The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Aerial view of Clark Street

Chicago Seeks Public Input on Clark Street Improvements

The city is creating a strategy for improvements in the Clark Street corridor to improve the area's walkability and stimulate the local economy.

February 1 - City of Chicago

British Columbia

New Long-Term Plan for Vancouver Regional Transit Approved

A new 30-year transportation plan, focusing heavily on transit projects and active transportation linkages, was approved recently for the Vancouver, British Columbia region.

February 1 - TransLink

Highway 520

Washington Officials Want to Spend American Rescue Plan Funding on Highway Projects

Despite broader intentions, federal economic relief continues to get redirected to automobile-focused infrastructure.

February 1 - The Seattle Times

Pedestrians

National Roadway Safety Program Centers Vision Zero at the Federal Level

A new federal program will direct resources to reducing traffic deaths, improving roadway safety, and encouraging a shift to sustainable transportation modes.

February 1 - The New York Times

A Gold Line AnsaldoBreda P2550 train enters Mission Station in South Pasadena on February 25, 2012.

A New Transit Vision for Southern California's San Gabriel Valley

Light rail transit only recently arrived in its contemporary form to the San Gabriel Valley—first to Pasadena in 2003 before heading further east into the valley in 2016. The future of public transit modes in the region are still under negotiation.

January 31 - Streetsblog LA


Portland Maine

Maine Legislators, in Search of a Fix for Rising Housing Costs, Consider Zoning Reforms

The housing affordability crisis is a legislative priority in the Pine Tree State.

January 31 - WMTW

Seattle Light Rail Construction

U.S. DOT's 2022 RAISE Grants to Target Emissions Reductions, Racial Equity

The RAISE grant program continues to make history as a distinct departure from U.S. transportation planning tradition.

January 31 - U.S. Department Of Transportation


A sunny day in San Francisco, with a view of the city skyline with the Easy Bay Hills in the background.

Development Streamlining Proposal Dies in San Francisco

The doomed effort was Mayor London Breed's third attempt to streamline development in the city.

January 31 - San Francisco Chronicle

Wildfire

$50 Billion 'Wildfire Risk Strategy' Targets the Wildland-Urban Interface

The U.S. Department of Agriculture in January announced an ambitious, and only partially funded, new plan to reduce wildfire risks for communities around the United States.

January 31 - U.S. Department of Agriculture

Sign for Chepa's Park, Barrio Logan, Santa Ana, CA

A Toxic Legacy in an Orange County Neighborhood

The contaminated soil and neglected infrastructure in Santa Ana's Barrio Logan community are a result of decades of land use decisions and willful disinvestment, one journalist writes.

January 31 - High Country News

World Planning Schools Congress title on photo of Balinese temple

World Planning Educators To Meet in Indonesia

The fifth World Planning Schools Congress this coming August, organized on the theme Planning a Global Village: Inclusion, Innovation, and Disruption, will step up cross-border movement of planning ideas and practices.

January 31 - World Planning Schools Congress V Call for Submissions

Lower State Street in Santa Barbara (between Ortega St and Cota St).

Santa Barbara May Scale Down Outdoor Dining Areas

The city will consider adjustments to its outdoor dining policy after the fire department expressed concerns about access for emergency vehicles.

January 31 - KEYT

COVID-19

Beware Endemics!

The pandemic will end and SARS-CoV-2 may evolve to become a mild, endemic cold coronavirus, warns Aris Katzourakis, a professor of viral evolution and genomics in an opinion for Nature. Examples of other endemic diseases are malaria and tuberculosis.

January 31 - Nature

Outdoor Dining

BLOG POST

6 Surprising Ways Communities Can Grow Their Businesses Amidst the Labor Shortage

While the labor shortage has affected businesses across the country, many communities have started taking steps to support area businesses and help them thrive.

January 30 - Devin Partida

An aerial image of Bend, Oregon, covered in snow in the winter. The Deschutes River cuts through the middle of town, below an old mill.

Upzoning Leads to Sharp Growth in Construction in Bend

After Oregon legalized 'missing middle housing' in cities statewide, Bend, the first city to comply with the state law, has experienced a significant boost in mid-density housing construction.

January 30 - KTVZ

Accessory Dwelling Unit rendering

A Tour of East Bay ADUs

Now that cities and states are recognizing the potential of middle-density zoning, builders and homeowners are getting creative with Accessory Dwelling Unit designs that minimize costs and maximize comfort.

January 30 - BuildinganADU.com

Arlington

Arlington County Authorizes Speed Cameras

The Arlington County board approved a program that will install traffic cameras in an effort to protect pedestrians and reduce police interactions.

January 30 - ARLnow

Digital Highway Sign

BLOG POST

Can High-Speed Roads Stop Climate Change?

Some argue that even if wider roads induce more travel, they will actually reduce pollution by speeding it up. This post addresses one such argument.

January 28 - Michael Lewyn

Downtown Milwaukee

On-Demand Transit To Connect Suburban Milwaukee Job Centers

A new last-mile service set to launch in February will connect the city's residents with job-rich suburbs.

January 28 - Urban Milwaukee

New York Subway

Big Transit Projects To Look Forward to in 2022

An exhaustive list of all fixed-guideway projects scheduled to open or break ground in the U.S. in 2022.

January 28 - the transport politic

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.