Massachusetts
Outdated State and Federal Road Design Rules Hinder Freeway Removal
Although some cities are in favor of removing or reducing urban freeways in favor of more walkable spaces, guidelines like the 11-year-old MUTCD still encourage a 'throughput at all costs' mentality.
Proposed Law Would Open Beach Access in Massachusetts
It's harder to access the ocean in Massachusetts than any other coastal state in the country, but that could soon change.
How Free Fares Could Benefit Bus Drivers
Free transit would reduce boarding times and improve working conditions for bus drivers, the 'frontline workers' responsible for fare collection and enforcement.
Boston to Leverage Private Developers for a New Climate Resiliency Fund
It's going to take a lot of funding to build the infrastructure to protect coastal cities from rising seas as climate change takes hold. The city of Boston is starting to experiment with revenue sources that can fund the necessary improvements.
Acting Mayor Pulls Boston's Downtown Harbor Plan
Intrigue continues for waterfront development plans in Boston and nearby cities.
Post-Pandemic Traffic: Easier Morning Commutes, Heading for Afternoon 'Peak Spreading'
The Boston Globe recently published an analysis of Boston-area traffic through the pandemic, finding that congestion is finally recovering to pre-pandemic levels, but in new patterns.
COVID-19, AIDS, and CDC Guidance
Music critic Joel Rozen pens a unique perspective for Slate's "Coronavirus Diaries" on the Provincetown, Massachusetts cluster that prompted the CDC on July 27 to reverse its masking guidance for the fully vaccinated issued a month earlier.
Delta Variant's High Transmissibility Prompts CDC to Issue Masking Correction
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, acting on new data that it had yet to publish, changed its masking guidance on July 27 to reflect the prevalence of the virus in specific counties rather than basing it on a person's vaccination status.
Community Land Trusts: Combining Scale and Community Control
Pitting the straw men of scale and community control against one another does the field more harm than good.
Defining the 'Community' in Community Land Trusts
As community land trusts take root and expand, they face numerous questions on how to stay communally-focused while their geographic scope grows.
Greater Boston Considers Relaxing ADU Rules as Housing Shortage Deepens
Cities in the region want to increase flexibility for homeowners who want to build 'granny flats' on their property.
MassDOT Seeking Funding for Bike-Pedestrian Bridge, Bus Lanes, and Policing
The commonwealth of Massachusetts is seeking federal funding for several high-profile projects.
Northeast Corridor Improvement Plan Would Speed Up Rail Connections
The proposal would fund over 150 projects aimed at improving passenger rail service and speeding up travel times.
What Will Cambridge's New Affordable Housing Overlay Do?
The policy is aimed at reducing the cost of building affordable housing and helping affordable housing developers to better compete on property acquisitions.
Opinion: Massachusetts Should Prioritize 'Shovel-Worthy' Projects
When distributing new federal funding, state leaders should ensure that selected projects are aligned with the state's climate resilience goals.
How to Improve Bus Service and Performance on Busy Corridors
A new report collects the lessons and best practices of several years of bus priority projects in the Boston region.
Nantucket Residents Pass on More Stringent Regulation of Short-Term Rentals
A recent Nantucket Town Meeting resolved a long-simmering controversy regarding short-term rentals.
Transitional Housing Project Rejected Due to Parking Concerns
The nonprofit developer of a transitional housing project in Dorchester, Massachusetts argues that most residents of the proposed project won't own cars, but neighbors worry the added density will put a strain on local parking.
The Thinking Behind Cambridge's Affordable Housing Overlay
A podcast discussion with Cambridge Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui details how and why the Massachusetts city become a planning trendsetter by adopting an Affordable Housing Overlay earlier this year.
Opinion: Regional Growth Requires Regional Planning
To avoid the pitfalls of disconnected, car-centric suburbs, local governments must proactively plan for sustainable development in growing areas.
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.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS)
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
City of Cambridge
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
