United States

Summertime Ethanol Restriction Lifted to Help Corn Farmers—But at What Cost?
President Trump made good on his promise last October to lift the E15 ban in time for the summer driving season. Not mentioned by the Des Moines Register are the downsides to allowing the higher ethanol blend to be sold during the summer, e.g., smog.

Friday Funny: Scathing Satire of Anti-Development Rants at Public Hearings
A new satirical essay for McSweeney's provides a template for NIMBY opposition to planning and development, and does not pull any punches in the process.

The Housing 'Migration Chain' That Results From Upzoning
A new working paper adds another perspective to the debate about easing zoning regulations to address the affordable housing crisis.

On the Massive Carbon Savings of Gentle Density
A thought experiment compares the carbon impact of three new single family homes with the same block if it contained a duplex, a triplex, and a fourplex.

Doubt Cast on Induced Demand for Housing
Applied to roads, the theory of induced demand says new construction only brings out more users. But can something similar be said of housing? According to this research, the likely answer is no.

Study: A McMansion Can't Buy Happiness
As houses grow and households shrink, many Americans have a lot more space to themselves. But recent research says they aren't any happier trying to keep up with Joneses.

The Case for Upzoning
The parallel crises of pollution and housing affordability require denser zoning of land uses, otherwise known as upzoning, according to this article.

Beyond YIMBY: Racism and Finance in the Housing Crisis
Upzoning without addressing speculation and finance could exacerbate the housing crisis for the nation’s most vulnerable communities, a professor of urban planning warns.

New Opportunities for First Ring Suburbs
Cincinnati’s first ring suburbs have gone through a pattern of boom and bust, but civic boosters are focusing on the opportunities of the present day.

Scrutiny for U.S. DOT Secretary Elaine Chao's Entangled Interests
The results of two recent investigations allege questionable ethical practices by U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, connected to the secretary's family shipping business and marriage to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

Which Cities Have the Most Breweries Per Capita
A new study reveals with cities have the most beer to go around.

Cities on the Verge of a Housing Crisis
This analysis of the largest metropolitan areas in the country reveals high housing prices spilling over into many parts of the country not located on the coasts.

Corps of Engineers Faces Criticism for Flood Management
Recent heavy rains and flooding have put the the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the defensive about its flood control policies and procedures.

When the Autonomous Vehicles Come, Will Cities Be Ready for Them?
A study about planning for AVs shows that most cities are not actively working to prepare for them and officials are worried about the many potential effects they will have on cities.

Ride-Hailing Companies Eye Public Transit Opportunities for the Wrong Reasons
Uber and Lyft say they want to improve public transit, but the focus on profit could have serious consequences.

The Generational Warfare of Our Times
If action isn’t taken to address the major issues the nation faces today, younger people will be contending with a lifetime of hardship. But older generations seem mostly to be looking the other way.
Michael Bloomberg Launches $500 Million 'Beyond Carbon' Campaign
The "War on Coal" is back, in the form of a new grassroots political campaign bankrolled by Bloomberg Philanthropies to decarbonize power generation by targeting existing coal power plants and halting the growth of natural gas replacements.

U.S. Department of Transportation Launches Two New University Transportation Centers
The University of South Florida and Washington State University were chosen as the locations for new University Transportation Centers (UTCs) over 51 competitors. There are now UTCs at 37 universities.

Overcoming Misconceptions About Disabled Cyclists
Not everyone can ride a traditional two-wheeled bicycle, and it's ableist to assume they can, according to this op-ed. It's time to consider adaptive cycling as a crucial tool for providing access to mobility.

The Return of Suburbanization
The "back to the city" movement of the past decade or so could prove to be the outlier, as Census data shows population growth slowing in the biggest cities while suburban areas lead population growth in more metropolitan areas.
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