Texas
Texas Legislation Would End Federal Funding for Transit
SB 1048, proposed by Senator Bob Hall (R-Rockwall), levels an unprecedented attack on transit in Texas. Although it's probably an extreme example of dead-on-arrival legislating, it's notable that an elected official would consider such a proposal.
Cause of Crude-by-Rail Explosions Identified
The Wall Street Journal's senior energy reporter, Russell Gold, is interviewed on NPR about the February 16 derailment and explosion in West Virginia of an oil-train hauling 109 tanker cars of Bakken crude from North Dakota.
'Center for Opportunity Urbanism' Think Tank Launched in Houston
A new think tank to promote suburban growth has been established in Houston by arguably the media's highest-profile supporters of suburban growth.
Austin Master Plan to Transform Municipal Cemeteries
Could it be that places for the dead might be a new source of urban innovation? Austin provides an example of new thinking regarding urban resting places.
Dallas Residents Gather for a 'Festival of Ideas'
A huge crowd braved un-Texas-like weather this weekend in Dallas to participate in the "Festival of Ideas." The Dallas Morning News hopes the citizens of Big D will keep up their momentum in working to improve their city.
California Turns Toward the Sea for Drought Relief
The Wall Street Journal examines desalination efforts on the Central and South Coasts, starting with the reactivation of a Santa Barbara plant. Notwithstanding criticisms on costs and environmental damage, eight plants have been built since 2006.
Texas Legislators Eye Motor Vehicle Sales Tax For Road Money Grab
Once again, rather than increasing the state's 20-cent gas tax (29 percent below the national average of 28-cents), policy makers seek to divert revenue to the state's ailing highway fund at the expense of the state's general fund.
Dallas: City of Renters
The explosive growth of the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area in recent years has mostly gone toward rental housing, and now the area has one of the lowest homeownership rates in the country.
How Austin Paved Paradise and Put up a Parking Lot
A local blogger takes umbrage with claims that Austin's density is causing its traffic problems. The obvious problem with that argument: Austin is 68% as dense now as it was in 1950.
Does New Urbanism Have a Racial Problem?
In two parts, NPR's City Project examines Austin's premier mixed-use urban village built on the 700-acre site of the former Robert Mueller Municipal Airport which relocated in 1999. Part 2 is about racial tensions that have surfaced in the community.
Houston Approves Transit System Reimagining Plan
Jarrett Walker shares the news that the city of Houston gave final approval to overhaul its public transit system, including the implementation of a frequent network grid. The changes are expected to be complete by August 2015.
Unaffordable, Growing Cities Lag on New Housing Permits
Stephen Smith follows up on an earlier report of New York City housing permits with a report on the entire metropolitan area. Included for comparison are the numbers of housing permit filings for metropolitan areas around the country.
Fast Train To Big D
Many citizens in independent-minded Texas may not like the idea of spending $10 billion on high speed rail. Backers in Dallas, though, have begun to dream up big plans for a station area to serve Texas Central Railway.
Dallas' New Suburban Developments Have an Urban Feel
Looking for evidence of the resurgence of suburban developments? Look no farther than the suburbs of Dallas and Fort Worth, says a recent column in the Dallas Morning News.
Political Power Coalesces around I-345 Teardown Proposal in Dallas
The politics of urban highways will play out in Dallas in the coming years. A new political action committee, the Coalition for a New Dallas, will push for I-345 between downtown and Deep Ellum to be torn down.
Renters Predominate in Low-Cost and High-Cost Cities
A report by New York University’s Furman Center found that renters made up the majority of households in nine of the 11 largest cities in the U.S. in 2013, up from five in 2006. The demand is straining the supply of rental housing.
Proposed Dallas High Speed Rail Station Hopes to Attract Game-Changing TOD
The Dallas Business Journal provides in depth coverage on the current planning efforts behind two proposed high-speed rail station locations in Dallas.
New Research Maps Transit Poverty
New research provides sorely needed tools for illustrating the neighborhoods that suffer a lack of transportation options to access jobs and opportunity.
Parks—or Playgrounds for Billionaires?
New York may be the most famous example of the parks becoming the most conspicuous signifiers of neighborhoods for the haves, versus the have-nots, but Inga Saffron hopes that cities everywhere can find ways to even the playing fields.
Will Plummeting Gas Prices Threaten Recent Transit Ridership Gains?
As gas prices have fallen, driving has increased. October driving mileage figures show an increase of 3 percent from a year earlier. A shift away from public transit may cause transit providers to rethink expansion plans.
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 Mt Shasta
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
