Los Angeles

U.S. Bank Tower

'Bouncy-House Urbanism' Reaches New Heights

When a glass slide installed 1,000 feet up the tallest skyscraper on the West Coast is more than it appears.

June 29, 2016 - Los Angeles Times

LAX Airport

Multimodal Transit Hub Planned for LAX

A light-rail link to the Los Angeles International Airport would accommodate bikes and buses, and could be here by 2021.

June 27, 2016 - Urbanize LA

Housing Initiatives to Appear on Northern and Southern California Ballots in November

Last week the Los Angeles City Council and Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors approved housing initiatives. "Build Better LA" requires large developments to have affordable units. Silicon Valley voters will vote on a $950 million housing bond.

June 26, 2016 - Planetizen

Los Angeles Metro

Who Does Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s New Funding Plan Leave Out?

If the Metro Board passes the proposed $40 billion expenditure plan, millions of Los Angeles residents will still not have access to good public transit for decades.

June 25, 2016 - The Planning Report

Garbage

Landlords Who Evicted Tenants to Make Space for Airbnb Get Their Day in Court

More than 20,000 rent-controlled units have left the market in Los Angeles since 2001—a problem exacerbated by options for short-term rentals. Now the City Attorney's Office is fighting back.

June 24, 2016 - Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles

West Coast Cities Redefining Height With Batch of New Skyscrapers

The title of tallest building west of the Mississippi, property of the U.S. Bank Tower in Los Angeles since 1989, will soon go to another building. What does that say about the post-recession of West Coast cities?

June 22, 2016 - The Architect's Newspaper

Los Angeles River

Gehry's Plans for Los Angeles River Restoration Gaining Clarity

Details are emerging in the controversial effort by Gehry Partners, LLP to plan a new vision for the Los Angeles River. So far, however, Gehry Partners seems to have been listening more than plotting or drawing.

June 20, 2016 - Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Protected Bike Lane

First Bicycle Traffic Signals Come to Los Angeles

The traffic signals are part of the Los Angeles Street 'full-featured' protected bike lane that also includes transit stop islands and two-stage turn queue boxes. Ribbon-cutting for the cycle track, the third in the city, was held Thursday.

June 17, 2016 - Streetsblog LA

Los Angeles City Council Approves LAX Northside Plan

340 acres of vacant property, granted by the Federal Aviation Authority in the 1970s and 1980s, has a new vision for the future.

June 15, 2016 - Councilmember Mike Bonin

Wheelchair ramp

The Tough Legal Path to ADA Compliance

Next City examines the fruits of a Department of Justice effort to force cities to bring their sidewalks and other public spaces into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

June 14, 2016 - Next City

LADWP John Ferraro

A New 25-Year Plan for Los Angeles' Water Supply

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power has adopted a new 25-year plan that aims to drastically reduce the amount of imported water the city relies on in a given year.

June 11, 2016 - KPCC

110 South

New Promise Zones Include South Los Angeles

South L.A.'s inclusion in the Promise Zones program marks a shift in the way the federal government measures poverty.

June 10, 2016 - LA Streetsblog

China Railway Drops Out of L.A. to Las Vegas High-Speed Rail Project

China Railway, which had agreed to put up $100 million for XpressWest to build a 230-mile, 190 mph train from Victorville, Calif. to Las Vegas last September, withdrew from their agreement, primarily due to the inability to use their own trains.

June 10, 2016 - Los Angeles Times

Portland Transit

Rail Transit: You Get What You Pay For

Seattle Transit blog compares rail investments from five cities around the country.

June 9, 2016 - Seattle Transit Blog

Los Angeles Street

Artist to Help Los Angeles Meet Vision Zero Goal

LADOT’s first artist-in-residence will engage the city’s many subcultures, and its lively art scene, in his effort to improve pedestrian safety.

June 9, 2016 - Gizmodo

Los Angeles Metro

Los Angeles Metro Releases First Quality of Life Report

Metro's first Quality of Life report measures the impact of the agency's transit investments since 2008.

June 8, 2016 - The Source

Expo Line LA Skyline

Light Rail Successes Draw Attention to L.A. Metro's Rail Problems

Two new light rail extensions opened in Los Angeles within two and a half months. Ridership is soaring on the Gold Line extension and preliminary reports look good for the Expo Line, but new riders experience problems familiar to long-time riders.

June 6, 2016 - Planetizen

Metro Bikes

L.A. Metro and City of Los Angeles to Launch Metro Bike Share on July 7

One thousand bikes will be available exclusively to Metro passholders who subscribe from July 7 to August 1, when the general public will be able to sign-up. Subscribers will use a single card to access both transit and Metro Bikes. Sponsor needed.

June 3, 2016 - The Source (Metro's blog)

Transit Oriented Development

Op-Ed Supports Value Capture-Enabled Transit Investments

Two USC professors argue that Los Angeles would be better served if Metro could recapture some of its investment in the county's expanding rail system.

May 31, 2016 - Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles

Los Angeles' Ballot Box Planning and Development Initiatives Leaders Discuss Impacts

Two major ballot initiatives would change the state of planning and development in L.A. As the housing and planning crisis reaches new levels, initiative leaders and land-use experts discuss how to create a viable path forward.

May 31, 2016 - The Planning Report

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.

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.