The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Climate CHange

Bloomberg Launches Accelerator for Local Climate Action

The American Cities Climate Challenge seeks to green the carbon-heavy transportation and building sectors.

June 28 - Metro Magazine

Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company Touts Carbon Reductions

Ford hit a goal to reduce carbon emissions *from its manufacturing process* eight years ahead of schedule.

June 28 - Automotive News

Active transportation

FEATURE

Thinkers in the Tropical Shade: Empowering Lessons for Livable Places

Thanks to the Australian-American Fulbright Commission and UN-Habitat's World Urban Campaign, fundamental relationships at the heart of urban public health and livability are under scrutiny in tropical Australia.

June 28 - Charles R. Wolfe

pallets of green oil barrels stacked

Big Oil Wins Climate Change Lawsuits

The courts are no place to be deciding on the contribution of fossil fuels to climate change, ruled a Northern California federal district court judge in a "stinging defeat" to San Francisco and Oakland that wanted Big Oil to pay mitigation costs.

June 28 - The New York Times

Digital Highway Sign

More States Hoping to Monetize Highways

The commercialization of highway rights of way is largely prohibited by federal regulations, but states are looking for new ways to generate revenue from billboards and rest stops.

June 28 - Governing


Automated Vehicle

Self-Driving Cars Will Take More Transportation Funding Than They Give

There's a potential consequence from autonomous vehicles that has mostly gone unnoticed: municipal financial ruin.

June 28 - Wired

Governors Island

The State of New York City's Parks

A new report by the Center for an Urban Future signals the need for attention to the Big Apple's parks before they are beyond repair.

June 28 - Center For An Urban Future


Construction Worker

Report: Multi-Family Construction Outpacing Demand in Some Parts of the Country

A report on multi-family construction around the country explains why the rent is rising so slowly in the Dallas area despite large employment gains.

June 27 - The Dallas Morning News

Shuttle Bus

Microtransit Still Looking for a Success

"The Story of Microtransit Is Consistent, Dismal Failure," reads the headline of this Streetsblog USA article.

June 27 - Streetsblog USA

Indego

Philadelphia to License Dockless Bike and Scooter Share Companies

Philadelphia offers another regulatory model to respond to the proliferation of dockless bike, ebike, and electric scooter share companies.

June 27 - PlanPhilly

From Combined Sewer Systems to Green Infrastructure

A partnership between the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the Omaha Stormwater Program are tackling the challenges of combined stormwater systems in the Omaha area.

June 27 - University of Nebraska College of Architecture

Southwest Chief

Amtrak Could End Service on Big Stretch of the Southwest Chief

Congress and presidents have threatened Amtrak service on the Southwest Chief, connecting Los Angles to Chicago, in the past. This time the threat is coming from inside Amtrak.

June 27 - The Kansan

Cupertino, California

California's Law to Streamline Housing Already Having a Big Effect

A mega-project adding 2,402 units of housing, including 1,201 affordable units, is on a fast track to approval in Cupertino, California, thanks to a 2017 state law.

June 27 - The San Francisco Chcronicle

The 1960s

Mourning the Loss of the Dairy Queen in Rural Texas

As populations shrink, small towns are losing an important place to get together,,

June 27 - Houston Chronicle

Low Gas Prices

California Gas Tax Repeal Initiative Qualifies for November Ballot

The initiative is much more than whether to repeal taxes and fees enacted by the passage of the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017 which brings in over $5 billion a year. The measure is a means to increase GOP turnout to retain House seats.

June 27 - Los Angeles Times

Hoover Boards and Bus Transit

Miami Sends Cease and Desist to Electric Scooter Companies

Two major scooter companies operating in Miami have ceased operations in the city, at least for now.

June 27 - Miami Herald

Regrets of an Accidental Placemaker

My pitches for space usually centered around the developer’s needs and not the needs of the neighborhood or its residents. I didn’t pay much attention to what impact those events would have on the surrounding neighborhoods.

June 27 - Shelterforce/Rooflines

Goose Island Chicago

After Scrutiny Regarding Affordable Housing Policy, Emanuel Proposes New Chicago Department of Housing

Chicago's current housing policies aren't protecting or producing affordable housing in gentrifying areas, so Mayor Rahm Emanuel is proposing a restructuring of the government. Advocates are skeptical of the idea.

June 26 - Chicago Tribune

Wind Turbines

Opinion: Government-Controlled Energy Won't Get Cities to 100 Percent Renewable

A Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) is a key tool for the Climate Action Plan of many California cities. According to one former mayor, they don't work.

June 26 - Sacramento Bee

BART Station Construction

San Francisco Bay Area's Rail Transit Projects Among the Most Expensive in the World

The problem of expensive transit investments isn't unique to New York City.

June 26 - Curbed SF

Post News

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.