The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

An electric scooter blocks the sidewalk near a street festival in Chicago's West Loop.

Lessons From Five Years of E-Scooters

As cities continue to adapt micromobility regulations to address new devices and technologies, what can we learn from Chicago's five years of e-scooter pilots?

December 9 - Streetsblog Chicago

Crash

Experts Fear a Permanent 'Arousal Breakout' on U.S. Roadways

The reckless and dangerous driving that has been a hallmark of the Covid-19 pandemic could become a more common, permanent feature of life in the United States.

December 9 - Los Angeles Times

Buckhead, Atlanta

Atlanta's Buckhead Plans to Secede Over Upzoning

One Atlanta neighborhood is campaigning to secede from the city as the battle over zoning reform heats up.

December 9 - Bloomberg CityLab

Georgetown

D.C. Passes Short-Term Rental Regulations

The District of Columbia has approved final regulations for short-term rentals like Airbnb that limit rentals to owner-operated units and cap vacation rentals at 90 days.

December 9 - Urban Turf

A footbrinde crosses over a small cascade of flowing water on a sunny day in Yonkers, New York.

'Daylighting' Project to Restore Nature in the Big Apple

More cities are returning waterways to a more natural state—in some cases unearthing them from subterranean pipes in a process known as "daylighting." A new example can be found, perhaps surprisingly, in New York City.

December 9 - The New York Times


President Joe Biden speaks at a podium in front of flags from the United States and Italy at the 2021 G20 conference in Rome, Italy.

Biden Commits Federal Government to Carbon Neutrality

President Biden signed an executive order on Wednesday that aims to cut 65 percent of the government's carbon emissions by the end of this decade and reach carbon neutrality by 2050.

December 8 - The Washington Post

U.S. Capital

Senate Will Vote to Repeal OSHA's Vax-or-Test COVID Rule

Senate Republicans will target the Biden administration's private employer vaccine-or-test mandate using a law they successfully employed during the beginning of the Trump administration to recall a slew of environmental regulations.

December 8 - FOX News


A SunRunner bus

Double First: The First Station on Tampa Bay's First BRT Line Complete

The first of 15 bus rapid transit stations in St. Petersburg was unveiled last week.

December 8 - St. Pete Catalyst

Minneapolis, Minnesota

An 'Explosion' of Investor-Owned Homes in Minneapolis' Low-Income Neighborhoods

The Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis has noticed an alarming spike in investor-owned homes in Minneapolis since the Great Recession.

December 8 - Marketwatch

A aerical view of primm, Nevada, where I-15 bisects large casinos and parking lots on a sunny day.

California, Nevada Agree on Makeshift I-15 Widening Near Las Vegas

A $12 million repaving and restriping project is intended to alleviate congestion at the state line between California and Nevada, just outside of Las Vegas.

December 8 - The Sun

NIMBY Sign

On Housing, Cities' Traditional Political Labels No Longer Apply

Historically liberal cities belie their supposed concern for human welfare by rejecting new development. Meanwhile, more conservative cities have seized the moment to become more progressive, innovative, and inclusive.

December 8 - California Planning & Development Report

Prince George's County, Maryland

Assessing Prince George's County's Climate Action Plan

The Prince George's County draft Climate Action Plan includes ambitious goals and timetables, but falls short of recommended targets for emissions reductions in the transportation sector.

December 8 - Greater Greater Washington

Biking in Denver

Study: More Bike Infrastructure Could Prevent 15,000 Deaths Annually

In addition to reducing air pollution and congestion, improving bike infrastructure could save thousands of lives each year, according to new research.

December 8 - Streetsblog USA

Two people carry groceries in plastic grocery bags.

'Nudges' Can Reduce Plastic Bag Use Even Where Bans or Fees are Banned

Even in cities where state law pre-empts plastic bag fees, there are ways to reduce plastic waste.

December 7 - Next City

A sin on a street in Chur, Switzerland lists public health precautions.

Swiss Vote to Retain COVID Mitigation Measures

A nationwide referendum held on Sunday, Nov. 28, on coronavirus measures enacted by the Swiss federal government, including the controversial Swiss Covid certificate (vaccination verification), passed with 62% of the vote.

December 7 - The New York Times

The flag of Prince George's County00a red croiss in a white field with a crest of arms in the upper left corner, blows in the wind.

Prince George's County Funds Right of First Refusal Program

Prince George's County, Maryland has provided a $15 million nest egg for a program designed to maintain its existing affordable housing stock.

December 7 - WTOP

San Diego Trolley

San Diego Trolley Extension Launch a 'Rousing Success'

San Diego's new trolley extension, which serves UC San Diego and communities near the U.S.-Mexico border, saw strong ridership numbers on its opening day.

December 7 - Progressive Railroading

Downtown Los Angeles

L.A.'s New Housing Element Calls for 456,000 New Homes

The newly updated Housing Element of the city of Los Angeles General Plan makes an ambitious commitment to housing construction—after decades of slow construction and a population out of scale with the city's housing stock.

December 7 - Urbanize Los Angeles

Construction on a high-rise, with cement trucks and tall cranes, is visible on an Austin Street.

Austin's Tallest Tower Rising Quickly

Sixth and Guadalupe, which will top out at 875 feet, will soon be crowned the tallest building in Austin, and the fifth-tallest building in Texas.

December 7 - Urbanize Austin

Tidal flooding at Brickell Bay Drive and 12 Street, Downtown Miami

BLOG POST

Voluntary Collaboration for Adaptive Governance: The Southeast Florida Regional Climate Change Compact

This is an updated version of a blog post published at the Conversation by Karen Vella and William Butler. Both are associate professors at Queensland University of Technology and Florida State University, respectively.

December 7 - JPER

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