Illinois

Wild Detroit

$3.2 Million Bid for 6,000 Foreclosed Properties in Detroit Auction

Karin Weise reports that an anonymous bidder will pay $3.2 million to purchase 6,000 foreclose homes in Detroit.

October 27, 2014 - Business Week

Progress for Cook County's Long Range Transportation Plan; Funding Questions Remain

Chicago's home county this year launched its first transportation since 1940. Initial outreach efforts have produced a draft vision statement and four planning scenarios.

October 21, 2014 - Chi.Streetsblog

Mobile Phone-Enabled Train Tickets Coming to Chicago's Metra

Mobile phones are doubling for tickets onto airplanes and into concerts all over the world. Why not commuter trains too?

October 19, 2014 - Chicago Tribune

Chicago Considers Raising Parking Taxes to Pay for Potholes

In need of 80 additional employees to keep up with the city's pothole repair deficit, Mayor Rah Emanuel is proposing that the city raise taxes parking.

October 15, 2014 - Chicago Sun-Times - Politics

Chicago's Red Light Camera Mess Now Features Yellow Lights

After switching vendors on its red light camera program last spring, the city of Chicago has had difficulties enforcing tickets (and thus, traffic laws) because of fluctuating times for yellow lights.

October 14, 2014 - Chicago Tribune

Chicago Cubs Begin Renovations on Historic Wrigley Field

The controversial 1060 Project to renovate the Home of the Chicago Cubs broke ground over the weekend on a renovation proposal that will allow a mix of uses on the ballpark property.

October 13, 2014 - Chicago Tribune

Chicago's First Shared Street Planned for Uptown's Argyle Street

Following one failed attempt at a similar plan, a popular neighborhood for shopping will soon become a shared street project. The effort is part of a trend in Chicago looking for ways to transform streets into pedestrian friendly destinations.

October 7, 2014 - Chicago Tribune

Political Winds Could End 'Black=Urban'

Pete Saunders examines the urban base of African-American politics since the Civil Rights and how recent trends in urbanization will require a restructuring of political agendas in cities all over the country.

October 6, 2014 - The Corner Side Yard

State Funding Sends Divvy Bikeshare to the Suburbs

Divvy—Chicago's popular bikeshare system—is expanding to farther flung areas of the metropolitan area, thanks to state funding approved by the governor.

September 30, 2014 - Chicago Tribune

Great Lakes Leaders Call for Drinking Water Protections

In light of August's drinking water catastrophe in Toledo, Ohio, Great Lakes mayors gathered this week to call for policy action to protect water resources round the Great Lakes.

September 25, 2014 - Chicago Tribune

Report Details Shortcomings in Chicago's Transportation System

In many ways, Chicagoland's transportation system is the envy of other American cities, but a new report says that lack of coordination and fragmented authority costs the area in economic development potential.

September 19, 2014 - Chicago Tribune

First All-Electric Garbage Truck Hits the Road in Chicago

The first and only all-electric garbage truck in North America gets rolling in Chicago, working on residential refuse and recycling routes.

September 18, 2014 - PR Newswire

110-mph Talgo Trains Headed to Michigan [Corrected]

If the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) approves the order, two Wisconsin-manufactured Talgo train sets will reduce travel times from Detroit to Chicago by as much as two hours while significantly increasing on-time performance.

September 17, 2014 - The Detroit News

Proposing a New Model for Regional Stratification: 'The New Donut'

Aaron Renn presents a new model for conceptualizing the health of the many layers of communities that make up metropolitan regions, namely the "new donut."

September 16, 2014 - Urbanophile

Criticism for Chicago's Lucas Museum Planning Process

Chicago won the opportunity to house the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, proposed for a location at Chicago's Museum Campus. But critics are gathering with questions about how the museum will fit into the city's fabric.

September 14, 2014 - Chicago Tribune

Transit Oriented Development Ordinance in Chicago Saves Space and Money

A recently adopted ordinance allows developers to build significantly fewer parking spaces for projects in proximity to transit stations. Developers have already responded to the advantages offered by the reduced requirements.

September 11, 2014 - The Architect's Newspaper

Chicago Bronzeville

Mapping the Shrinking Neighborhoods of Chicago

Daniel Kay Hertz shares a map tracking the population of neighborhoods in Chicago since 1950, providing insights into how the city has changed.

September 9, 2014 - City Notes

Survey Finds Chicago Drivers Failing to Yield for Pedestrians

A study finds that most drivers disregard for the rights of pedestrians to cross the road. Visual cues, however, provided by street design, greatly increase the likelihood that drivers will yield.

September 8, 2014 - Chicago Tribune

Citi Bike Rack

The United States' Top Large City for Biking Is...

Portland (top city in 2012)? Minneapolis (top city in 2010)? No, it's the Big Apple! New York City leaped from #7 in 2012 to the top spot this year for cities with populations of 100,000 or greater.

September 8, 2014 - StreetsBlog NYC

Does Chicago Have the 'Divvy Blues'?

A recent article details some of the complaints about the lack of reach and bikes in Chicago's growing and popular Divvy bikeshare system.

September 5, 2014 - RedEye

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.