The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Austin Adds Pedestrian Improvements at Hundreds of Intersections
The city added leading pedestrian interval technology to over 600 intersections, giving pedestrians time to cross before vehicles.

States Claim Highway Expansions Reduce Emissions
The argument is being used to channel climate funding to projects that expand automobile infrastructure, according to an analysis from Transportation for America.

The Economic Value of Street Trees
Far from just providing shade and improving air quality, trees can also contribute to more resilient roads, lower energy costs, and reduced flood risk.

Even in ‘Food Deserts,’ Independent Grocers Struggle to Survive
Government support has helped open stores in underserved communities, but cost and scale make it difficult for small businesses to survive long-term.

FEATURE
Good As New: The Vital Role of Preservation in Solving the Housing Crisis
Preserving historic buildings and existing affordable housing stock has the potential to ease America’s dire affordable housing crisis and promote equity, inclusion, and justice.

Bus Lanes as Traffic Calming
Dedicated bus lanes on busy arterials can act as traffic calming mechanisms to reduce speeding.

Amtrak Gains Final Approvals for Return to the Gulf Coast
A vote by the Mobile city council secured three key agreements that will pave the way for bringing passenger rail service back to coastal regions east of New Orleans.

They Had No Heat for Months. A New Law Let Them Sue.
In New York state, tenants can now take landlords to court directly to force repairs and get damages, without withholding rent first. Here’s how one of the first tests of the new law worked.

Grants Pass Homelessness Ruling Brings Issues Into Sharp Focus
Advocates for unhoused people are rallying to protect homeless populations as new legislation criminalizing homelessness rolls out around the country.

Panhandling Bans Draw Free Speech Criticism
Civil liberties advocates say prohibitions supposedly based on safety unfairly target unhoused people.

Fixing the ‘Legacy’ Highways That Don’t Work for Anyone
A classic example of the notorious ‘stroad,’ aging state roads that aim to serve all users with piecemeal infrastructure solutions fail to facilitate safe, efficient transportation.

Affordable Homes Act Targets ADUs, ‘Seasonal Communities’ in Massachusetts
State legislators say the new law could support 65,000 new housing units.

SoCal City Bans Smoking on Multifamily Properties
The law prohibits smoking tobacco or cannabis in both indoor and outdoor spaces, prompting backlash from residents.

Moving Beyond Crash Statistics to Understand Road Safety
Why measuring traffic deaths alone doesn’t paint a full picture.

Will LA’s Transit Plan Cross the Finish Line Ahead of 2028 Summer Olympics?
The latest report from the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority says the 2028 Summer Olympics host city is falling behind on its transit improvement plan and likely won't catch up in time for the Games.

We Must Relocate to Prepare for Climate Change, and We Must Do it Now
As flooding, sea level rise, fires, and other climate impacts increase, we’ll need to move about 20 million Americans by 2100. Here’s how we can rethink managed retreat to get ahead of the rising tides.

Mobility as a Social Determinant of Health
A public health expert calls on transportation planners to ensure all residents have access to reliable transportation.

The Meaning of Ruins on the Landscape
In the latest in a far ranging series of interest to planners—centered on contrasts between urban and natural environments—Chuck Wolfe speculates about the role of ruins in urban and natural environments.

Chicago Towers Recommended for Adaptive Reuse
Once slated for demolition, two historic buildings owned by the federal government will be restored for new uses.

Eight Ohio Towns Ban Source of Income Discrimination in Housing
The group doesn’t include Cleveland, where landlords can explicitly exclude housing voucher recipients from rental properties.
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