The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

The Case for Upzoning
The parallel crises of pollution and housing affordability require denser zoning of land uses, otherwise known as upzoning, according to this article.

Private Golf Courses Closing in Chicago's Suburbs
Failing golf courses pose a choice for cities that can use tax dollars to turn them public or put the land to use in other ways.

NYC Planning Head Defends Growth-Oriented Policies
Acknowledging anti-development sentiments currently simmering at an "all-time high," New York's planning director Marisa Lago defended de Blasio administration policies like mandatory inclusionary housing.

Following a Failed Referendum, Nashville Transit Advocates Regroup
Last spring, voters resoundingly quashed Let's Move Nashville, a $5.4 billion plan to build out the city's transit options. The plan paid too little attention to current riders, advocates say, and they aim to do things differently.

Yosemite Shuttles Reportedly Crowded and Unsafe
The popular park's shuttle buses are intended to ease traffic and get people out of their cars. But critics say management and maintenance of the shuttle system leave much to be desired.

Cracked Beams Repaired, S.F.'s Transbay Transit Center Ready to Reopen
Buses and people will soon return to the Transbay Transit Center, which operated for just over a month at the end of 2018 before structural flaws forced the closure of the facility for inspections and repairs.

ADU Reform Moves Forward in Seattle
A sweeping reform of Seattle's current accessory dwelling unit (ADU) rules is currently underway. Proposed legislation sets the stage for an ADU boom to potentially match Vancouver and Portland.

Beyond YIMBY: Racism and Finance in the Housing Crisis
Upzoning without addressing speculation and finance could exacerbate the housing crisis for the nation’s most vulnerable communities, a professor of urban planning warns.

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Do Denser Neighborhoods Have Safer Streets?
Erick Guerra of the University of Pennsylvania writes about a recent article he co-authored in the Journal of Planning Education and Research

New Opportunities for First Ring Suburbs
Cincinnati’s first ring suburbs have gone through a pattern of boom and bust, but civic boosters are focusing on the opportunities of the present day.

Scrutiny for U.S. DOT Secretary Elaine Chao's Entangled Interests
The results of two recent investigations allege questionable ethical practices by U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, connected to the secretary's family shipping business and marriage to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

Which Cities Have the Most Breweries Per Capita
A new study reveals with cities have the most beer to go around.

Cities on the Verge of a Housing Crisis
This analysis of the largest metropolitan areas in the country reveals high housing prices spilling over into many parts of the country not located on the coasts.

DART Sets Its Sights on Automated Buses
The Dallas-area transit agency is partnering with other agencies to study driverless buses and their role in the future of transit systems.

Corps of Engineers Faces Criticism for Flood Management
Recent heavy rains and flooding have put the the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the defensive about its flood control policies and procedures.

Expanded Solar Capacity Means Supply Exceeds Demand for Solar in California
California is setting records for the amount of solar energy it can’t use, but this cushion might be a good thing: it means the state won’t need to depend as heavily on fossil fuels as a stopgap.

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Automobile Dependency in Action
These examples illustrate how biased planning favors longer-distance, motorized travel over shorter, active, affordable, energy efficient, less polluting, and healthier travel options, and sprawl over compact infill development. It's time for reform.

A Bikeshare Showdown Between Uber and Lyft
Lyft may soon not be the sole bikeshare operation in San Francisco as the city looks to expand the system and open the market up to other companies.

When the Autonomous Vehicles Come, Will Cities Be Ready for Them?
A study about planning for AVs shows that most cities are not actively working to prepare for them and officials are worried about the many potential effects they will have on cities.

Ride-Hailing Companies Eye Public Transit Opportunities for the Wrong Reasons
Uber and Lyft say they want to improve public transit, but the focus on profit could have serious consequences.
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