The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Atlanta International Airport

News Roundup: The Power Outage That Shut Down the Atlanta Airport

Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, the busiest airport in the world, was crippled by a total power outage over the weekend. The airport is now working to catch up before holiday travel peaks.

December 19 - 11Alive

Gateway Arch Rendering 2

Gateway Arch Finally Connects to Downtown St. Louis

A $380 million project bridges a freeway and connects the Gateway Arch to downtown St. Louis.

December 19 - New York Times

Washington D.C.

FEATURE

D.C.'s Wharf Makes the City's Housing Problems Worse

Did The Wharf, a new mixed use mega project in Washington, D.C., deliver enough public benefit to warrant its large public subsidy?

December 19 - Jerrod A. Laber

Downtown Denver

Colorado DOT Issues Final Report on Road Usage Charge Pilot Program

Most of the 150 volunteers who participated in the 4-month program were pleased. Simulated invoices charged for vehicle-miles traveled after gas taxes paid were credited. Three technologies, including one with GPS, were available to record mileage.

December 19 - The Denver Post

Salt Lake City

Housing Affordability Prioritized in Recently Approved 'Growing SLC Plan'

The last time Salt Lake City adopted a housing plan, the city's population was declining. Now booming in population, the city is setting a course to build lots of new housing supply.

December 19 - The Salt Lake Tribune


Clean Energy

For Stability and Sustainability, the World Needs Microgrids

Solar and wind power are cheaper than ever, but they remain variable. To make the best use of renewable resources, the electrical grid needs to network more small free-standing power sources together.

December 19 - Vox

Tilikum Crossing

Portland Bike Lanes and the Danger of Half-Measures

Willamette's new bike lanes make for an important link in Portland's bike infrastructure, but building unprotected bike lanes on a high-speed street carries risk.

December 19 - Bike Portland


Texas State Capitol building

Huge Toll Lane Setback in Texas

In a landmark, unanimous vote, the Texas Transportation Commission eliminated all 15 express lane projects from their 10-year capital plan despite pleas from Austin area officials to retain the $8 billion, I-35 project that includes four toll lanes.

December 19 - Austin American-Statesman

Los Angeles Skyline

Tall Building Construction Continues to Smash Records and Redefine Skylines

There are 402 percent more tall buildings in the world than there was in 2000.

December 19 - Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat

Apartment Construction

D.C. Steps in to Buy At-Risk Affordable Housing

In the interest of preserving affordable supply, the District can purchase apartment buildings that would otherwise sell to private developers.

December 19 - Greater Greater Washington

Capitol Hill

What the Final Tax Reform Bill Has in Store for Housing and Development

The final version of the tax reform bill included some surprises with regard to housing and infrastructure funding mechanisms threatened in previous version of the bill.

December 18 - American Planning Association

Freeway houses

BLOG POST

A New Traffic Safety Paradigm

Despite numerous traffic safety programs, traffic death rates have not declined in a decade and recently started to increase. We can do better! A new paradigm identifies additional safety strategies that reduce both crash rates and risk exposure.

December 18 - Todd Litman

Amtrak Cascaded

*New Amtrak Train Derails On Highway Overpass Outside of Seattle, Killing 3

The first southbound train on of the newly routed Amtrak Cascades Seattle-to-Portland service derailed on a highway overpass on Monday morning, with two passenger cars falling onto southbound Interstate 5, striking motor vehicles.

December 18 - AP

Los Angeles Residential

Los Angeles Adopts 'Linkage Fee' for Affordable Housing Funding

Los Angeles is the latest city to adopt a "linkage fee" that charges new development to generate funding for affordable housing, joining cities like Seattle, Chicago, and San Jose.

December 18 - Los Angeles Times

Ambulance

Study: Uber Replacing Ambulances Nationwide

An ambulance ride can cost thousands of dollars—even surge pricing won't top that (most of the time.)

December 18 - The Mercury News

Downtown Phoenix Skyline

In Phoenix, Sustainability Will Be Built by Node

If the desert metropolis wants to survive, it will need a strategy built on something other than a denser, more urban downtown.

December 18 - Dezeen

banksy

Anti-Homeless Robot Raises Eyebrows in San Francisco

File under 'high-tech urban dystopia.”

December 18 - Business Insider

Streetcar Route

Streetcar from St. Paul to Airport Takes an Initial Step Forward

Regional interests around the Twin Cities are considering a proposal that would connect St. Paul to the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and the city of Bloomington by streetcar.

December 18 - Pioneer Press

Trump Campaign

HUD Secretary's Op-Ed Focuses on Local Homelessness Solutions

Secretary Carson argues that local housing solutions can solve homelessness.

December 18 - USA Today

Theater

FEATURE

2017's Best Songs About Places

Our favorite genre of music is the one that celebrates places.

December 18 - James Brasuell

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.