Maryland

Local Concern Grows Over Maryland's Plans to Widen Interstates
Montgomery County officials are concerned about the details of a massive $9 billion public-private partnership that would widen three highways in Maryland with the support of Governor Larry Hogan.

Where There Aren't Enough Schools for New Homes
Parts of Montgomery County, Maryland have declared a moratorium on new homes because schools are overcrowded.

Walkable Suburbia
It's not impossible to reshape the suburbs to be more walkable, but it does require careful planning and design.

Advice on How to Get More Involved With Planning
A roundtable discussion tackles the question about how to make those first steps toward more involvement with planning in the local community.

Baltimore Municipal Bike Share Ends; Private Bike Share Pilot Begins
Dockless electric scooters and bikes are welcome on the streets of Baltimore, as long as they follow a few rules. In related news, the municipal bike share system Baltimore Bike Share has ceased operations.

Anti-Transit Advocates Would Shut Down Light Rail Stops in Maryland
Opposition to construction of rail transit based on concerns about crime is a familiar story to transit planners. Calling for existing transit stops to close is a little less familiar.

Making a Regional Map of Walking and Biking Trails
A cross-jurisdictional trail map is harder to find than one might expect. Not so anymore in the Washington, D.C. region.

Faulty Wiring Needs to be Replaced on All of D.C. Metro's New Subway Cars
The WMATA's Quality Assurance, Internal Compliance & Oversight office delivered bad news to the beleaguered transit service.

Montgomery County Community Wants Walkability for its Town Center
A series of new investments in the civic realm aren’t enough—some in Wheaton, Maryland want the community to catch up with its neighbors in providing a walkable town center.
Trump Administration Proposes to Freeze Fuel Economy Standards at 2020 Level
On Thursday, the U.S. DOT and U.S. EPA announced one of the Trump administration's most consequential rollbacks of environmental and efficiency regulations that will have a detrimental effect on climate change, air pollution, and oil consumption.

Montgomery County, Maryland Updates Inclusionary Housing Requirements
New rules will require more affordable housing in affluent areas, but also allow more exceptions.

Another Major Climate Win for Big Oil in Federal Court
A New York federal district court rules on a climate change lawsuit like its West Coast counterpart did last month: Don't hold oil companies accountable for climate change and sea level rise. Baltimore and Rhode Island file climate change lawsuits.

Parking Fee Pilot Project Extended for D.C. Metro
A parking experiment will continue at transit stations in the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro) system.
Rain Garden or 'Pit of Death'?
Who knew green infrastructure was such a divisive topic?

Nine Highway Expansions Identified as Worst Boondoggles of 2018
In a new report, U.S. PIRG and the Frontier Group describe nine costly highway projects amounting to $30 billion in their fourth annual "Highway Boondoggles" report. All share the theme of induced travel demand.
Maryland Highway Plan Would Destroy Affordable Housing, Displace Low-Income Residents
A local writer compares the plan to expand I-270 and the Capital Beltway to an earlier era of transportation planning.

One-Year Later: Evaluating Baltimore's Overhauled Bus System
The $135 million BaltimoreLink bus system redesign launched in June 2017.
A License to Short-Term Rent
New regulation staking effect in July will require Montgomery County, Maryland residents to apply for license if they want to rent property on sites like Airbnb, HomeAway, and more.

Expansion of Maryland Toll Lane Project Increases Cost Five-Fold to $1.1 Billion
A $210 million project to add a single, 7-mile express toll lane on Interstate 95 north of Baltimore was just expanded to two lanes for 10 miles. Financing will rely on toll revenue. Unlike HOT lanes, every motorist will pay to use the lanes.

The Chesapeake Bay Comeback
Scientists say the Chesapeake Bay hasn't been this healthy in more than three decades. It's a testament to federal environmental regulations.
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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.
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