The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Metro Train Station

Activating L.A.’s Transit Stations

Advocates say encouraging community events, vendors, and activity at transit stations can improve public safety without increasing the presence of law enforcement.

September 15 - Streetsblog Los Angeles

BART Train

Inclusive Prosperity: No Displacement Necessary

Recent analysis identifies nearly 200 U.S. neighborhoods that have achieved the highly-sought-after goal of increasing the prosperity of residents without displacing the existing community.

September 15 - Brookings

Highway Construction

‘Highway Boondoggles’ Report Highlights Nation’s Most Wasteful Projects

The bipartisan infrastructure law, which directs massive investments to state transportation projects, could fast-track some of the most destructive highway expansion projects.

September 15 - Streetsblog USA

Yellow gas pipeline with E.U. flag on one side and Russia flag on the other side

Vladimir Putin is Waging Two Wars in Europe

A hot war is being fought by Ukraine against Russia while the European Union is reeling from an energy war waged by Russian President Vladimir Putin in retaliation against economic sanctions placed on his nation for invading Ukraine.

September 15 - POLITICO Europe

Row of white electric cars at charging station

Rise Of Electric Vehicles Makes Good Planning More Crucial Than Ever

There may be plenty of reasons to hail the rise of electric vehicles, including California's policy to ban the sale of gas-powered cars by 2035. But what may be good for the air is not necessarily good for cities.

September 15 - California Planning & Development Report


A family of Black Americans brings moving boxes into a home.

The 'New Great Migration' Picks Up Pace

Recent American Community Survey data solidifies an underappreciated pattern of migration in the United States: a reversal of the Great Migration of the 20th century, when an estimate 5 million Black Americans left the South.

September 15 - Brookings

A group of Latino dancers and musicians perform in front of the Love sculpture in Philadelphia.

New Film, Set on a Philly Bus, Celebrates the Magic of the Latino Community

The Latino community gathers on a bus, and joy ensues, in the new short film "La Guagua 47."

September 15 - WHYY


Miami

Miami-Dade Moves to Make Zoning Changes to Boost Housing Supply

The county hopes proposals to legalize accessory rental units and encourage transit-oriented development will mitigate the region’s housing crisis.

September 15 - WLRN

Power lines and towers at a substation

California's Energy Reality Check

Is California ready for an all-electric future? The California energy grid barely withstood its biggest test during last week's heat wave as residents cranked up their air conditioners. CalMatters columnist Dan Walters questions if the grid is ready.

September 14 - CALmatters

People boarding bus at LA Metro Bus Stop, Alvarado Street, Los Angeles

A Transit Ridership Role Reversal in California

Since the outset of the pandemic, the capital of car-oriented sprawl in California has become the king of public transit. Looking for lessons about the future of public transit in the United States? Look to San Francisco and Los Angeles.

September 14 - The Mercury News

Construction crane and equipment on 4th Street for Central Subway project in San Francisco, California

Opinion: San Francisco’s Central Subway Is a Bad Investment

Critics of the subway project argue that the line is too short and disconnected from other transit options to be useful. Meanwhile, projected costs continue to rise.

September 14 - Mission Local

Aerial view of Flagstaff, Arizona at sunset

Where Floods Follow Wildfires

Neighborhoods not previously at risk of flooding face new challenges as burn scars from recent fires leave them vulnerable to floods.

September 14 - Arizona Public Radio

Regional Transportation District

Colorado Planning for a Less Car-Dependent Transportation Future

Multiple funding plans are on the brink of reformulating the state of Colorado’s approach to transportation—away from cars and toward active transportation and high-capacity public transit.

September 14 - The Denver Post

Aerial view of homes with downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin in background

Milwaukee Selects Developers to Rehab Vacant Homes

A record 66 developers applied to refurbish 150 vacant, city-owned homes.

September 14 - Urban Milwaukee

Mega-Developments

Revisiting New York’s Massive Sunnyside Yard Master Plan

You might have lost track of the Sunnyside Yard Master Plan—a proposal for 12,000 new housing units in Queens—because it was announced to the public in March 2020 and has since been shelved.

September 14 - Gotham Gazette

Subway riders in Bangkok wear masks during the pandemic.

FEATURE

A Sustainable Future Requires Smart, Data-Driven Public Transport Networks

Devin de Vries, CEO of WhereIsMyTransport, makes the case for new and improved mobility as a tool for sustainability and equitable economic development.

September 14 - Devin de Vries

Electric car being charged at a station

How the Electric Grid Can Handle All the New Electric Vehicles

A key question of the U.S. approach to greenhouse gas reductions is whether an already stressed electric grid will be able to handle a whole fleet of new electric vehicles.

September 13 - The Equation

Sidewalk bus stop with bench and no shade in Los Angeles, California

L.A. Bus Stops Offer No Relief From Searing Temperatures

As heat waves intensify, bus riders in Los Angeles are forced to wait at bus stops that offer little shade or seating, putting vulnerable residents at risk of heat stroke and other health impacts.

September 13 - Los Angeles Times

Aerial view of downtown Spokane, Washington

Spokane’s Missing ‘Missing Middle Housing’

City records show that Spokane has issued few permits for duplexes, triplexes, and other forms of mid-density housing.

September 13 - City of Spokane

Driver reaching for chagne at drive-through window

Faster Food

Responding to pandemic-era shifts in customer demand, fast food and fast-casual chains are stripping away dining rooms, restrooms, and human cashiers in favor of drive-through and automated pickup options.

September 13 - Slate

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