Infrastructure

More Improvements Coming for Octavia Boulevard in San Francisco

The street that benefitted by one of the most high-profile and successful freeway removals in the country is due for another makeover.

April 15, 2015 - Hoodline

MARTA Launches Planning Effort for Northern Extension of the Red Line

A plan in the earliest possible stages of outreach and environmental review would extend the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority's existing Red Line north of Atlanta farther into Fulton County.

April 15, 2015 - ATL Urbanist

'Hooray' for a Six Cents Gas Tax Bill in Missouri

This St. Louis Patch-Dispatch editorial analyzes the legislature as well as the bill to raise gas taxes two-cent a year for three years, taking aim at Republican House members who will be "automatic no votes." Illinois may also increase its gas tax.

April 15, 2015 - St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Smartphone car

Boston Parking Meters to Get Smart

Over the next two years, Boston will replace its old parking meters with new ones connected to the internet. With this groundwork in place, pay-by-phone parking is the next step.

April 14, 2015 - BetaBoston

Parking Sign

Book Review: Before 'Park' Became a Verb

With so much to learn just by reading a Wall Street Journal book review of "Bike Battles: A History of Sharing the American Road" by James Longhurst, history professor at University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, imagine what's to learn by reading the book.

April 13, 2015 - The Wall Street Journal

Seattle Streetcar

New Seattle Streetcars Begin Tests

The First Hill line's streetcars are set to begin service in summer of 2015, and the city is already assembling funds for an extension.

April 13, 2015 - Capitol Hill Times

NYC Subway Construction

Why Are New York Transit Projects So Expensive?

Going back to Robert Moses, New York City has a history of underestimating the price of major construction projects. Inflated infrastructure costs are prompting stakeholders to seek out root causes.

April 13, 2015 - Capital

Woman on Transit

How Planning Can Reduce the Threat of Gender Violence

A piece from Anchorage, Alaska discusses problems that can arise when planners don't address gender-based safety. Walkable, populated, well-lit streets and transit are the best remedy.

April 12, 2015 - The Arctic Urbanophile

Rooftop Solar Panels

Seattle Eco-District Fosters Green Development

In a bid to knit sustainability into large-scale community development, Seattle's Capitol Hill EcoDistrict is exploring several avenues toward greener land use.

April 12, 2015 - ASLA The Dirt

Counties Seek State Aid as Drought Deepens in Oregon

California's drought is getting all the press, but much of Oregon is in the fourth year of drought, with this year now qualifying as "exceptional drought."

April 10, 2015 - The Oregonian

Bike Share on San Francisco Peninsula in Jeopardy

Palo Alto may be one of America's most bike-friendly small cities, but when it comes to bikeshare, it's been a flop. It's not alone—ridership has been low in Mountain View and Redwood City as well.

April 10, 2015 - Palo Alto Online

Subway Tunnel

Federal Dollars Still Erasing Sandy's Footprint

Subway restoration and resilience efforts depend for a large part on federal relief. South Ferry Station, still new when the storm hit, will basically be rebuilt from scratch.

April 9, 2015 - Second Ave. Sagas

First Mexico-U.S. Rail Crossing in a Century Almost Complete

Governing details a historic new infrastructure addition across the Rio Grande in Texas. The railroad crossing required a massive coordinated effort—just on the U.S. side of the border.

April 9, 2015 - Governing

Movement on the Walk Score Leaderboard

The newest rankings of the most walkable cities in the United States, courtesy of Walk Score, contains a few surprises along with its standard annual recognition of New York City.

April 9, 2015 - CityLab

Management, Not Technology, Will Solve California's Drought

It should come as no surprise that Eduardo Porter, who writes the Economic Scene column for The New York Times, is not enamoured by technological silver bullets like desalination as ways for California to survive it's four-year plus drought.

April 9, 2015 - The New York Times - Economy

Complete Street Vancouver

Florida Backs Miami Complete Streets Initiative

The Florida DOT has approved Miami's plan to rework busy Biscayne Boulevard. In the spirit of Complete Streets, vehicle lanes will be reduced and pedestrian/bike spaces expanded.

April 9, 2015 - Miami Today

Los Angeles Releases Ambitious 'Sustainable City Plan'

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti has ambitious plans to modernize the city. This week his administration laid out a sweeping sustainability agenda on matters of critical importance to the future of the nation's second largest city.

April 9, 2015 - Los Angeles Daily News

Visioning Edges in Cities, and the Spaces Beyond

In an inspirational essay about the undeveloped boundaries of the public domain (such as street-ends), Chuck Wolfe urges innovation in city spaces where we "blend the familiar with the edge of the unknown."

April 9, 2015 - The Huffington Post

Preservation and Revitalization in Latin America

Urban city centers have been decaying for years in Latin America, however, with renewed interest by Latin American governments, these city cores are once again being revitalized. Arup Connect spoke with urban design leader Pablo Lazo to learn how.

April 8, 2015 - Arup Connect

Controversial Propane Export Terminal Moves Forward in Portland

The city of Portland is considering a propane export terminal project for the Port of Portland. The export terminal is just one of many energy export facilities under consideration in the Pacific Northwest.

April 8, 2015 - KUOW

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.