The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Lisbon Tourism

Fostering Global Tourism Without Destroying Cities

More people than ever are traveling, but cities around the world are struggling to keep up. A new declaration aims to balance the benefits and challenges of tourism.

April 13 - Reuters

Cobblestones vs. Bike and Pedestrian Improvements Controversy in Brooklyn

Improving streets in Sunset Park by removing cobblestones and aging train tracks has created a controversy between historic preservation and the need for safe bike and walking facilities and other streetscape improvements.

April 12 - Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Subway Turnstiles

All the Weird Ways the World Offers Reduced, or Free, Transit Fares

And they said there were "no free rides."

April 12 - CityLab

Control Room

WeWork's Real Estate Arm Launches 'Future Cities' Initiative

Another buzzy tech company with roots in the real estate market has designs on the "smart cities" revolution.

April 12 - Quartz

Washington, D.C.

New Secretary Confirmed at the U.S. Department of the Interior

The politics of the Department of the Interior under the Trump administration aren't likely to change, but new Secretary David Bernhardt is distinguishable from his predecessor thanks to a long history of oil industry lobbying.

April 12 - Vox


Chicago Harbor, City Skyline, Illinois

Comprehensive Building Code Update Approved in Chicago

Chicago's new building code is hailed as a major achievement for the city, labor unions, and the construction and development industries in the city.

April 12 - MAPS

Seattle, Washington

Budget Overruns Put the Brakes on Seattle's Bicycle Master Plan

After initial projects funded by the 2015 Move Seattle levy came in well over budget, the city of Seattle will now have extra pressure to choose impactful projects while reducing the scope of its Bicycle Master Plan.

April 12 - The Urbanist


Vacant Properties

More Evidence that Decline and Concentrated Poverty Define the Urban Experience

Concern about gentrification in urban areas has dominated the urbanism discussion for more than a decade now, at the expense of a more informed understanding of urban dynamics and the potential for more effective action.

April 12 - University of Minnesota Law School

Woman Walking

How to Design and Plan to Address the Root Causes of Gender Inequality

Gender equality has never played such a prominent role in the design of public and urban spaces. The world needs more than superficial, reactionary measures to address the long history of public space as the physical realm of patriarchy.

April 12 - Behavioral Scientist

St. Paul Redevelopment

Details of St. Paul Riverfront Plans Emerge

A plan to remake the St. Paul riverfront, and potentially revitalize the downtown office market, took its first steps forward this week.

April 12 - St. Paul Pioneer Press

Housing Development

Affordable Single-Family Rental Housing Supply Needs a Boost

The supply gap is hitting lower-income families especially hard, a new study shows.

April 12 - Housing Perspectives

Old houses with large porch and colorful siding

Time to Delink Homeownership from Asset Building

Using homeownership as an asset-building mechanism and retirement plan might not be a great thing for our society.

April 11 - Shelterforce

New York City to Reduce Truck Emissions by Investing in Freight Rail Infrastructure

The Big Apple may claim the nation's highest public transit ridership, but it ranks well below average in its use of freight rail. Two small short line railroads are at the center of a $100 million investment to reduce truck reliance.

April 11 - The New York Times

Chicago

Green New Deal Needs to Push for Better Transit Policies

The plan points to transit’s role in a cleaner and more sustainable future, but comprehensive changes in transportation policy are also needed.

April 11 - Data for Progress

Chicago Commute

Bus/Bike Lanes Find Support in Chicago

A temporary bus/bike lane experiment could lead to permanent additions around the city.

April 11 - The Chicago Tribune

Ohio River

More of the Same From Ohio's Post-Gas Tax Funding Decisions

Just days after the state approved a significant increase on its gas tax, and the state legislature is focusing much more on road projects than public transit.

April 11 - WCPO

Portland

Oregon Could Be Next to Legalize the Idaho Stop

The Oregon State Legislature is moving forward with Senate Bill 998, which includes an amendment that would legalize the practice of rolling through stop signs and blinking red lights on a bike when no car traffic is present.

April 11 - OPB

Alamo Square

New Housing Construction Drops 41 Percent in San Francisco

Building permits aren't the same thing as new buildings, as San Francisco proved once again in 2018.

April 11 - Curbed San Francisco

Glen Canyon Dam

Historic Drought Plan Approved by Congress

The Colorado River Drought Contingency Plan will head to President Trump's desk for an expected signature before heading back to seven states for final ratification.

April 11 - Cronkite News

Country Grid

Facebook AI Maps Population Density

Facebook expects to release its worldwide maps of human density in the coming months—potential applications will likely be somewhere on the spectrum between humanitarian and commercial.

April 11 - The Verge

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.