The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Brightline Launches In Florida, Eyes Expansion To Other States
Pundits predicted that a privately-funded passenger rail system in Florida would fail to materialize. Those predictions were wrong, and now company officials are eyeing regional expansion.

Massachusetts Considering Statewide Zoning Reform
A statewide zoning reform bill that made it part of the way through the Massachusetts State Legislature in 2016 is back up for consideration this year.

Funding Shortfalls Result in Service Cuts for Cleveland's Regional Transit Authority
A $20 million hole in the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority's (RTA) budget means 15 bus lines around the city will run less frequently. More cuts are soon to come.

Foreign Ownership Still a Hot Button in Vancouver
A controversial proposal has incited new debate about the causes of Vancouver's skyrocketing housing prices. Potential solutions depend on an accurate diagnosis.

What the Largest Tech Confab of the Year Revealed About Self-Driving Cars
CES has wrapped up in Las Vegas, but not before event offered numerous experts a chance to prognosticate about the timeline for autonomous vehicles to arrive on the market.

'Textalyzers' Could Help Cops Bust Distracted Drivers
Chicago is one of the first cities to consider the use of "textalyzers," which would allow police officers to scan phones to see if they were in use during an accident.

Largest Desalinated Water Reserve Ever Unveiled in Abu Dhabi
The UAE has created a storage facility under the desert that can provide up to 100 million liters per day in the event of an emergency.
Streetcars Coming to the OC
The conservative bastion of Orange County will soon begin on construction on the mode of transit favored by the Obama Administration: the "modern streetcar."

Two Kinds of Affordable Housing Policies for Two Kinds of Affordable Housing
A short and simple "explainer" post makes sense of why there seems to be so little ground on affordable housing issues in expensive urban areas.

Airbnb Sheds Thousands of Hosts in San Francisco
New registration requirements have proven an effective disincentive for thousands of short-term rental hosts in San Francisco.

Higher Cost Estimates Could Doom Fort Lauderdale Streetcar
While the 2.8 mile Wave Streetcar project has secured $195 million, proposals for design and construction are coming in higher than expected, which would leave Broward County and Fort Lauderdale responsible for half the extra cost.

A Growing D.C. Corridor Gets Badly Needed Bus Service
The new 59 bus route down 14th Street in Washington, D.C. represents a major win for transit advocates.

Divvy's Top Rider Talks About Getting African-Americans Onto Divvy Bikes
Kerida Roland is an African-American delivery man based in Chicago's South Loop who put more than 6,000 miles on Divvy bikes in 2017.

The Perpetuation of Segregation
A new book describes segregation as a cycle of social structuring: segregation begets segregation.

Rent Down 3.9% for Apartments in the Nation's Capital
After years of rising rents D.C., 2017 brought a bump in new apartment supply and a dip in apartment rents around the city.

Mapping the World's Proximity to Urban Areas
When it's said that most people live in cities, a significant portion of that number are people living in suburbs near cities. A new map shows just how far everyone travels to get to a big city.

BLOG POST
Why Is Transit Ridership Declining?
Over the past two years or so, transit ridership has begun to decline. It seems that this decline has been most widespread among cities with relatively weak transit systems.

'No Driving Day' in Seoul Means Free Transit Rides
South Korea has made public transit a key part of its approach to cleaning the air.

Downtown Revitalization Comes to Louisiana
Like many cities before it, Shreveport's downtown is transforming through the renovation of historic buildings.

New Study Provides a Counter-Narrative for Ride-Hailing Companies
A new study finds evidence that ride-hailing trips are at least as efficient, and often more efficient, than private, personal automobile trips.
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