Nebraska

DAPL Protests

Standing Sioux Tribe Wins Court Case on Dakota Access Pipeline

A federal judge ruled that the Army Corps of Engineers failed to fully comply with NEPA in allowing the controversial pipeline to cross under the Missouri River. The judge did not order Energy Transfers Partners to cease operations of the pipeline.

June 16, 2017 - NPR: The Two-Way

Nebraska Suburb's Population Estimates Still Catching Up to Census Changes

In 2015, the U.S. Census made some changes to its methodology for estimating city populations. The city of Ralston, a suburb of Omaha, provides a case study for the effect of the changes.

May 30, 2017 - Ralston Recorder

Biek Lane

Flushing Drivers Out of the Bike Lane in Omaha

Activists use plungers to unclog streets for bikers, as tide of active transit flows unimpeded across America's planes.

May 24, 2017 - Omaha World Herald

Platte River

Nebraska Lawmakers Hoping to Solve the State's Rural Housing Shortage

Communities across Nebraska report plenty of jobs to go around, but not enough housing for the workers to fulfill the demand.

March 30, 2017 - Omaha World-Herald

W-S_125_pipe_yard

President Trump Approves Construction of Keystone XL Pipeline from Alberta to Nebraska

Following through on a January executive action, President Trump announced Friday that he was approving the oil pipeline that his predecessor had rejected over a year ago. Oil is already flowing from Steele City, Nebraska to Gulf Coast refineries.

March 27, 2017 - The New York Times - Energy & Environment

Omaha - Wagon in the City

Billion-Dollar Mixed Use Project in Omaha Gets Preliminary Approvals

A large mixed-use development proposed as a 'gateway to western Omaha' has received approval from the city's planning board.

March 13, 2017 - Omaha World Herald

Pothole Car

In Omaha, 'Reclaiming' Potholed Streets Means Unpaving Them

The euphemism refers to a cost-saving measure that's happening even in central districts, to the chagrin of residents. This reversion to gravel roads is one manifestation of a looming local infrastructure deficit.

March 12, 2017 - The New York Times

Gas Pump

New Year's Day State Gas Tax Increases, Decreases, and What Lies Ahead

Pennsylvania, the state that had the highest gas tax last year, saw the highest gas tax increase of 7.9 cents per gallon, the final increment of a 2013 law. Michigan's 7.3 cents tax increase, signed into law in 2015, is the second largest increase.

January 11, 2017 - Tax Justice Blog

More Towns Mimicking New Orleans and Allowing Public Drinking

It used to be that only New Orleans and Las Vegas allowed people to carry a drink outdoors and imbibe in public. Now cities all over the country, mostly in traditionally conservative states, are loosening their laws.

November 9, 2016 - Stateline

EPA Awards Grant To Monitor Wetlands Using Unmanned Aircraft System

Community and Regional Planning Associate Professor Zhenghong Tang received an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grant to explore the use of drones to monitor wetlands.

October 14, 2016 - University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Gas Pump

Wouldn't It be Nice if Legislators Were Rewarded for Voting to Increase the Gas Tax?

Surprisingly, legislators are rewarded for supporting new gas taxes: they get reelected, according to a new analysis by the American Road and Transportation Builders Association. What's more, they overwhelmingly hail from red states.

September 9, 2016 - The Hill

Missouri Pacific Trail

Omaha Stripped Away Pavement from Residential Streets, Controversy Ensues

Decades ago, developers installed sub-standard asphalt on residential streets in Omaha, with the understanding that residents, not the city, would maintain them.

August 21, 2016 - The Associated Press via The Denver Post

Midwest Flooding

Midwest Cities Preparing for the Water Management Challenges of Climate Change

Climate researchers are hoping to coordinate the efforts of Midwest cities toward creating plans and working toward more holistic approaches to climate change.

August 14, 2016 - University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Five State Gas Tax Changes Tomorrow

On July 1, two states will increase gas taxes, one will decrease its tax, and two will be adjusted downwards per state legislation, according to Carl Davis, research director at the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP).

June 30, 2016 - Tax Justice Blog

Omaha

Only Three Cities Pass the 'Trilemma' Test

Good jobs, affordable housing, and quality of life rarely come in a total package. In fact, according to new analysis from the Oregon Office of Economic Analysis, only three cities in the United States combine all three.

June 13, 2016 - Gizmodo

Clear-Sky Flood

Welcome to a Changed Climate: It Even Floods When it's Sunny

A new report by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration documents the increasing frequency of nuisance floods and "clear-sky flooding."

June 11, 2016 - USA Today

Governor Pete Ricketts

Governor Who Vetoed Gas Tax Increase Happy to Use New Revenue for Road Construction

Among the ten state legislatures, mostly Republican controlled, which passed gas tax increases last year, the one that stood out the most was Nebraska's because it had to override Gov. Pete Ricketts (R) veto of the six-cent gas tax hike bill.

April 21, 2016 - The Omaha World-Herald

TransCanada Hits the 'Pause Button' on Keystone XL Application

TransCanada, developer of the controversial 1,179-mile pipeline that would transport crude derived from oils sands in Alberta to Steele City, Nebraska, asked the State Department to hold-off processing its application for the seven-year-old project.

November 4, 2015 - Los Angeles Times

Midwest Flags

12 Maps to Explain the Midwest

Aaron Renn scours the Internet to find 12 maps that attempt to do the impossible: define the geographic and cultural expanse known as the American Midwest.

October 30, 2015 - The Urbanophile

State Gas Tax Changes Effective July 1: Six Up; One Down

Carl Davis, Research Director of the Institute on Tax and Economic Policy (ITEP) writes where gas taxes used to fund transportation infrastructure increased, if only by decimal points, and about the aberration—the six-cent plunge in California.

July 2, 2015 - Tax Justice Blog

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.