Infrastructure

How Planners Are Helping Build Healthy Food Infrastructure in Boise

The Idaho Plan4Health Coalition is exemplifying the role of planning in improving public health outcomes connected to healthy food and nutrition.

October 15, 2015 - Plan4Health

Sleep Train Arena

Financing Finally Complete for the NBA Arena of Sacramento's Dreams

Sacramento's parking revenues will pay for the city's share of the arena construction loan.

October 13, 2015 - Sacramento Bee

California Adopts One of Nation's Highest Renewable Energy Mandates

Gov. Jerry Brown signed stripped-down legislation that sets a target for the state of generating 50 percent of electricity from renewable sources by 2030 and doubling energy efficiency standards in buildings by the same year.

October 13, 2015 - SF Gate

Dallas

Dallas' CityMAP Project Looks to Reimagine Downtown Connectivity

Local officials, planners, and other civic leaders have joined together to look at how the city can bring neighborhoods split by freeways back together again.

October 13, 2015 - The Dallas Morning News

Charger Rage Hits Electric Vehicle Country in California

All is not copacetic in the Bay Area's EV community. An apparent shortage of electric vehicle chargers is causing incidents where EV owners disregard proper 'charging etiquette' and unplug the charger from other EVs to charge their own vehicle.

October 12, 2015 - The New York Times - Science

SunRail Phase II Receives $93.4 Million FTA Grant

Florida's SunRail commuter rail received a $93.4 grant from the Federal Transit Administration to extend the 61-mile line. The grant will cover half the capital costs for the 17.2-mile extension from Orlando to Osceola County.

October 11, 2015 - Federal Transit Administration

Connecticut Gov. Malloy Picks Sides in the Highway Widening Debate

Connecticut Governor Dan Malloy sees potential benefits in economic development and congestion reduction in a pair of highway widening proposals in his state.

October 10, 2015 - WNPR

From the Bridge to Nowhere Files: Florida's West Bay Parkway

An examination of the proposed plan for the West Bay Parkway in Florida reveals many holes, a wasteful project, and the need for more accountability in transportation planning.

October 10, 2015 - Center for American Progress

D.C. Turns Poop to Power

No, the title does not refer to Congress, it is meant to be taken literally: It is about the District of Columbia's sewage treatment plant that produces renewable energy by treating its biosolids with a new hydrolysis technology imported from Norway.

October 10, 2015 - The Washington Post

Transportation Formula: Increase Gas Tax, Then Fix Roads and Bridges

The Idaho Department of Transportation wasted no time in doing what they promised after the legislature passed a seven-cents gas tax and registration fee increase in April: repairing roads and bridges with the new funds the state split with cities.

October 9, 2015 - KTVB

Ambitious Subway Agenda Endorsed by Transportation Secretary Foxx

When San Francisco Supervisor Scott Wiener proclaimed last month that his city "should always have a subway under construction," there were many doubters due to the funds required and unlikelihood of federal support. "Aggressive" is good, says Foxx.

October 8, 2015 - San Francisco Examiner

The 'Energy Atlas' of Los Angeles County Lets Planners and Citizens Track Energy Use

"Not knowing which kinds of buildings consume what is like not being able to gauge differences between a diesel truck and a hybrid car."

October 7, 2015 - CityLab

The Salt Lake City Recipe: Remove Parking, Add Bike Lanes, Watch Sales Increase

A new study of the benefits of a bike lane project in Salt Lake City adds to the body of work suggesting that complete streets overhauls are a good investment for both the public and the private sectors.

October 7, 2015 - People for Bikes

Report Grades California's Rail Stations on Neighborhood Service

A report by Next 10 takes the form of a scorecard for six light and heavy rail networks. Rail that serves existing urbanized areas scored the highest.

October 7, 2015 - Los Angeles Times

Seattle Transit

Major Transit Service Improvements in Seattle

Late last month, the final phase of Seattle's Prop. 1 went into effect, bringing across-the-board improvements to bus and train frequency.

October 7, 2015 - Seattle Transit Blog

Parking Sign Blue

Portland Seeking the Right Price for New Permit Parking

With several Portland neighborhoods adding overnight permit parking, the city will be tackling the issue of how to price the new permits.

October 7, 2015 - Bike Portland

9 Dams Breached in South Carolina Flooding

The state of South Carolina is struggling to deal with a catastrophic sign that all of the warnings about the state of the nation's dams and bridges have gone unheeded for too long.

October 6, 2015 - CNN

First West Coast LNG Export Facility Gets Critical Federal OK

On Sept. 30, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved the final environmental impact statement for a contentious $7.5 billion Liquefied Natural Gas export facility, pipeline, and power plant in Coos Bay, Ore. More approvals are still needed.

October 6, 2015 - Portland Business Journal

Lawns and Suburban Homes

Let the Lawns Go

According to one Dallas suburbanite, the American lawn is a "decadent and unsustainable totem[s] of middle-class prosperity."

October 6, 2015 - Dallas Observer

The Dallas City Councilmember Standing Up for Pedestrians

A hearing on pedestrian infrastructure in Dallas—which is proving exceptionally deadly this year—reveals the sharp political divide on how to make streets safe for walking.

October 5, 2015 - The Dallas Morning News

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

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.