The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

21 months after Chicago's Infrastructure Trust was launched by Mayor Rahm Emanuel, the program finally has its first approved project. After delays and substantial downsizing, Bank of America will invest $13 million in energy efficiency improvements.

January 23 - Chicago Tribune

Developers are seeking allowances to gut the historic Boyd Theatre in Philadelphia to build an eight-screen movie complex.

January 23 - PlanPhilly

With the launch of a new website, the city of L.A. has begun an exciting experiment in community-based placemaking. The "People St" program will soon accept applications to convert underused street space into plazas, parklets, and bicycle corrals.

January 23 - LA.Streetsblog

Outcry over the potential sale of post offices in Berkeley and the Bronx has prompted those areas’ respective Congressional representatives to seek federal legislation to put the brakes on the Postal Service’s rush to sell historic properties.

January 23 - Washington Post

You've heard of road rage. Electric vehicle drivers at Silicon Valley workplaces where EVs substantially exceed chargers may experience "charge rage" when a "top-off" can take as long as eight hours.

January 23 - San Jose Mercury News

Supporters call a new Dallas ordinance banning protests near freeways a “pro-safety” measure rather than an “anti-protest” measure.

January 23 - Dallas News

Across the Intermountain West, paper plats and half-completed subdivisions are straining budgets and threatening the quality of life. A new report from the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy identifies treatment and prevention measures.

January 23 - At Lincoln House

Oil is now flowing through the southern leg of the controversial Keystone pipeline. The southern pipeline is still the subject of a number of lawsuits, and the northern portion of the pipeline is pending approval from the State Department.

January 23 - Washington Post

BLOG POST

The best solution to many transportation problems is to improve transport system diversity so travelers can choose the best option for each trip. This requires more comprehensive and multi-modal planning. Not everybody is ready.

January 23 - Todd Litman

After a decade of phenomenal growth and transformation, a survey of D.C. residents reveals widespread agreement on neighborhood improvement, but also concern that the changes are only benefiting the city's affluent residents.

January 23 - The Washington Post

The developers of a transit-tracking app have some for exciting news for public officials: There's a way to improve transit rider satisfaction without reducing fares, buying new vehicles or expanding service. Just give your users more information.

January 22 - The Atlantic Cities

The American Planning Association has announced the 18 Excellence Award and 10 Achievement Award winners for 2014. The selections for the Planning Pioneer and Planning Landmark awards are likely to generate some discussion.

January 22 - American Planning Association

Street furniture like benches, garbage cans, and bike racks are found in every city. But not all street furniture is created equal—new technology is redefining street furniture as the smart devices that run efficient cities.

January 22 - Woodhouse

Washington Senator Patty Murray has proposed federal legislation to protect a broad swatch of land adjacent to Olympic National Park as part of the “Wild Olympics” campaign. The legislation is opposed by logging interests.

January 22 - KUOW

In Los Angeles’s Boyle Heights neighborhood, some locals are benefiting from public-space improvements as part of the Eastside Access project. But many nearby streets and sidewalks are sorely neglected.

January 22 - LA Streetsblog

A closer look at the number of Ellis Act evictions indicates that the controversial law that allows property owners to evict rental tenants might be more of a symptom of San Francisco’s housing problem, rather than the problem itself.

January 22 - San Francisco Magazine

A new study reveals two findings on air pollution spewing from China's coal-burning factories. First, the pollution blows to the U.S and other nations. Second, 20% of the pollution can be traced to Western demand for cheap goods from those factories.

January 22 - Los Angeles Times - Science Now

A federal bankruptcy judge’s rejection of a deal between Detroit and its creditors will stall the City’s access to casino funds it needs to restore services and speedily exit bankruptcy. In the big picture, however, the decision may benefit Detroit.

January 22 - Reuters

After peaking in 2007, new research shows that the rate of vehicle ownership in the U.S. took a dive over the next five years. Researchers argue the growth in car-free households suggests the country has surpassed peak motorization.

January 22 - DC.Streetsblog

The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments recently approved a Regional Transportation Priorities Plan that focuses on improving existing systems. A lot of planning remains to decide which projects get built.

January 22 - Washington Post