The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Rainy Wetlands

Why Would Arizona Deregulate Groundwater Now?

For decades the arid state has required most new construction projects to demonstrate adequate water supply, but at the edge of the next dry spell, two lawmakers are trying to get rid of the rules.

April 9 - The Arizona Republic

Texas Flood

Houston Seriously Tightens Rules on Floodplain Construction

It was the city's "first major regulatory response" to Hurricane Harvey.

April 9 - Houston Chronicle

Canadian Street

FEATURE

Eyes from the Street: The Neighbourhood Fabric that Matters

The mantra “eyes on the street" focuses on the physical and functional traits of urban fabric but fails to explain the high crime rate of my Jacobsian neighbourhood. Time to reconsider, look for explanations, and exchange mantras for research.

April 9 - Fanis Grammenos

Greenfield Multi-Family

Calling for 10 Million Units of Social Housing

A new paper by the People's Policy Project explains why and how a government-owned municipal housing development, i.e., social housing, can address the nation's housing affordability crisis.

April 8 - People's Policy Project

MTA/RTA Strategic Plan

Critics See Transit as Old Fashioned

Critics of a transit referendum in Nashville see trains and buses as the transportation solutions of the past. According to this thinking, ride-hailing companies and self-driving cars are the future.

April 8 - Tennessean


Subway Extension Price Jumps in Philadelphia

A proposal to extend the Broad Street subway line in Philadelphia is intended to attract new commercial and residential development in the city's Navy Yard. A change in construction technique is driving up the cost, however.

April 8 - PlanPhilly

LIRR Train

New York Wants More Riders on Commuter Rail

What kind of service improvements would commuters need to shift rides away from the MTA subway and onto commuter rail systems like the Long Island Rail Road?

April 8 - Crain's New York Business


Wrigley Field

Sunday Fun: Vote for the Best Buildings in Illinois History

Voting is open until April 13.

April 8 - Illinois Top 200

Texas Apartments

Apartment Development Shifts North of Dallas

The Dallas apartment building 'boom' is occurring in places like Frisco, Allen, and McKinney.

April 7 - Dallas News

Shipping Container Text

Explained: The Jargon of Housing Policy

Definitions of 17 commonly misunderstood housing policy terms.

April 7 - Strong Towns

National Parks Service

Maybe National Park Entrance Fees Won't Triple After All

After public outcry, Department of the Interior officials seem to have changed their mind about raising the price of entrance fees into National Parks.

April 7 - AP via The Washington Post

Noncompliant Bodies, Accommodating Space

The architects behind “Stalled!” see gender as one of many variables and identities to consider in designing inclusive environments.

April 7 - Urban Omnibus

Insulating Transit Projects From P3 Non-Compete Clauses

Toll road projects using a public-private partnership often have non-compete clauses that protect the private partner if nearby projects impact profits. Maryland wants to exempt transit from those clauses.

April 7 - Greater Greater Washington

Tokyo Subway Map

Friday Fun: Choose the Best in the 'World Cup of Transit Maps'

The perennial debate is renewed, and potentially resolved: Which city's metro system has the best transit map?

April 6 - Greater Greater Washington

Oroville Dam Crisis

Rebuilt Oroville Spillway Could Get its First Test This Weekend

The quickly repaired Oroville Dam spillway is hoping for better performance this year, after a year of intense repair work.

April 6 - California Department of Water Resources

Rescue Bus

Feds Announce $264 Million in Funding for Bus Systems

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) this week announced grant funding for the Buses and Bus Facilities Infrastructure Investment Program.

April 6 - Smart Cities Dive

Architect of Trump Infrastructure Plan Resigns

Among the many departures of the Trump administration, one name hasn't made major headlines: DJ Gribbin, a former Macquarie Capital Group executive and general counsel for the U.S. Department of Transportation serving President George W. Bush.

April 6 - NPR: The Two-Way

Seattle, Washington

Seattle to Consider Congestion Pricing

Seattle has been putting its money where its mouth is with policies to discourage driving.

April 6 - The Seattle Times

Millennium Tower

S.F.'s Central SoMa Plan Would Add 40,000 Jobs, 7,000 Housing Units

YIMBYs are describing the jobs-housing imbalance represented in the Central SoMa Plan as reminiscent of the housing policies of cities farther down the Peninsula.

April 6 - BeyondChron

Wheelchair Ramp

The Americans With Disabilities Act Survives Congress (for Now)

Threat of a Senate filibuster has blocked the progress of a bill that would restrict enforcement of the Americans With Disabilities Act.

April 6 - Rewire.News

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.