of Loyalty'

An app that compares fares across transportation network company platforms reveals several lessons about the state of competition in this new transportation frontier.

November 1, 2014 - Architect This City

Roosevelt Arch

MapStory Traces the Development of the United States

Interested in tracing the development of everything from urban bike lanes to national parks to rocket test sites?

October 31, 2014 - CityLab

New Los Angeles Mayoral Directive on Water Conservation

In an effort to conserve water and prevent the expensive water importation in the future, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti recently published a new directive for city-wide water conservation.

October 31, 2014 - Los Angeles Mayor

New Study Finds California’s Local Streets and Roads In Perpetual Disrepair

The biennial California Statewide Local Streets and Roads Needs Assessment survey found a $78.3 billion funding shortfall over the next 10 years.

October 31, 2014 - PublicCEO

San Diego Rail

Is Racism Behind the Density Debate in San Diego?

A high profile environmental attorney in San Diego called out neighborhood opposition to development that would add density for "selfishness and closet racism."

October 30, 2014 - Voice of San Diego

Struggling Toll Roads Make for Good Investments

In another example of a struggling toll road attracting no shortage of investors, the poor revenue performance of the San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor Agency in Orange County, California has not dissuaded investors, as the returns are high.

October 30, 2014 - The Wall Street Journal

An Outsider’s Perspective On Bicycling In Los Angeles

Stephen Corwin describes a Vancouverite’s experience cycling throughout Los Angeles.

October 30, 2014 - Medium

Plans for a $35 Million Rail-to-Trail Conversion in South Los Angeles

A blighted abandoned rail corridor through South Los Angeles received funding to plan a rail to trail conversion. Can residents compel officials to complete the sorely needed open space facility?

October 29, 2014 - KPCC

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.