The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

View of traffic on Golden Gate Bridge at sunset.

San Francisco ‘Best-Performing Metro’ for VMT, Traffic Reduction

The city saw a 13 percent drop in miles driven per capita in the last five years.

September 27 - GovTech

Gold dome of New Jersey state capitol building.

New Jersey Housing Laws Take Effect in January

New affordable housing regulations will require cities to submit plans outlining how they will meet housing demand in their jurisdictions.

September 27 - Next City

Squirrel

Friday Funny: Squirrelly Passenger Causes UK Train Cancellation

Planetizen’s Friday Funny stories are often satirical, but this nutty story from Reuters is 100 percent genuine.

September 27 - Reuters

Green oil well pump jack surrounded by fence on a hill overlooking neighborhood.

Governor Newsom Signs Bills to Restrict Oil and Gas Operations Near Communities

The signed legislation grants local communities more authority to restrict oil and gas operations near sensitive areas and address the environmental risks of idle wells, while also ensuring the permanent shutdown of low-production wells.

September 26 - Office of Governor Gavin Newsom

People in large plaza in front of Zurich Opera House in Switzerland.

BLOG POST

But... Europe

European cities and nations tend to have less violent crime than the United States. Is government social welfare spending the magic bullet that explains this difference?

September 26 - Michael Lewyn


Wooden boardwalk through yellowed grass field with tall granite cliffs and waterfall in background in Yosemite National Park, California.

5 Books, 3 Films to Help You Celebrate National Public Lands Day

Can’t make it to a national park or forest this Public Lands Day? Here are five books and three films to help you honor the occasion from the comfort of your own home.

September 26 - Sierra Club

The Studios converted motel in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Colorado Springs Motel Converted to Supportive Housing

A vacant motel now offers 12 supportive housing units for formerly homeless women.

September 26 - The Gazette


Blue Ferris wheel with Texas state Lone Star logo in middle of wheel.

Getting to the Texas State Fair Without Driving

Car-free options for reaching the popular event.

September 26 - Lone Star Live

View from overpass of traffic on Cross Bronx Expressway in New York City.

NYDOT Planning Further Cross Bronx Highway Expansion

Previously unreleased plans reveal a ‘greenwashed’ plan to expand the roadway with minimal commitment to connectivity and multimodal infrastructure.

September 26 - StreetsBlog NYC

Small house with a red tire swing in front yard in Houston, Texas.

Community Land Trusts Offer Relief From High Housing Costs

The nonprofit model is becoming more popular as communities seek ways to reduce housing costs.

September 26 - Route Fifty

Google street view of Montgomery Avenue Bridge, Philadelphia under construction.

Philadelphia Completes First Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Project

City officials cut the ribbon on a major bridge reconstruction.

September 26 - City & State

Aerial view of low-rise neighborhood in Los Angeles, California.

California Law Ends Road Widening Mandates

Housing developers will no longer be required to dedicate land to roadway widening, which could significantly reduce the cost of construction and support more housing units.

September 25 - Streetsblog California

White and blue Seattle Link light rail train pulling into station in Seattle, Washington.

Shared Mobility Riders in Seattle to Get Free Transit Trips

Riders who park Lime bikes or scooters at one of 14 designated Link light rail stations can earn free trips on the region’s transit systems.

September 25 - Mass Transit

Large solar panel installation and wind turbines with Southern California desert mountains in background.

Renewable Energy Going to Waste Due to Grid Bottleneck

The equivalent of 480 nuclear reactors’a worth of power generated from renewable sources is being produced but not captured in the U.S. and Europe — a number expected to grow as investment flows into the renewable energy industry.

September 25 - Nikkei Asia

View from underneath Fremont Bridge in Portland, Oregon over Willamette River.

Over Half of IIJA Funds Still Up for Grabs

Just 40 percent of funds from the massive infrastructure law have been allocated to projects three years after its passage.

September 25 - Construction Dive

Row of blue intercity buses parked at Washington D.C. Union Station.

Intercity Bus Passengers See Service Evaporate

Facing financial troubles, intercity bus operators are leaving passengers stranded without services in many U.S. markets.

September 25 - Streetsblog USA

Aerial view of green roof on Chicago Cultural Center.

HUD Issues Extreme Heat Playbook

The guide contains actionable steps local and state governments can take to protect vulnerable residents from the impacts of extreme heat.

September 25 - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

View of light traffic on Interstate 94 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Minneapolis Leaders Urge State DOT to Rethink Highway Expansion Plans

Current MnDOT plans call for widening Interstate 94, but city leaders from Minneapolis and St. Paul want to see more space for public transit, walking, and biking.

September 25 - Sahan Journal

Row of red CaBi bikes at Capital Bikeshare station in Washington, D.C.

DC Micromobility Use Keeps Growing

Capital Bikeshare saw its fourth straight month of record ridership.

September 25 - Greater Greater Washington

Corner view of Spanish revival-style building with arched windows, red tile roof, and Long Beach City College title and logo on two sides.

California Colleges Debate Letting Students Sleep in Cars

Long Beach City College offers a Safe Parking Program to enrolled students who need a safe place to spend the night. Other schools are skeptical.

September 24 - CALmatters

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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.

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Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.