Government / Politics
Michael Bloomberg Launches $500 Million 'Beyond Carbon' Campaign
The "War on Coal" is back, in the form of a new grassroots political campaign bankrolled by Bloomberg Philanthropies to decarbonize power generation by targeting existing coal power plants and halting the growth of natural gas replacements.
Boston City Hall Plaza Ready for a Makeover
Bostonians love to hate City Hall Plaza. That could change, as the city finalizes a renovation project that aims to transform the way the public sees the city's government.
Dakota Access Pipeline Owners Win Eminent Domain Appeal in Iowa Supreme Court
The Iowa Supreme Court affirmed a lower court ruling that found that the Iowa Utilities Board was justified in giving the private owners of the Dakota Access Pipeline the use of eminent domain. Climate change was considered in the ruling.
Atlanta Pop-Up Studio Brings Urban Designers into the Community
The Atlanta City Studio lets community members talk to the city’s urban designers about the projects most important to them.
Department of Transportation Caught in Political Tug of War in Oakland
The political debate surrounding the future of Oakland's streets has recently turned up a notch.
Regulating Car Ads to Discourage Unsafe Driving
Dangerous driving is a common feature of U.S. car ads, but other countries have banned this advertising because it glorifies reckless behavior.
Vancouver Official Says Pollution and Housing Shouldn't Mix
A motion in Vancouver, British Columbia, calls for reconsidering policies that site multifamily buildings on busy trucking corridors where diesel emissions are high.
To Fix Roads, Bridges, and Public Buildings, Illinois Decides to 'Think Big'
First-term Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker succeeded in building support for his $45 billion, "think big" capital investment agenda in the Illinois State Legislature.
Copenhagen Update: On-Street Auto Parking Replaced by Bike Parking
Copenhagen may have already met its bicycling goal of 50 percent of modal share for commuting, but it needs to improve the share for all trips. With less funding available, the city is pursuing low cost strategies, such as auto parking removal.
Less Paint, More Barriers, Make for Better Urban Cycling
New research from the University of Colorado Denver and the University of New Mexico sheds light on how to make cities safer for cyclists and other road users and refutes some assumptions about bike safety, such as "safety-in-numbers."
Soccer Stadium Development Opposition Grows to a Neighborhood-Level Movement
Displacement concerns surrounding stadium plans for the FC Cincinnati Major League Soccer team have grown into a citywide call for development approvals reform.
Local Public Housing Agencies Resist HUD's Proposed Section 8 Rule
A proposed rule to disqualify all families living with an undocumented person from receiving federal housing aid is available for comment. We know a few people who oppose the rule.
Using Gas Tax Revenue to Remove Traffic Lanes Adds to Road Diet Debate
Reducing the number of traffic lanes to improve bike and pedestrian safety can be inherently controversial when auto travel times are increased, and it can upset motorists further when they learn gas taxes are funding those safety improvements.
Nancy Pelosi Not the Only Powerful California Woman Disrupting the Trump Administration
No issue is more important to California's air and climate regulators than ensuring that the state retains its ability to set tailpipe emission standards. Mary Nichols, the head of the Air Resources Board, has threatened to ban tailpipes.
Plans for TOD Housing at Berkeley BART Station
The city is behind plans to turn parking lots around the North Berkeley BART station into much-needed housing.
A Call for a New Approach to Federal Transportation Policy
According to this blog post, federal transportation policies are misdirected, inconsistent, and destructive. A comprehensive overhaul of federal transportation policy is necessary.
Opinion: Funding for N.Y.C. Parks Should Be a Priority
New York City parks are in desperate need of maintenance and infrastructure improvements, and the city should make investments now to support these essential public spaces.
How Much Should Electric Vehicles Be Charged in Lieu of Gas Tax?
Currently, electric vehicles pay a $17.50 annual registration fee in Illinois. A bill to double the 19 cents per gallon gas tax, unchanged in almost 30 years, would also increase the EV fee over 57-fold to $1,000.
New on Netflix: How Street Vendors Create Vibrant Cities
Street vending has been a contentious issue in many places, but this part of the informal economy is important to the social and economic well-being of cities.
The Elephant in the Room in Nevada: Property Taxes
Despite an anticipated political showdown over the issues raised by the state's property taxes, the Nevada State Legislature failed to take up the issue this year.
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.
EMC Planning Group, Inc.
Planetizen
Planetizen
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
