New York
Waterfront District Planned in South Bronx
Bronx borough officials have proposed a $500 million waterfront redevelopment project for a desolate strip between 138th and 149th streets in the South Bronx. The nascent proposal would transform the area while connecting South Bronx to Harlem.
Friday Fun: Build Your Own 'Mini Metro'
It's been available since September 2013, but news of the "Mini Metro' subway layout game recently hit the web. Finally, a test for all those armchair enthusiasts who think they can make the trains run on time.
Port of Albany is a Major Destination for North Dakota Oil
Crude-by-rail from the Bakken shale formation has transformed the sleepy Port of Albany, NY into a major supplier of cheaper crude for East Coast refineries. Jad Mouawad writes two articles on the importance of the port and the dangers from the oil.
Comparing Public Space in New York City and Paris
A recent article examines the ways New York City and Paris support large-scale pedestrian use and support the shared use of public space.
Music to the Subway Rider’s Ears
James Murphy has composed a “Subway Symphony”—a unique set of notes for each station in NYC’s Metro system that would sound when users swipe their fare cards. “The busier a station becomes, the richer the harmonies would be.”
Evaluating Bloomberg’s Massive Rezoning Efforts
While the rezoning of neighborhoods like West Chelsea garnered plenty of attention, less analysis has been devoted to the impacts of zoning changes enacted by the Bloomberg Administration in places like Ozone Park.
More Debate About 'Saving' Rust Belt Cities
The populations of at least a dozen major cities declined by more than ten percent between 2000 and 2010, including Buffalo, Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Detroit. How best to regenerate those “legacy cities” is a matter of no small amount of debate.
Excavations Unlock New York City’s Dramatic Geologic Foundation
A decade of subterranean excavations on the Third Water Tunnel, the Second Avenue Subway, and the Long Island Rail Road’s East Side Access Project has provided geologists with unprecedented access to New York City’s physical structure.
New York Mayor de Blasio Details Vision Zero Traffic Safety Plan
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio gathered Police Commissioner William Bratton and Transportation Commissioner Polly Trottenberg to make the potentially historic policy announcement: the Vision Zero plan, which treats all traffic deaths as preventable.
Using Public Surveillance to Track Pedestrian Congestion
A startup called Placemeter is using public surveillance to track pedestrian traffic in New York City to provide real time information about wait times at services and facilities around the city.
Subway Transfer Signage a No-Go in NYC
A recent guerrilla campaign designed to ease train-to-train transfer on the New York subway displeased both the MTA and regular commuters.
Are Social and Economic Justice Planning Outcomes?
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio appointed Planning Commission Chair Carl Weisbrod while promising planning decisions that produce economic and social justice benefits. The question is to what degree planning can influence those outcomes.
New Study Claims Airbnb Is Fudging Its Numbers
Airbnb, arguably the most famous symbol of the sharing economy, has a court date with the New York State Attorney General in March. Meanwhile, a new report has evidence that Airbnb is fudging its numbers relevant to a key issue in the case.
Friday Funny: A Map for Finding Lost Mittens
It’s Valentine’s Day, and it’s been a long winter in most parts of the country, so in the interest of staying warm and rightful pairs sticking together, here’s a website that lets people map the locations of lost mittens around New York City.
City Visas: The Right Way to Lure Talent?
Should dying cities like Detroit get their own visa programs to attract skilled foreign workers? What about prosperous cities like New York and London?
An Unflattering Look at Transit Accessibility
A newly released series of animated GIFs provides a powerful visualization of how paltry even the most robust transit systems in the world look to those with special needs.
A Discussion About the Post-Gentrification Discussion
“At this point I’m battling gentrification fatigue,” proclaims Dax-Devlon Ross, who has written extensively about his experiences as a self-proclaimed “black gentrifier” in West Harlem.
De Blasio Selects Planning Director
Mayor Bill de Blasio has selected Carl Weisbrod, the co-chairman of his transition team and a veteran New York City real estate executive to be the Chair of the City Planning Commission, aka Planning Director. Housing affordablity will be a priority.
What Makes A ‘Metropolitan Version of Nature’?
Metropolis Magazine examines the 21st century efforts at creating wild places in cities, exemplified by the Buffalo Bayou Promenade in Houston and the Passaic River in Newark.
Massive Swan Kill Planned in New York
“Across millennia [mute swans] symbolized transformation and devotion, light and beauty,” says a recent article in Wired. Not so much in New York City, where the city’s population of mute swans will be reduced to zero to protect other native species.
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.
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
Tyler Technologies
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
