United States
The First Four Months of 2015 State Gas Tax Increases
Transportation for America makes it easy to keep track of the seven states that have passed legislation to raise, or stem the fall of, gas tax revenue, with an in-depth look at how the first state, Iowa, increased fuel taxes.
FEMA to States: Want Disaster Mitigation Funds? Then Plan for Climate Change
A policy adopted earlier this year and due to go into effect next March would require states to plan for climate change before they are eligible to receive grant funding to plan for disasters.
California Drought Watch: Residential Builders Fear Moratoriums
Home builders fear bans on connections of homes to water systems, issued from the state and cities, will increase next month when Gov. Jerry Brown's new water mandates take effect June 1.
Why Is American Passenger Rail So Far Behind?
In a segment for WNYC, journalist Simon van Zuylen-Wood discusses Amtrak's current status as a "national embarrassment." Decades of lackluster investment, he argues, make it difficult to prove demand in the first place.
Remembering Urban Renewal on Jane Jacobs's Birthday
Some think of May 4 as Star Wars day, others remember May 4 as the birthday of Jane Jacobs. Charles Marohn suggests that May 4 should now be known as "Urban Renewal Remembrance Day."
Study Finds New Evidence that Place Determines Income Mobility
A new study by Harvard economists provides the best evidence yet that where children grow up matters to the outcomes of their lives.
Making Room for Skyscrapers in the Jane Jacobs Debate
A Market Urbanism op-ed makes the case for high-rise neighborhoods as an integral part of successful cities—even if some Jacobs fans tend to overlook the benefits of such parts of town.
Older Oil Tank Rail Cars Face Three-Year Deadline to be Replaced
Following up on last month's emergency rule addressing trains speeds, the Transportation Department issued new rules addressing tanker car standards, long thought to be one of the most important factors contributing to fiery oil tank car explosions.
Report: E-Cigarette Use Triples Among Teens
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 13% of high school age students used e-cigarettes in 2014, up from 4% in 2013. Regulation is being developed, but health effects and related tobacco usage implications are not clear.
Has Alternative Transportation Received Too Much Attention?
Joseph Stomberg of Vox has initiated a series of articles on commuting in America, the first based on the issues explaining the domination of the auto, the second on the debate about the driving decline associated with millennials.
'Missing Middle Housing' Website to Fill the Gap Between Supply and Demand
Opticos Design, Inc., the Berkeley-based urban planning and architecture firm has launched a new website dedicated to the missing middle of the housing market.
The Difficult Task of Creating Topophilia
The Project for Public Spaces celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, spanning a seismic shift from modernist planning and urban decay of the 1970s to the urban resurgence and focus on smart growth of today. PPS's Ethan Kent reflects.
Study Compares Natural and Hybrid Infrastructure Options for Coastal Protection
As coastal communities look for new ways to build resilience, they'll need to consider options such as the natural and hybrid systems compared in a new study by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
APA and CNU Get on the Same Page
American Planning Association Executive Director Jim Drinan and Congress for New Urbanism President and CEO Lynn Richards made a video announcing a new era of partnership between the two organizations.
Federal Gas Tax Index 'Dead on Arrival' Warns House Majority Leader
The "Bridge to Sustainable Infrastructure Act" does not appear sustainable to Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), citing gas prices of $3.20 per gallon in his district in Bakersfield. A year ago, the average price in California was $4.26.
American Lung Association Releases Annual 'State of the Air' Report
The 16th annual State of the Air report includes everyone's favorite tool for putting the achievements of cities and metropolitan areas in perspective: rankings.
Is the Road Usage Charge the Future of Road Funding?
"The road usage charge is the logical evolution in the way we fund surface transportation," stated Patrick Jones, Executive Director of the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association at their annual transportation conference in Portland.
Focus on Affordability at APA National Conference
For all the discussion about affordable housing at the APA National Conference in Seattle last week, clear solutions have yet to emerge. Polycentric regional planning is one long-term goal.
Sun Belt Remains Destination of Choice for Migrants
Census Bureau data indicates that the shift to Sun Belt suburbs is still the majority preference. Turns out warmth, jobs, and affordable housing are a powerful triumvirate.
Study: More Than Income, Race Influences Neighborhood Standards
Although income inequality receives plenty of coverage these days, research suggests that neighborhoods of color have less access to resources than white neighborhoods despite similar median incomes.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
One Hundred Miles
County of Mendocino
planning NEXT
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
Montrose County
Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA)
The Pocatello Development Authority
