The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Seattle, Elevated Highway

Dealing With the 'Seattle Squeeze'

Sections of the Alaskan Way Viaduct will begin closing on January 4, 2019. The city's new tunnel to replace the route doesn't open until February.

December 24 - The Urbanist

Pennsylvania Borough's Rezoning Snags on Last-Minute Public Opposition

The borough of Homestead, Pennsylvania, just outside of Pittsburgh, is in the middle of its first comprehensive planning process since 2001.

December 24 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

New York MTA

Street Reconfiguration Work Anticipates L Train Closure in Brooklyn

More priority will be given buses as 275,000 daily commuters find new ways to and from work while the L Train is closed for repairs in New York City.

December 24 - Crain's New York Business

Venezuela

Lamenting the Decline of Caracas, Once the 'Jewel of Latin America'

"A generation ago, Venezuela’s capital was one of Latin America’s most thriving, glamorous cities; an oil-fuelled, tree-lined cauldron of culture that guidebooks hailed as a mecca for foodies, night owls and art fans."

December 24 - The Guardian

Japan Shared Space

Japan Offers Up Free Abandoned Houses

Due to an aging populace, lackluster construction quality, and other factors, Japan is facing a glut of abandoned homes. For those with the ability to live there, these homes can be had for next to nothing.

December 24 - Fast Company


City of Las Vegas

New Traffic Management Tech Coming to Downtown Las Vegas

The city of Las Vegas is experimenting with a new traffic management partnership that will add traffic cameras and sensors to the streets in its innovation district.

December 23 - Smart Cities Dive

Atlanta Aerial

Atlanta’s Planning Commissioner Won’t Tolerate Bad Design Any Longer

Tim Keane says quality design isn’t negotiable and developers need to aim higher.

December 23 - SaportaReport


Apartment Construction

How D.C. Made Housing Vouchers Work

To provide affordable housing to meet the demand, DCHA has worked to make the housing voucher process easier for landlords.

December 23 - Pacific Standard

Solar Houses

District of Columbia to Adopt the Nation's Strongest Renewable Energy Target

Move over, Hawaii and California, with your ambitious goals of going to 100 percent renewable electricity generation by 2045. The District's city council passed legislation on Tuesday that sets 2032 as the target to reach 100 percent renewable.

December 23 - Huffpost

Tent City Bay Area

Report: Homelessness on the Rise in the United States, Again

A new federal report finds a few reasons for optimism in a nationwide homeless count, but the numbers of homeless in the United States have grown for the second year in a row.

December 23 - The New York Times

Apartments

Can Rapidly Urbanizing Cities in Low and Moderate Income Countries Become 'Smarter'?

Penn IUR's Eugenie Birch, Richard Voith and Susan Wachter ask: Can rapidly urbanizing cities in low and moderate income countries become "smarter"?

December 22 - Penn IUR Urban Link

Complete Street

Americans See Public Transit as ‘Backbone’ of Multimodalism

A recent APTA study illuminates public opinion on mobility as a service, autonomous vehicles, and more.

December 22 - Metro Magazine

University of Washington

University of Washington Gets Approval for Major Expansion

With several stipulations, Seattle City Council has signed off on the university's plans for up to 6 million square feet of new construction, including high-rises.

December 22 - The Seattle Times

Chicago Bike Trail

Chicago's 606 Bike Path Made Gentrification Inevitable, Expert Claims

Because the rails to trails project left housing up to the market, rising rents were inevitable, claims a new report.

December 22 - Crain's

US Highway 53 - Wisconsin

Madison Launches Bus Rapid Transit Study

Wisconsin’s growing capital is hoping to add bus only transit to accommodate its new residents.

December 22 - The Cap Times

Alaskan Way Viaduct

Seattle Scrambles to Handle Upcoming Traffic 'Squeeze'

Dubbed the "Seattle Squeeze," heavier traffic is expected in the new year as the Alaskan Way Viaduct closes and downtown construction projects continue. While the city prepares, activists want to use the opportunity to encourage other modes.

December 21 - Crosscut

San Francisco

Property Owner Who Tore Down Neutra-Designed House Ordered to Build Exact Replica

This was not a case of "it's better to ask forgiveness than permission."

December 21 - San Francisco Chronicle

St. Petersburg

Lots of Ballpark Planning in Play as St. Petersburg Plots to Keep the Tampa Bay Rays

With no shot at a new ballpark in Tampa, and pressure mounting to relocate the team to Portland, Oregon, among other possibilities, the Tampa Bay Rays could still end up at a new location in St. Petersburg.

December 21 - Tampa Bay Times

San Francisco

San Francisco Sets the Parking Reform Bar High

The city of San Francisco became the largest city to end minimum parking requirements through the city earlier this month.

December 21 - Streetsblog USA

Jaguar Self-Driving Car

2018 in Review: A Rough Year for Self-Driving Cars

The sober view of self-driving cars doesn't allow much optimism.

December 21 - Jalopnik

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