Illinois

Mississippi River Missouri

Polluted Chicago Water Travels Over 1,000 Miles and Wreaks Havoc in the Gulf

An algae bloom in the Gulf of Mexico has resulted in an oxygen-starved area the size of Massachusetts. Part of the problem is sewage runoff flowing south from Chicago.

June 22, 2019 - Chicago Tribune

Road Maintenance

The Case Against Aldermanic Control of Infrastructure Spending

Chicago’s alderman have control of millions of dollars of street resurfacing "menu money" for local projects. Inspector General Joe Ferguson argues that money would be better spent in a coordinated effort.

June 21, 2019 - Chicago Sun-Times

Chicago Commuter Rail

Op-Ed: Metra Expansion May Encourage Sprawl

The $45 billion transportation bill approved by the Illinois Legislature ended up including more public transit funding than it originally offered, but a Kendall County Metra project raises questions.

June 20, 2019 - Streetsblog Chicago

Proterra Electric Bus

Debating the Merits of Hydrogen and Batteries for Buses

To switch to fully electric bus fleets, transit agencies can invest in batteries and hydrogen fuel cells. Both have their advantages.

June 19, 2019 - Governing

Street Design

Op-Ed: Good Design Isn't Just for Downtowns

Richard Driehaus attests to the importance of intentional, context-oriented design on the neighborhood level.

June 16, 2019 - Crain's Chicago Business

Southside Chicago

Many Contender Sites for Chicago Casino

The decision about where to locate a new casino project depends on competing goals—to maximize revenues or bring jobs and development to neighborhoods that need them.

June 13, 2019 - Chicago Tribune

Surveying

Private Golf Courses Closing in Chicago's Suburbs

Failing golf courses pose a choice for cities that can use tax dollars to turn them public or put the land to use in other ways.

June 12, 2019 - Crain's Chicago Business

O'Hare Blue Line

O'Hare Tunnel, Proposed by Elon Musk, Looks Dead on Arrival in Chicago's New Political Regime

Advocates are relieved Elon Musk's proposal to build a new subterranean connection to O'Hare is dead, but still disappointed at the wasted brainpower and public funding devoted to the idea.

June 9, 2019 - Chicago Sun-Times

Dakota Access Pipeline

Dakota Access Pipeline Owners Win Eminent Domain Appeal in Iowa Supreme Court

The Iowa Supreme Court affirmed a lower court ruling that found that the Iowa Utilities Board was justified in giving the private owners of the Dakota Access Pipeline the use of eminent domain. Climate change was considered in the ruling.

June 6, 2019 - Des Moines Register

Springfield, Illinois

To Fix Roads, Bridges, and Public Buildings, Illinois Decides to 'Think Big'

First-term Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker succeeded in building support for his $45 billion, "think big" capital investment agenda in the Illinois State Legislature.

June 4, 2019 - Chicago Tribune

CTA Chicago

The Many Nicknames for Chicago's Elevated Railway

The el/El/L debate has never been resolved, but the CTA says its usage is the correct one.

June 1, 2019 - Chicago Magazine

Music Row

Endangered Historic Places of the United States

The National Trust for Historic Preservation today announced its list of the 11 most endangered historic places in the country.

May 30, 2019 - National Trust For Historic Preservation

Utility Meter

How Much Should Electric Vehicles Be Charged in Lieu of Gas Tax?

Currently, electric vehicles pay a $17.50 annual registration fee in Illinois. A bill to double the 19 cents per gallon gas tax, unchanged in almost 30 years, would also increase the EV fee over 57-fold to $1,000.

May 28, 2019 - Chicago Tribune

Chicago Informal Economy

State Supreme Court Upholds Food Truck Regulations in Chicago

A question of whose business is suppressing whose in the city of Chicago was decided by the State Supreme Court.

May 24, 2019 - Chicago Tribune

Chicago Mayor

Evaluating the Planning and Development Record of Rahm Emanuel

Mayor Rahm Emanuel came into office in Chicago from the Obama White House. Before a new takes office mayor, on May 20, Curbed looked back at Emanuel's track record on matters related to planning.

May 19, 2019 - Curbed Chicago

Chicago Flooding

The Threat of Urban Flooding in Chicago

Chicago residents living in low-lying parts of the city dread the rainfall that too often brings flooding.

May 18, 2019 - Chicago Tribune

Chicago Street

Design Thinking Needs a Broader Perspective

A design-focused study of mode choice doesn’t consider the many ways people interact with and travel through urban environments.

May 15, 2019 - City Observatory

Digital City

Smart Cities Should Also Be Inclusive and Accessible Cities

The Inclusive Innovation Playbook provides guidance about how to create smart cities without leaving anyone behind.

May 10, 2019 - Smart Cities Dive

South Suburban Airport

New Airport Proposed for Chicago Suburbs Has Supporters and Doubters

Questions raised by a proposal to build a new airport 37 miles south of Downtown Chicago: Does the region even need a new airport? And would this particular airport proposal serve to induce more sprawl in the region?

May 9, 2019 - Chicago Tribune

Flooded Chicago River

Bolstering Urban Resilience in Chicago

The city’s resilience plan seeks to identify shocks and stresses while fostering equity and community.

May 6, 2019 - Next City

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.

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.