The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

A New Vision for Senior Housing
The interest in less traditional housing arrangements for older people, such as shared housing and cohousing, is increasing.

The Case for Gender Mainstreaming in Transportation Planning
Like the curb cut effect achieved by the Americans With Disabilities Act, which benefitted a much larger cross-section of the population than the legislation originally intended, gender mainstreaming could multiply benefits in the public realm.

Zoning Stifles New Construction in D.C.'s Pricey Neighborhoods
New research by Jenny Schuetz shows that already-expensive neighborhoods in D.C., zoned for low-density single-family homes, are not doing their part in adding new supply to meet rising demand.

Conflicts of Interest on the CA High-Speed Rail Authority Under Investigation
The beleaguered plan to build a bullet train to connect Northern California and Southern California suffered a public relations setback last month when it was revealed that a boardmember was under investigation for a conflict of interest.

Seattle on a Roll With New Bus Lanes
A new plan to upgrade an existing bus lane in Seattle isn't the first and it probably won't be the last.

Coastal City Rejects 'Managed Retreat' Strategy
Del Mar, in Southern California, says it does not want to adopt the approach as part of its sea-level rise adaptation plan.

Controversial Decision Limits Solar Panels on Historic Homes in D.C.
"I realize that we are in crisis politically as well as sustainably. But…"

Lessons in Electric Bus Deployment From 6 U.S. Regions
U.S. cities and regions are both showing how electric buses can be done and taking too long to do it. A new report focuses on success stories.

D.C.'s Food Hall Boom Going Strong
Food halls continue to be popular additions to the restaurant scene in Washington, D.C.

Changes to Annapolis Housing Program After Lackluster Results
Too many developers chose to pay in-lieu fees to the Maryland city, and the inclusionary housing program was not producing much affordable housing.

Department of Interior Could Allow Private Companies to Run National Park Campgrounds
The Trump administration is exploring ways to outsource operations at national parks to private businesses. Lobbyists for private businesses welcome the invitation.

Massachusetts Converts HOV Lane to General Purpose Lane
Road planners looking to increase capacity without adding lanes are focusing on managing existing lanes more effectively. Massachusetts has gone the opposite direction. The Conservation Law Foundation plans to hold them accountable.

The Vision Zero Commitment in Prince George's County
The Maryland county is launching a traffic safety program, but much work and many changes are needed to eliminate traffic fatalities.

Congested, Threatened by Climate Change, Thailand Considers a New Location for Capital
The prime minister of Thailand has proposed the idea of moving the location of the country's capital, currently in Bangkok, to another location.
Vancouver Planners Hope to Leverage New Subway for Public Benefit
Vancouver is scheduled to begin construction on a new subway in 2020, and planners are laying out a vision for the neighborhoods surrounding the new line, including turning Broadway into a "Great Street."
Poor Returns for L.A.'s Transit on Demand Pilot
Similar to microtransit on demand programs in other cities, Los Angeles' ongoing experiment is proving to be very expensive (for the public) for the benefit of very few riders.

5G Forces a Local Control Struggle
Local governments are fighting control after federal regulators removed some of the regulatory protections that could slow private companies from grabbing land in an effort

A Whole Lane Devoted to Buses on Oakland, CA's Busiest Street
A bus-only lane on busy Broadway in Oakland, a section of the larger East Bay Bus Rapid Transit project, will get the red painted lane treatment.

Seattle Fare Enforcement Disproportionately Punishes Blacks, Data Show
Sound Transit says its fare enforcement system is design to be unbiased, but analysis about fare evader data indicates disparities.

Trump Administration Reopens California Public Lands to Oil and Gas Drilling
A decision by the Bureau of Land Management on Oct. 3 may reverse the outcome of a 2013 lawsuit against the Obama administration by two environmental groups that effectively halted drilling in Fresno, Monterey and San Benito counties.
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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.