The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Adams Morgan District

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.

June 12 - Greater Greater Washington

Surveying

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.

June 12 - Crain's Chicago Business

Hudson Yards, New York City

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.

June 12 - Crain's Business New York

The Transit Agency formerly known as the Nashville MTA

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.

June 11 - TransitCenter

Yosemite Shuttle

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.

June 11 - San Francisco Chronicle


San Francisco Transbay Transit Center

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.

June 11 - San Francisco Chronicle

Accessory Dwelling Unit

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.

June 11 - The Urbanist


Homeless in New York City

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.

June 11 - The Planning Report

SEPTA Bus Transit

BLOG POST

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

June 11 - JPER

A Community of Brick Suburban Homes on a cloudy summer day

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.

June 11 - WVXU

Elaine Chao

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.

June 11 - The New York Times

Small Town Craft Brewery

Which Cities Have the Most Breweries Per Capita

A new study reveals with cities have the most beer to go around.

June 11 - The Oregonian

Denver Region

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.

June 11 - 24/7 Wall St.

DART Bus

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.

June 10 - Dallas News

Flood

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.

June 10 - The New York Times

Urban Solar Power

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.

June 10 - Los Angeles Times

Protected Bike Lane

BLOG POST

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.

June 10 - Todd Litman

Ford GoBike

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.

June 10 - Streetsblog USA

Self-Driving Cars

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.

June 10 - CityLab

Uber Car

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.

June 10 - The New York Times

Post News

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.