Government / Politics

Transit Fail

Why Change Can Be Hard for Transit Agencies

Jarrett Walker discusses some reasons why transit authorities can be resistant to change. It all comes down to considering their point of view.

January 30, 2018 - Human Transit

A $48 Million Bet on the 'L.A. Model' of Juvenile Justice

With Campus Kilpatrick, Los Angeles County has made a serious investment in progressive design to support progressive programming.

January 29, 2018 - Metropolis Magazine

Electric Car Charging Station

Gov. Jerry Brown Calls for Five Million ZEVs on California Roads by 2030

The executive order calls for $2.5 billion for rebates and electric charging and hydrogen fueling stations, subject to approval by legislature. His earlier executive order called for 1.5 million zero-emission vehicles by 2025.

January 29, 2018 - San Francisco Chronicle

Gov. Jerry Brown's 16th and Final State of the State

Infrastructure, climate change, and natural disasters were among the themes of the California governor's final address to the legislature and public. Two of his accomplishments, high-speed rail and increasing the gas tax, face uncertain futures.

January 28, 2018 - The New York Times

Nuclear Power

South Carolinians Still on the Hook for Failed Nuclear Plants

“It has to be one of the greatest wastes of money in any state’s history,” Alan Greenblatt writes.

January 27, 2018 - Governing

Miami-Dade Transit

Miami-Dade Looking for Transit Funding Ideas

Officials in Miami-Dade County are moving quickly to potentially add a half-cent surtax to the November ballot.

January 25, 2018 - Miami Today

President of the United States

Rift Grows Between U.S. Conference of Mayors and the White House

A delegation of mayors cancelled a scheduled visit to the White House this week after the Trump Administration ramped up attacks on sanctuary cities.

January 25, 2018 - The Washington Times

New York City

New York State, Not New York City, to Decide Whether to Toll Streets in Manhattan

While the city determines where to place parking meters and how much to charge, when it comes to charging tolls to drive in Manhattan, the city's elected leaders are excluded from the political process.

January 24, 2018 - The New York Times

Los Angeles

Temporary Trailers Will House Homeless in Downtown L.A.

If approved, a City Council motion would mark a shift in how Los Angeles deals with a rising number of homeless residents.

January 23, 2018 - Los Angeles Times

California Gas Tax Repeal Update: And Then There Was One

One of two initiatives to repeal last November's 12-cents per gallon gas tax increase failed to attract enough signatures by the Jan. 8 deadline. However, the other initiative has major backing and will likely appear on the Nov. 6 ballot.

January 23, 2018 - Los Angeles Times

Brario 31

Barrio 31 in Buenos Aires Holds Universal Truths About Informal Urban Places

A study of a poorer neighborhood in Buenos Aires reveals that a delicate balance of design, public space, planning, and access are keys to success.

January 22, 2018 - Next City

New York City

New York City Congestion Pricing Plan Ready for Review

Motorists and truckers would pay tolls to drive south of 60th Street in Manhattan while passengers in taxis and ride-hailing vehicles would pay a surcharge under a plan released Friday by the Fix NYC panel convened by Gov. Cuomo in October.

January 22, 2018 - The New York Times

Houston Light Rail

Two Studies Show How Light Rail Benefits Houston

Finally, the city seems to be reaping benefits from a major investment in public transportation.

January 21, 2018 - The Urban Edge

A private club located in Florida

Why Zinke Gave Florida a Break on Drilling

After announcing the coast of almost all states would be open for oil and gas production, the Secretary of the Interior changed his mind on one after meeting with Trump’s favored candidate for Senate.

January 19, 2018 - The New Yorker

Brightline

Fatalities Mount from Brightline, South Florida's New Higher-Speed Train Service

A 51-year-old bicyclist became the second fatality in the first week of revenue service. It was the fourth fatality since the summer for the diesel train, which operates from West Palm Beach to Fort Lauderdale.

January 19, 2018 - Sun Sentinel

Trump Campaign

Pushing Against HUD, Fair Housing Activists Look to Procedure

With the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Rule on the ropes, a legal strategy has emerged to challenge HUD's plan to delay enforcement.

January 19, 2018 - CityLab

Bloomberg Philanthropies

Bloomberg's 'What Works Cities' Initiative Now Has 100 Participants

The What Works Cities initiative has grown quickly since it launched in 2015.

January 19, 2018 - Route Fifty

Bighorn Sheep

The 'Wide-Ranging Ecological Downside' of Road Salt

A study from the USGS using five decades of data shows salinity and alkalinity are up in waterways across the United States.

January 17, 2018 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Mt. Hood and Traffic

The Slow Transition from Gas Taxes to Mileage Fees

Oregon was the first to conduct a pilot program in 2006, followed by California and Colorado last year. With financial backing from the U.S. DOT, at least four more states are exploring charging by the mile driven rather than the fuel burned.

January 17, 2018 - Governing

Skyline and Beach

Largest Desalinated Water Reserve Ever Unveiled in Abu Dhabi

The UAE has created a storage facility under the desert that can provide up to 100 million liters per day in the event of an emergency.

January 17, 2018 - Quartz

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.