The state’s transportation agency will be required to prioritize multimodal transportation infrastructure and improve transparency.

Among the many bills signed by California Governor Gavin Newsom last week is the state’s first Complete Streets law, reports Melanie Curry for Streetsblog California.
“S.B. 960 requires Caltrans to prioritize road improvements for pedestrians, bike riders, and public transit users whenever it performs maintenance or does road work. That can include sidewalks, bike lanes, bus-only lanes, comfortable and accessible public transportation stops, frequent and safe crosswalks, median islands, accessible pedestrian signals, curb extensions, narrower travel lanes, and more.” The law also calls for a “more transparent decision process” when local governments want to make safety improvements on state-managed roads, a move sometimes blocked by state agencies.
In addition to pedestrian and bike infrastructure, the bill requires Caltrans to develop a plan for prioritizing public transit, which “should make infrastructure like bus lanes and protected bus stops easier and faster to build.”
Curry notes that the law “still offers Caltrans ways to avoid doing the work that's needed,” and that local advocates must remain vigilant.
The article details another new law, AB 2086, that requires Caltrans to conduct a financial analysis of its California Transportation Plan. “Right now, this plan, which lays the groundwork for the state's future transportation system, is an ‘aspirational’ plan without any solid discussion of funding sources - nor of where current funding is being spent or could be better spent.”
FULL STORY: Governor Newsom Signs Complete Streets Bill

Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing
Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?

Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?
Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?

Research Shows More Roads = More Driving
A national study shows, once again, that increasing road supply induces additional vehicle travel, particularly over the long run.

Gary, Indiana to Expand Transit Service, Bike Share
The city plans to launch a bike share system in April and expand service on its bus routes.

Pittsburgh Rolls Out Electric School Buses
Pittsburgh Public Schools has launched its first electric school buses, with plans to fully electrify its fleet over the next 14 months, aiming to create a cleaner, more sustainable transportation system supported by new charging infrastructure.

Concrete to Community: A Schoolyard Makeover in West Philly
With guidance from the Trust for Public Land, third graders at Overbrook Elementary are leading the redesign of their asphalt schoolyard into a vibrant green space, learning valuable skills and creating lasting community impact in the process.
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.
City of Moreno Valley
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland
Newport County Development Council: Connect Greater Newport