The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Metro Bus

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.

March 18 - WAMU

People on Bikes and Pedestrians

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.

March 18 - The New York Times

Seattle APA National Conference

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.

March 18 - American Planning Association

Ontario, Canada

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.

March 17 - The Star

Transportation Network Companies

Lyft, Uber Suspend Shared Rides

Ride-hailing companies are responding to the coronavirus pandemic with actions that can protect both drivers and riders.

March 17 - Smart Cities Dive


National Parks

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.

March 17 - High Country News

Shipping San Francisco Bay

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."

March 17 - San Francisco Chronicle


Lafayette BART

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.

March 17 - The Mercury News

Boston Parking Meter

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.

March 17 - Cincinnati Business Courier

Foothill Transit

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.

March 17 - Federal Transit Administration

New York Construction

Planning Stops in New York City; Same for Construction in Boston

Planning and building the future will have to wait.

March 17 - NYC Planning

Montgomery County

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.

March 16 - Michael Lewyn

Coal Railroad

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.

March 16 - Los Angeles Times

Boston Subway T

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.

March 16 - The Boston Globe

Hoboken vanity plates

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."

March 16 - Insider

Townhouses

Gentrification Architecture—It’s Baffling

Critics say the design of homes that come with gentrification is too often uninspired, incompatible, and downright ugly.

March 16 - The Texas Observer

Downtown Cincinnati, Ohio

'Economic Mapping' to Help Regional Planning

Identifying potential hubs and activity centers allows regions to foster economic growth and density.

March 16 - The Avenue (Brookings)

Montgomery County Residential Homes

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.

March 16 - WAMU

Public Meeting Speaker

The 'Garbage Language' of Planning

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

March 16 - Strong Towns

Bogota, Colombia

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.

March 15 - Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning

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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.

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.