Government / Politics
San Francisco Wants Its Ambitious Zero-Waste Initiative to Go Global
In an effort to address climate change, San Francisco has a plan to get residents and businesses to do more than just recycle and compost.
Seattle's Residents Pick Funding for Streets, Park Projects
The "Your Voice Your Choice" program of participatory funding is in its second year in Seattle.
How Cities in the 'Heat Belt' Are Addressing Extreme Heat, the New Normal
As the number of excessive heat days steadily increases, cities face a range of new challenges. But they are also trying to get ahead of the problem while they still can.
Ontario Could Take Control of Toronto's TTC Subway
The Ford administration is moving forward with a scheme to "upload" control of Toronto's TTC subway to provincial control.
Opinion: Bike Lane Funding in Dallas on the Line
As the Dallas City Council prepares to vote this month on a general fund budget, the future of bike lanes is not looking good.
More Rights, Fewer Responsibilities, for Electric Scooter Riders in California
A bill that would toss the helmet requirement for adult e- scooter riders and allow them to ride on roads where the speed limit is 35 mph, up from the current limit of 25 mph, is on Governor Jerry Brown's desk. He has until Sept. 30 to decide.
Another Reason Motorists Should Support Road Tolling
Two things motorists detest: tolls and congestion. Tolls, if effectively applied, lessen congestion, but at a high cost to drivers. However, steep tolls also provide a political incentive to "fix the bottlenecks," as shown by the 66 Express Lanes.
Editorial: Why Elon Musk’s Tunnel to Dodger Stadium Is a Very Bad Idea
A closer look at a plan for Los Angeles linking Dodger Stadium to the subway points to the proposal’s many flaws.
Study Details the Traffic Safety Benefits of Public Transit
A new study concludes that not only is transit a safer way to travel, but communities oriented around transit are also safer. As a result, planning approaches that encourage transit also increase traffic safety.
How L.A. Plans to Address Intersecting Issues of Homelessness and Open Space
In California, agencies are working to redefine enforcement and safety procedures as the number of homeless individuals who seek refuge in vulnerable open or wild landscapes continue to increase.
Toll and Tax, or Just Tax, to Pay for Highway Expansion?
A political decision by the Texas Transportation Commission last December to drop projects which included toll lanes was thought to doom 15 road expansions from their 10-year capital plan, but some will go forward with HOV as opposed to HOT lanes.
Study: The Demographics of the Public Comment NIMBY
A new study reveals the biases of the public planning process.
California May Join Hawaii With 100 Percent Renewable Energy by 2045
Senate Bill 100 by Sen. Kevin de León has one more hurdle to clear before it becomes law. While the state's greatest climate challenge isn't electricity generation, it will be helpful as more motorists turn toward electric vehicles.
California’s Inheritance Tax Break Is Helping Some Much More Than Others
An inheritance tax benefit, along with Proposition 13, has resulted in lower tax rates passing down through generations and billions of dollars in lost tax revenue.
Phoenix City Council Could Shift Transportation Funding From Light Rail to Streets
The Phoenix City Council took a very early step in the process of delaying and potentially killing long-term plans for public transit in the city.
Light Rail From Durham to Orange Finds Final Funding Piece
Planners behind a new 17-mile light rail system that will connect the cities and employers in the Research Triangle in North Carolina overcame a change of funding plans by the state.
Tar Sands Oil Just Lost Another Outlet, For Now
It was viewed as a "David vs. Goliath" pipeline fight: the city of South Portland, Maine against a pipeline company backed by Big Oil. The city had passed a zoning ordinance preventing the export of oil which would have impacted public health.
The Local Journalists Who Keep City Planning in the News
Planetizen's 2018 "Top Twitter" list focuses on the local journalists who work hard to keep planning projects and processes in the public eye.
'Rebuilding California': Controversy Over Signs Telling People Their Tax Dollars Are at Work
Caltrans says signs on transportation projects are nothing more than a useful way to show taxpayers that gas tax funds are being put to good use. But not everyone agrees.
Making Older Coal Power Plants More Efficient Without Making Them Cleaner
At the center of the EPA's newly proposed Affordable Clean Energy rule is doing away with a permitting process known as New Source Review that requires coal power plants to add scrubbers and other expensive pollution control equipment when upgraded.
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
