United States

Waymo Wants to Provide a 'Self-Driving Vehicle Tailored to Every Trip' (So Why Not Buses?)
Automated vehicle tech frontrunner Waymo is teaming up with Jaguar to offer a luxury self-driving vehicle for "car lovers." Why not partner with bus manufacturers to offer self-driving buses for city lovers?

Elon Musk Company Closes in on Chicago's Airport Express
The announcement of the finalists to build the O'Hare Express has critics even more concerned about the project's viability.

L.A. Metro’s Homeless Outreach Teams Report Back
The transit agency's year-long experiment with homeless services has placed 19 people in permanent housing and spurred hopes of expanding the program.

Calling for a New Approach to Flood Mitigation
The American Planning Association was one of 14 national organizations to sign a letter of support for S.1507, which would partner states and the federal government in providing low-interest loans for stormwater infrastructure projects.

Houston Controller Finds Fault with Key Economic Development Program
A new report finds that Houston might not be holding private partners accountable for promised infrastructure improvements.

Outcomes of the Federal Highway Program: Inequality and Polarization
It's a vicious cycle: highways enable white flight, establishing a power base for a political party opposed to urban transportation systems.

Omnibus Spending Bill Expands Low Income Housing Tax Credit
Missed among the coverage of the federal Omnibus Bill on Friday of last week: a long-awaited expansion of the Low Income Tax Credit.

National League of Cities to Study State Preemption of Local Laws
The mission of the National League of Cities is to advocate for cities—and the organization is now gathering evidence to push back on growing amount of state preemption of local control.

A Call to Broaden the Definition of 'Real Planning'
Deland Chan, a lecturer in the Urban Studies program at Stanford University and co-founder of the Stanford Human Cities Initiative, makes the case for a bigger tent for planners and planning.

As Climate Shifts, Cincinnati Mayor Boosts Solar Investments
The Ohio city recently announced a plan to build the nation's largest municipally owned onsite solar array. The plan builds on a decade of increasingly ambitious climate action.

Energy Demand and Carbon Emissions Increased in 2017, Just Not Everywhere
The International Energy Agency found that China and India were responsible for 40 percent of the increased energy demand. The biggest decrease in carbon dioxide emissions came from the U.S., largely due to increased use of renewables.

The Legacy of Housing Discrimination Still Haunts Minorities
The practice of redlining was outlawed in 1977, but its effects have been indelible.

The American Eviction Epidemic
According to a new report, a U.S. "eviction epidemic" is connected to a growing number of homeless people.

How One Lake Erie Town Got Free Waterfront Property for Public Use
Clear communication and a fair trade let Euclid, Ohio begin to rethink its lakefront—and its future.

Houston's Latest Stormwater Project: 'Massive, Underground Tunnels'
The most recent post-Harvey proposal would mean the city could endure enormous rain events, but so far it's not clear who would pay for it.

Study Finds Rampant Distracted Driving
A study by Zendrive examines how many U.S. drivers can't put down their phones.

The Winning Pitches From SXSW's Civic Tech Event
Mayors chose these winners based on their potential to benefit local governments and communities.

Surface Parking Lots Making Way for Higher Uses
Are the urban revival and the future of mobility already rendering parking lots obsolete? Chicago provides a case study of a new generation of skyscrapers rising were cars once parked.

Feds Streamline Approvals for 5G Infrastructure
Most deployment of 5G "small cells" won't get any resistance from federal regulations.

Self-Driving Cars' Most Likely Future: Shared 'Robotaxis'
In the wake of a high-profile (and fatal) accident involving an autonomous Uber car, the safety debate is trending. But the broader economic picture still points to a future of shared driverless rides.
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