The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Low angle view of a pedestrian crosswalk traffic signal lights in a city.

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.

August 12 - KXAN

Close-up of traffic congestion from behind cars on a freeway in the San Francisco Bay Area.

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.

August 12 - Bloomberg CityLab

Tall mature green trees lining a concrete walkway next to a street with multistory apartment buildings on other side and sun filtering through the leaves.

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.

August 12 - Strong Towns

Man with baby in sling holds red grocery basket while looking at refrigerated store section.

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.

August 12 - ProPublica

Vintage multi-story brick apartment building and modern concrete and glass apartment building separated by a steep public stairway in Los Angeles, California.

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.

August 11 - Bonnie McDonald


Close-up of white BUS letters on asphalt bus lane with blurred bus and traffic in background.

Bus Lanes as Traffic Calming

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

August 11 - State Smart Transportation Initiative

Aerial view of Union Station train terminal front entrance in New Orleans, Louisiana.

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.

August 11 - AL.com


Aerial view of small town in Hudson Valley, New York State with river at sunset.

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.

August 11 - Shelterforce Magazine

Tent occupied by unhoused resident with bike against fence under underpass in Miami, Florida.

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.

August 9 - Next City

Street Median

Panhandling Bans Draw Free Speech Criticism

Civil liberties advocates say prohibitions supposedly based on safety unfairly target unhoused people.

August 9 - Stateline

Six-lane road with fast food and pizza restaurants in Alamogordo, New Mexico.

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.

August 9 - Streetsblog USA

Beachside homes in Provincetown, Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

Affordable Homes Act Targets ADUs, ‘Seasonal Communities’ in Massachusetts

State legislators say the new law could support 65,000 new housing units.

August 9 - Hoodline

Close-up of silver sign indicating 'no smoking' with cigarette inside circle with line. Sign is sitting on patio table outdoors.

SoCal City Bans Smoking on Multifamily Properties

The law prohibits smoking tobacco or cannabis in both indoor and outdoor spaces, prompting backlash from residents.

August 8 - CNN Newsource

Great Rivers Greenway bike trail bridge over highway in St. Louis, Missouri.

Moving Beyond Crash Statistics to Understand Road Safety

Why measuring traffic deaths alone doesn’t paint a full picture.

August 8 - nextSTL

View looking up at stone entrance arch with name and Olympic rings at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

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.

August 8 - NBC 4

Asphalt road on coast with collapsed segments from erosion.

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.

August 8 - Shelterforce Magazine

two riders wearing masks during the covid-19 pandemic exit a blue city bus in the Bronx in New York City.

Mobility as a Social Determinant of Health

A public health expert calls on transportation planners to ensure all residents have access to reliable transportation.

August 8 - The Flint Courier News

Ladder going down into kiva ruin in New Mexico.

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.

August 8 - Resurgence: A Journey via Substack

Google street view looking up at historic Chicago skyscrapers.

Chicago Towers Recommended for Adaptive Reuse

Once slated for demolition, two historic buildings owned by the federal government will be restored for new uses.

August 8 - WTTV

Close-up of facade of red brick high-rise apartment building in Columbus, Ohio.

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.

August 8 - Signal Cleveland

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