United States

Indoor view of PDX's new massive airport terminal with a wooden beamed roof and skylight.

PDX International Airport’s New Terminal Is a Mass-Timber Marvel

Needing to expand to accommodate 35 million annual passengers by 2045 but constrained by Portland’s urban growth boundary, PDX had to think outside the box when planning its expansion. The result is a case study in sustainability.

September 1, 2024 - Metropolis

A small boxy driverless shuttle pulled up to a curb.

Are We There Yet? AV Shuttles Not Ready for Transit Service, Report Says

According to an assessment of two North Carolina pilot projects, low-speed autonomous shuttles have too many limitations to deploy as a public transit option.

August 30, 2024 - Government Technology

Wheelchair ramp

Los Angeles Reaches $38.2 Million Settlement over Allegations of Defrauding HUD

The City of Los Angeles has settled in a case filed by a whistleblower alleging that it falsely certified homes in its HUD-funded affordable multifamily housing program as accessible by people with disabilities.

August 29, 2024 - Whistleblower Network News

Clpse=up of Uber and Lyft stickers inside a car windshield.

Study: Half of Uber, Lyft Rides Replace More Sustainable Options

A new study out of UC Davis details how ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft impact more sustainable modes of transportation like transit, cycling, and walking from the perspective of user behavior.

August 29, 2024 - UC Davis

Aerial view of a blue bridge over a wide, flooded river in Kentucky.

Are FEMA’s Disaster Assistance Calculations Biased Against Rural Communities?

The federal tool used to inform flood protection spending calculates communities' risk by multiplying expected annual loss in dollars by their risk factor. As a result, many rural areas are classified as “low” risk, despite frequent, severe flooding.

August 29, 2024 - The Daily Yonder

Worker in safety vest and white hard hat installing rooftop solar panel.

Solar Panels Coming to a Self-Storage Facility Rooftop Near You

The sixth-largest self-storage company in the United States will add solar panels to 8.5 million square feet of its facilities’ rooftops to produce community solar power.

August 29, 2024 - Electrek

Cyclist and runner on paved bike and pedestrian path in a park in Boston with fall colors on trees.

Urban Trees Are Vital in an Era of Extreme Heat

Urban trees are essential for cooling public spaces, promoting physical activity, and protecting vulnerable populations from extreme heat.

August 29, 2024 - Medium

Beverly Hills

Beverly Hills Put On Blast for High-Rise Approval Delay

The Newsom administration sent a letter warning Beverly Hills that their failure to process an application for a residential high-rise is a violation of state housing law

August 28, 2024 - LAist

Eviction notice taped to dark grey door with arched window at top.

Lack of Eviction Data Obscures Extent of Affordable Housing Crisis

Court records on eviction filings vary widely and don’t include the outcome and miss informal actions. Without this data, officials don't have a clear picture of displacement of low-income renters and its effect on housing stability.

August 28, 2024 - Robbie Sequeira

Aerial Texas Hill Country at sunset, with an aerial view of a highway interchange and Interstate 35 in Austin, Texas.

Texas Approves Plan that Calls for $104B for Roads and Highways

The latest iteration of Texas’s 10-year unified transportation plan sets a record for highway spending in the state.

August 28, 2024 - Jalopnik

New York City street with some traffic with red brick buildings on either side

Could Permeable Pavement Ease Flooding in New York City?

It can’t help cities control the weather, but by slowing the flow of stormwater, permeable pavement can lessen flooding from big storms.

August 28, 2024 - Valeria Morales

Aerial view of large barns and a massive manure lagoon.

Michigan Court Green-Lights State Regulation of Livestock Manure

A recent court decision has granted Michigan regulators full authority to hold animal agriculture accountable for manure runoff into waterways.

August 28, 2024 - Great Lakes Now

An aerial view of a lock and dam between two waterways with miles of marshes into the background of the image.

New Plan for Lake Okeechobee Targets Toxic Algae

The new Everglades strategy marks a “cultural shift” for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: rather than focusing primarily on flood control, the new plan seeks to balance the needs of the entire watershed, including limiting the spread of toxic algae.

August 28, 2024 - Inside Climate News

Three-story tan motel building with tall palm tree in the background

Oregon Motel Converted into Housing for People Transitioning from Incarceration

Klamath County, Oregon, has converted an old motel and RV park into a sober-supportive housing complex for justice-involved persons — the first of its kind in the state.

August 27, 2024 - Klamath Falls Herald and News

A long pedestrian bridge over a river in the High Falls District with skyline of Rochester, New York, in the backround.

Book Excerpt: Rochester, New York’s Forgotten Subway

Did you know Rochester, New York, once had a subway? This book excerpt tells the story, complete with a custom map, of the only city in the world to build a subway and then close it.

August 27, 2024 - Jake Berman

Flooding

US Department of Energy Announces 10 New Climate Resilience Centers

The Biden administration has awarded $10 million for an additional 10 climate resilience centers as part of the Justice40 Initiative.

August 27, 2024 - Utility Dive

NJ Transit

New Jersey to Cash in $2.4 Billion of Transportation Bonds

The $2.4 billion in New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund Authority bonds will fund infrastructure upgrades, including potential improvements for NJ Transit, which has had a summer of service disruptions, fare and tax hikes, and budget woes.

August 27, 2024 - New Jersey Monitor

Red Light Camera

When States Hinder Local Efforts to Cut Down on Cars

Reducing car dependency is a vital climate goal. Many U.S. cities want to shift trips to other modes, but they're often held back by state governments.

August 27, 2024 - Yale Climate Connections

Multistory apartment building under construction.

Apartment Construction to Break Record in 2024: Which US Cities Will See the Most?

RentCafe predicts new apartment construction will peak in 2024 at 518,108 units before dropping to a 10-year low over the next few years.

August 27, 2024 - Multifamily Dive

Close-up of green and white sign for 1 hour EV charging station outdoors with tall palm trees in background against blue sky.

Feds Allocate $150 Million to Fix and Upgrade EV Charging Ports

Funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Electric Vehicle Charger Reliability and Accessibility grant program will help advance the Biden Administration’s goal to have 500,000 public EV chargers in operation by 2030.

August 26, 2024 - Electrek

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.

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100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.