The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Three yellow excavators at a road construction site with elevated roadway in background.

Reconsidering Travel Behavior in an Era of Decarbonization

It is time to reconsider assumptions about how much and how people want to travel. Per capita vehicle travel has saturated. Many people would prefer to drive less and rely more on non-auto modes, provided they are convenient and affordable.

September 10 - Travel Behaviour Reconsidered in an Era of Decarbonisation

Sign above entrance of United States Department of Transportation.

USDOT Issues $1B in Road Safety Grants

The funding is aimed at helping cities plan and implement safety improvement projects to reduce road deaths and major crashes.

September 10 - Route Fifty

Close-up on protester holding Affordable Housing Now sign.

Federal Policies for Creating Permanent Affordable Housing

An Urban Institute analysis outlines three ways federal lawmakers can support housing programs that provide permanent affordable housing for the households that need it most.

September 10 - Urban Institute

Houston Metro Bus

Houston Transit Agencies Offer ‘Free Fare Fridays’ for Ozone Action Month

Harris County is one of several Texas counties that failed EPA standards for clean air in recent years.

September 10 - Houston Public Media

View from back of woman walking on well-lit small paved path at night.

How Effective Street Lighting Improves Women’s Mobility

A lack of effective lighting in streets, parks, and transit stations limits the places where many women and other vulnerable groups feel safe traveling at night.

September 10 - The Guardian


Evening view of downtown St. Paul, Minnesota across Mississippi River.

Officials Kill St. Paul Streetcar, BRT Proposals

The proposed transit lines would have linked the St. Paul airport, downtown, and the Mall of America.

September 10 - Yahoo News

For Rent sign in window on white tiled wall.

DC Affordable Housing Faces ‘Existential Crisis’

Housing developers in the District say the industry is on the verge of collapse due to ballooning unpaid rent debts.

September 10 - Bisnow


Close-up of yellow and black 'Pedestrians Ahead' sign with blurred farmhouse and road in background.

Traffic Deaths Dip for Ninth Straight Quarter

Traffic deaths around the country are showing a slow but steady decline, but fatalities remain above pre-pandemic levels.

September 9 - Land Line

Vacant lot on hillside in East Los Angeles.

Envisioning a New Park in East Los Angeles

Los Angeles County is working towards transforming underutilized land into a vibrant pocket park in the City Terrace neighborhood of East LA.

September 9 - Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation

Happy students walking together on university campus, chatting and laughing outdoors after classes.

BLOG POST

Planning Your Planning Degree

In the Northern Hemisphere, many students are starting urban planning degree programs. How can students position themselves for a productive and meaningful education in planning.

September 9 - Ann Forsyth

Green highway sign with white text with distances for Palmdale, Lancaster, and Los Angeles, California.

Rising Heat Threatens Growing California Cities

Many rapidly growing inland California cities are facing increased extreme heat days due to climate change, putting more residents at risk of health issues and overwhelming local infrastructure.

September 9 - Cal Matters

COTA Bus

Columbus, Ohio's High-Frequency Transit Future Up for Vote in November

Despite being the nation’s 14th largest city, Columbus, Ohio has no high-capacity transit. That could change this November as city officials put a levy before voters that would provide $6.2 billion by 2050 to fund an ambitious bus rapid transit system.

September 9 - Columbus Dispatch

Pioneer Square, Seattle

Symposium Highlights the Crucial Role of Trees in Combatting Extreme Heat

Experts emphasize that planting and maintaining trees in urban areas is essential for reducing extreme heat, cooling cities, and preventing heat-related illnesses, especially as heatwaves become more frequent and severe.

September 9 - ABC 7 Eyewitness News

Elon Musk appears on stage in front of a backdrop of information about the Boring Company.

Tesla’s Self-Driving Still Not Working in Las Vegas Tunnels

The Boring Company had previously said it was working with Tesla to use its self-driving system in its tunnels below Las Vegas to save costs on drivers, but two years later, there is no clear timeline for “full autonomy.”

September 9 - Electrek

Aerial view of wide multilane road intersection.

Stroads, High Poverty Are Commonalities Between US Counties with High Pedestrian Death Rates

Three-fourths of counties with the highest pedestrian death rates also had persistently high poverty rates, according to a Stateline article.

September 9 - Stateline

Historic Victorian homes in Huntington Beach, California with tall palm trees on a sunny day.

California Bill Seeks to Balance Preservation and Housing Demand

A bill awaiting the governor’s signature would require cities to report new historic preservation ordinances and assess how they impact local housing supplies.

September 8 - California YIMBY

View of Missoula, Montana on a sunny day.

Montana Supreme Court Upholds Zoning Reform Bills

The decision invalidates a preliminary injunction that blocked two key housing bills.

September 8 - Daily Montanan

Close-up on green painted curb with '30 min max' in white.

How Cities Use Tech for Curb Management

Curb monitoring technology is helping cities build a growing understanding of the shifting demand for this valuable urban space.

September 8 - GovTech

Aerial view of road construction with yellow heavy equipment parked next to two-lane asphalt road against green forest and blue sky

Study: Cost of Expanding Roads Outweighs Benefits

New research shows that the economic benefits of roadbuilding projects don’t come close to exceeding most projects’ costs.

September 8 - Bloomberg CityLab

Red bus only lanes on Van Ness Avenue in San Francisco, California with bus stopped at station.

Van Ness BRT Speeds Travel by 36%, Earns Silver Designation

The San Francisco rapid bus line is making transit on the corridor more reliable and reducing traffic crashes and congestion.

September 6 - City of San Francisco

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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.