United States

Transit Agencies Struggling to Predict Ridership, Even as They Raise Fares
At transit agencies like D.C, Metro, bad ridership projections beget bad fare scheduling which begets bad budgets. And so on.

In Appreciation of Gentle Density
How does one talk about density without frightening people? One term that's floating around is "gentle density," referring to the missing middle between mid-rise and detached homes.
Survey Finds Surprising Generation Trends in the Real Estate Market
Generation X is barnstorming the market, so to speak, and Millennials and Baby Boomers might be swapping their perspectives on the urban, suburban divide.

Popular Energy Star Program on The Budget Chopping Block
As details emerge from the Trump Administration's draft budget proceedings, more programs of relevance to the planning profession are queued up for the chopping block. The budget is still far from a done deal, however.

Making It Easier to Build Won't Help
Here are some observations that may shed light on the mystery of why—despite creating every incentive that planners can conceive—we are failing to produce affordable housing at the level we need.

Friday Fun: A Song Inspired by the Crosswalk Signal
Turn it to 11.
Civil Engineers Release U.S. Infrastructure Scorecard: D+
Every four years the American Society of Civil Engineers issues a report on the state of America's infrastructure, extensively cited by the media. This year's report, released March 9, shows no improvement over 2013's, but do check the subcategories

Los Angeles' Iconic Angels Flight Railway To Utilize P3 Model
After appearing in the film La La Land, the world-renowned, iconic, 116-year-old Angels Flight will reopen to the public after a three-year modernization process.

Taco Bell Making a Run for the Urban Border
Popular millennial-focused chain plans to open up to 200 locations of a new urban-focused concept serving craft beer and fresh, upscale food.

Trump Administration's Draft Budget Raises New Concerns About Data Collection
President Trump has made no secret of his disdain for many of the traditional data points used to represent the health and prosperity of the country. The budgetary process offers an opportunity to match words with action.

Electric Vehicle Fees: Where's the Controversy?
Some may find it silly to get worked up over an annual fee of about $100 to pay for road maintenance when electric vehicle purchasers receive a $7,500 federal tax credit, on top of generous state perks, but electric vehicle supporters object to them.

Trump Administration Budget Draft Could Cut HUD Budget, Planning Grants, More
The Washington Post has a big scoop about the early draft of the Trump Administration's budget for the Department of Housing Urban Development.

Incentives and Non-Traditional Strategies Solving Common City Problems
Small reminders and suggestions can add up to big changes for cities that "nudge" citizens.

Rust Belt Cities Shouldn't Demolish Their Way to the Future
In a piece for CityLab, Richey Pipparinen argues that trigger-happy city officials need to slow down their push to demolish homes.

A Design-Focused Reading List for International Women's Day
A reading list inspired by International Women's Day delves into subjects like "empathy in design to the challenge of defining diversity."

Sun Belt Sprawl Might Not Be Forever
Will sprawling cities stay sprawled? Starting in their downtowns, some Sun Belt behemoths are embracing denser, more walkable forms.

U.S. Conference of Mayors Lobbies for Federal Infrastructure Funding
The devil is in the details, as they say. That will be especially true as Congress and the Trump Administration decide how to allocate infrastructure spending around the county.

Legal Loophole Will Allow Rollback of Fuel Efficiency Standards
On Tuesday, the Trump administration anticipates unraveling two signature Obama environmental regulations: fuel efficiency standards for model year 2022-2025 light-duty vehicles and beginning the undoing of the Clean Power Plan.

What If We Stopped Considering Housing an Investment?
If Americans viewed housing as what it essentially is, a consumable good, solutions to our ongoing affordability crisis might just present themselves. And we'd probably loosen a lot of land use regulations.

Target to Enter the Urban Market in Big Way to Boost Lagging Sales
The Minneapolis-based retailer is thinking big by betting on a small store and the urban revolution.
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Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont