The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Backlash for Bus Service Cuts Proposed by D.C. Metro
A debate about how to more efficiently operate the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority's bus service is underway.

Bikes Gain Popularity as People Ditch Subways and Buses
Bike counts and bike share rides are increasing in two of the country's largest cities as commuters look for transportation modes that allow for physical distancing.

2020 National Planning Conference Canceled
A sad day for the planning profession, as the American Planning Association makes the hard, but necessary decision to cancel the 2020 National Planning Conference.

Advocates Warn of Unintended Consequences From Proposed 'Renovictions' Law in Ontario
The province of Ontario is considering a new law to strengthen tenant protections, but advocates say the law will have the exact opposite of the intended effect.

Lyft, Uber Suspend Shared Rides
Ride-hailing companies are responding to the coronavirus pandemic with actions that can protect both drivers and riders.

Cell Towers: Coming to the National Parks
With the Trump administration's support, private industry is busy building new broadband infrastructure on public lands. The effect is already obvious in many national parks.

Bay Area Ordered to Shelter in Place
Six Bay Area counties have taken drastic action to curb the spread of the deadly coronavirus. "Please read this Order carefully. Violation of or failure to comply with this Order is a misdemeanor punishable by fine, imprisonment, or both."

Controversial 315-Unit Housing Plan Again Moving Forward in Lafayette
Planetizen has been tracking the development proposal for the Terraces of Lafayette in California since 2015. The saga isn't over yet.

Free Parking as a Restaurant Business Incentive During Coronavirus
As restaurants and other local retail businesses ponder how to stay open as people stay at home and social distance for the foreseeable future, parking regulations will likely be reevaluated—they already are in Cincinnati.

Federal Transit Administration Expands Emergency Relief Program
The federal funding formula for capital costs attached to the coronavirus pandemic will change in states that have declared an emergency.

Planning Stops in New York City; Same for Construction in Boston
Planning and building the future will have to wait.

BLOG POST
How We Got Here
In "A History of Street Networks," Lawrence Aurbach discusses the intellectual movements driving the growth of suburban-style street design.

Mountain Coal States vs. West Coast Cities
A legal battle is being waged between the coal-exporting states of Utah, Wyoming, and Montana and coastal cities in California, Oregon, and Washington that pits the power of local land-use authority against the protection of interstate commerce.

Transit Agencies Begin Service Changes for Coronavirus Response
Public transit agencies are responding to declining ridership during the Coronavirus outbreak by reducing service. But the right balance between safe, reliable, and sustainable will be hard to calibrate in these difficult times.

Hoboken First U.S. City to Shut Down Restaurants and Bars and Issue Curfew
Restaurants and bars shut down on Sunday due to the coronavirus. On Monday, a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew becomes effective. According to a Harvard University public health expert, "Hoboken probably is the model we all need to move towards now."

Gentrification Architecture—It’s Baffling
Critics say the design of homes that come with gentrification is too often uninspired, incompatible, and downright ugly.

'Economic Mapping' to Help Regional Planning
Identifying potential hubs and activity centers allows regions to foster economic growth and density.

Why Is Housing in the D.C. Area So Pricey? It’s the Land
It’s not "luxury" factors that make housing in Washington, D.C., extremely expensive.

The 'Garbage Language' of Planning
The language we use as planners can serve many purposes and often hinders good communication rather than fostering it.

10 Land Use Policies to Address Social, Economic, Environmental Challenges
The Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning (ACSP) and the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy recently recognized ten land use case studies for addressing some of the biggest challenges facing the world.
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