Illinois

Proposed Chicago TOD Ordinance: Increase Density, Eliminate Parking Requirements

Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced an update of the city's 2013 transit oriented development ordinance. The new version of the ordinance would have a sweeping effect on the land uses around transit stations in Chicago.

July 28, 2015 - Metropolitan Planning Council - The Connector

Marina City Chicago

'Grow Chicago' Shows the How and Why of Transit Oriented Development

Chicago's Metropolitan Planning Council has released a new toolbox full of interactive features intended to assist transit oriented development.

July 26, 2015 - Chi.Streetsblog

Old houses with large porch and colorful siding

All-White Neighborhoods Are Nearly Extinct; All-Black Neighborhoods Persist

The good news is that middle-class suburbs are becoming increasingly integrated. However, a closer look at the migration patterns of whites and minorities reveals a more complex picture, rife with racism.

July 26, 2015 - The Washington Post - Wonkblog

Mayor Emanuel Would Freeze TIF Districts in Downtown Chicago

Mayor Rahm Emanuel proposed a plan that would save $250 million for schools and city operations at the cost of one of the city's most powerful funding mechanisms.

July 16, 2015 - Chicago Sun-Times

Chicago Blue Line Tracks

Op-Ed: Airport Express Train Unnecessary in Chicago

Plans to construct a prestigious express line to O'Hare airport may be overkill. The existing Blue Line, which could benefit from some investment, already connects downtown Chicago and the airport.

July 13, 2015 - Chi.Streetsblog

Architecture Critic Finds Faults in Chicago Placemaking

Architecture Critic Blair Kamin wants more from Make Way for People, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel's placemaking program, and finds faults with the Lincoln Hub as an example of tactical urbanism.

July 7, 2015 - Chicago Tribune

Controversy Emerges Over Chicago's Polka Dot Intersection

Local residents are upset with the effects of the placemaking installment in Chicago, opened this spring—namely slower traffic and a polka dot color scheme. An article in DNAinfo points out that slowing traffic was kind of the point.

July 1, 2015 - DNAinfo Chicago

Goose Island Chicago

Chicago's Golden Goose

Once known as "Little Hell" for its copious industrial plants, Goose Island is a rare, relatively undeveloped investment opportunity. Centrally located, it may one day house swanky offices.

June 29, 2015 - Crain's Chicago Business

Big Challenges Ahead for Chicago's O'Hare Airport

After spending $10 billion since 2005 on capital improvements, Chicago's O'Hare is still losing business to competitors along with the battle of public opinion.

June 26, 2015 - Chicago Tribune

Downtown, now

The Man Who Made Chicago Easy to Navigate

Edward Brennan waged an extended turn-of-the-century campaign to clean up Chicago's then-confusing address numbering system. Though few recognize his name, Brennan's legacy lives on in modern Chicago.

June 19, 2015 - WBEZ

Flooded Chicago River

Flooding Provides a Scare for Chicago's Two New Public Spaces

The damage could have been a lot worse, but surely flooding that temporarily closed down the Chicago Riverwalk and The 606 elevated bikeway will require additional evaluation by project planners and engineers.

June 16, 2015 - Curbed Chicago

The End of the Illiana Expressway Is Nigh

According to a recent op-ed, the Illiana Expressway "was built upon faulty assumptions, and motivated largely by crony intentions."

June 15, 2015 - Illinois Policy

The 606

Meet the 606: Chicago's New Elevated Bikeway and Park

Following in the footsteps of the High Line in New York City, Chicago opened a 2.7-mile elevated park, which has already been extremely popular in its first week. Here we round up the initial reactions to The 606, as the new park is called.

June 12, 2015 - The Architect's Newspaper

New Section of the Chicago Riverwalk Open to the Public

A newly opened section of the Chicago Riverwalk lets the public get up close and personal with the Chicago River. And there's more to come.

June 3, 2015 - Chi.Streetsblog

Tacos and Beer

Trendy Chicago Taco Bell to Serve Alcoholic Drinks

Would you like a cerveza with that? A hip neighborhood in Chicago will play host to the first alcohol-serving Taco Bell. Isolated incident, or the future of fast food?

May 29, 2015 - Chicago Tribune

Red Light Camera

To Protect Pedestrians, Keep the Cameras

Active Transportation Alliance, a Chicago pedestrian advocacy group, urges Mayor Rahm Emanuel to improve red light cameras rather than remove them. Despite complaints from drivers, well-advertised cameras can reduce pedestrian fatalities.

May 29, 2015 - Chi.Streetsblog

Environmental Review Backs Flyover Plans for El Tracks on Chicago's Northside

After an initial proposal a year ago, prompting immediate and strong criticism, the Chicago Transit Authority has completed its environmental assessment of a proposal designed to improve service capacity at the infamous bottleneck of Clark Junction.

May 21, 2015 - Crain's Chicago Business

Better Late Than Never: A Regional Transit Plan for Metropolitan Detroit

Detroit is infamous for its lack of regional transit (or local transit for that matter), but the Regional Transit Authority of Southeast Michigan this month launched a master planning process that could finally fill some of the region's gaps.

May 21, 2015 - The Detroit News

Bike Commuting

154 Cities Earn Marks in Updated Bike Score Rankings

Walk Score released an updated ranking of the best cities for biking—including Bike Scores for a total of 154 U.S. cities—in time for Bike to Work Week and National Bike Month.

May 17, 2015 - Redfin

Open Space Preservation Creates Rift Between Local, County Officials

Local officials in Lake County, located north of Chicago, are concerned about the revenue implications of a decision to preserve a parcel of land they view as a potential commercial development.

May 15, 2015 - Lake County News-Sun

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.