Maryland
Baltimore Red Line Gets Green Light in $1.5 Billion Transportation Spending Plan
A new 14.1-mile light rail project through downtown Baltimore is among the 17 projects to be funded by Maryland's recent gas tax increase, Governor Martin O'Malley announced this week.
Cities and States Most Impacted by Early Deaths from Air Pollution
An MIT study finds 200,000 early deaths per year in U.S. are attributed to air pollution. The biggest source is vehicle tailpipes at 53,000. Most impacted state: California; most impacted city: Baltimore.
Is New Urbanism Best Suited to the Suburbs?
25 years after development started on Gaithersburg's model New Urbanist community Kentlands, Dan Malouff surveys the movement's impact on America's development patterns. He argues its products are more necessary in less-urban environments.
Foreclosures Surge in Maryland, as Second Wave of Housing Crisis Crashes
The housing crisis is alive and well in Maryland, as a second wave of foreclosures inundates the state. Though thousands of residents may be forced out of their homes, experts are confident the properties "will be snatched up quickly."
Maryland Seeks Private Investor for Transformative Transit Project
Flush with revenue from higher gas taxes, Maryland is moving ahead with plans for a 16-mile light rail line connecting the state's dense D.C. suburbs. It's seeking a private partner to help it construct and operate the planned Purple Line.
Has the Oldest African American Neighborhood Been Unearthed in Maryland?
Could 'the Hill' neighborhood in Talbot County, MD predate New Orleans' Treme as the nation's oldest continuously inhabited black community? That's what archaeologists are trying to find out in the back yard of the local women’s club.
Meet the Man Who Will Shape Maryland's Transportation Patterns for Decades to Come
With $4.4 billion in additional revenue expected to be generated from a new gasoline tax over the next six years, Maryland's new transportation secretary will have a historic role in shaping the state's transportation and land use patterns.
D.C.'s Gridlock Has Improved; What Can Be Done to Sustain Recent Gains?
Recent studies report a noted decrease in traffic congestion in the D.C. area. Robert McCartney credits two trends and asks how the area should spend additional transportation revenues that will be generated by recent tax increases.
What's Being Done to Keep D.C. Affordable?
Across the D.C. metro area, the supply of market-affordable apartments has dropped dramatically over the past decade as the region's economy has boomed. Nonprofit groups and local governments are working to improve affordability.
Studying the Psychology of Sacred Green Spaces
Over 20 years, the TKF Foundation has funded the creation of dozens of “green refuges from the stresses of modern life”. With $4.5 million in funding for six new projects, they’re out to prove the physical and psychological benefits of such spaces.
With Improvements, Baltimore Seeks to Steal D.C.'s Thunder...and Residents
The last decade has brought tremendous growth and prosperity to Washington D.C., but it's neighbor to the north hasn't been so blessed. Planned infrastructure improvements are intended to lure new residents to Baltimore's cheaper cost of living.
Maryland County Seeks to Spur TODs by Fast-Tracking Approvals
Prince George's County will streamline the review process for developers who build around public transit stations, writes Miranda S. Spivack. The bill could speed up the approvals process by as much as a year.
Bike Helmet Safety Not What We Thought It To Be
According to Jim Titus, two federal government agencies will withdraw their claims that bike helmets are "85% effective".
How the Best Laid Smart Growth Plans go to Waste
Since the 1990s, Maryland has been at the forefront of Smart Growth planning at the statewide level. However, a new study shows that the state's incentive-based approach may not be adequate for inducing the changes envisioned by planners.
Empowering Youths Key to Improving Baltimore's Inner Harbor
An innovative planning project engages Baltimore's youth in developing concepts for making the city's Inner Harbor an enjoyable place for tourists, shoppers, and teens.
Trend Watch: Swapping Gasoline Excise Taxes for Wholesale Sales Taxes
The D.C. Council is going the way of neighbors Virginia and Maryland by approving new wholesale sales taxes on gasoline and diesel. In it's budget approved on May 22, the council swapped the current 23.5-cent excise tax for a new 8.3% fuel tax.
D.C. Suburbs Squeezed by Federal Budget Cuts
After a decade of phenomenal growth driven by security and stimulus spending, recent cuts to the federal government's budget are being felt throughout D.C. As office vacancies fall nationwide, they're rising in the Washington area.
Dream of Suburban D.C. Light Rail a Nightmare to Local Residents
At an open house organized to update the public on plans to build a 16-mile light rail line linking spurs of D.C.'s subway system in suburban Maryland, planners' visions of smart growth where seen as a developer-driven nightmare by local residents.
Vermont Gas Tax Increases on May 1
Vermont became the third state this year to legislatively increase its gas tax when Democratic Gov. Peter Shumlin signed the bill on April 29 that raises the gas tax by 5.9-cents and the diesel tax by 2-cents on July 1 and 1-cent next year.
Gas Stations Get Guzzled as D.C.'s Suburbs Densify
Reflecting a nationwide trend, gas stations across the Washington D.C. metro area are disappearing, as rising land values and shrinking margins have station owners eager to sell.
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.
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
