Infrastructure

Washington State

Washington State Having a 'Dam-Busting Summer'

Two dams have been removed from watersheds in Washington State in as many months.

August 6, 2020 - The Seattle Times

Portland, Oregon

Design Alternatives Revealed for Portland's Burnside Bridge Replacement

Multnomah County is planning to spend $825 million to replace the Burnside Bridge, which engineers say is unlikely to withstand the force of a large eathquake.

August 6, 2020 - The Oregonian

Oakland to San Leandro Bus Rapid Transit

New, Fully Stocked Bus Rapid Transit Coming to the East Bay Area

Elevated stations, level boardings, dedicated lanes, camera enforcement of lanes—AC Transit's Tempo bus rapid transit line has it all.

August 6, 2020 - The Mercury News

Downtown Houston pedestrians

Walkability Plan, Including Parking Reform, Adopted in Houston

The city of Houston is embarking on an ambitious plan to reshape how new development in the city prioritizes walkability, and deprioritizes the automobile.

August 6, 2020 - Houston Chronicle

Digital City

How the Pandemic Is Reshaping Ideas of the 'Smart City'

Accelerated investment in smart city technologies presents increased opportunity for connection and data-driven decision making, so long as cities can avoid the common pitfalls of implementation.

August 5, 2020 - Citymetric

Image of Chicago Lake Shore Drive Freeway

Bus Lanes, Desired by Advocates for Chicago's Lake Shore Drive Project, Back on the Table

After releasing a list of project alternatives that didn't include new bus lanes in the existing roadway, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) has changed its mind.

August 5, 2020 - Streetsblog Chicago

Sign

'Rail Excursions' From L.A. to Las Vegas, $500 a Trip, Planned for Spring

The race to connect Southern California to Las Vegas by private passenger rail continues.

August 4, 2020 - Las Vegas Review-Journal

Parking and Driving

NACTO Recommends Default Safety Setting for Speed Limits

A step toward an overhaul of the way speed is managed on city streets around the country.

August 2, 2020 - Smart Cities Dive

New York City

New York Updating its Comprehensive Waterfront Plan

Vision 2030 will update the award winning Vision 2020 New York City Comprehensive Waterfront Plan.

August 2, 2020 - NYC Planning

Chicago River Industrial Area

Chicago's New Approach to Air Quality Includes Zoning Changes

Improved air quality can help achieve equitable economic growth, according to Chicago's newly announced Air Quality Agenda.

July 31, 2020 - Smart Cities Dive

San Fernando Valley

Friday Funny: Al Fresco on the Freeway

Fake news site The Onion imagines the logical result of car-centric planning during a pandemic.

July 31, 2020 - The Onion

Coal Mine

Minnesota Slowly Turns Away from Coal-Fired Energy

Minnesota utility company Xcel Energy plans to close four coal plants by 2030 and fully switch to renewable energy sources by 2050.

July 30, 2020 - MinnPost

ADA

The ADA Turned 30, but Universal Accessibility Still Far From the Reality

While many cities have shown efforts to implement accessible design since the 1990 adoption of the American Disabilities Act, more must be done.

July 29, 2020 - Smart Cities Dive

Indoor Kale

Lockdown Benefits Urban Farmers In Paris

Pandemic induced lockdown kept Parisians within 1 km of their homes during lockdown, benefiting urban farmers and advocates for a diversified local food supply.

July 29, 2020 - Citymetric

Agrihood

Agrihoods: Futureproofing the Cities of America

The development and planning team behind Middlebrook Farm in Iowa explains how the master-planned community balances productive farmland with new community development.

July 28, 2020 - Jim  MacRae and Steve  Bruere

Coronavirus in Oregon

The Great Debate: Will the Pandemic Alter the Course of Urbanism?

The geography for the coronavirus has changed, but most of the debate about the future of cities continues along many of the same lines as in the early months of the pandemic.

July 27, 2020 - James Brasuell

Washington, D.C.

How Much Parking Is Too Much Parking at D.C.'s Union Station?

Plans to expand and upgrade Union Station in D.C. might have gone overboard with parking, according to the public comments on the project's draft Environmental Impact Statement.

July 27, 2020 - Greater Greater Washington

The Boring Company

Public Underwhelmed by Latest Look at the Boring Company's Work in Las Vegas

Elon Musk poked the transit planning community on social media last week with a rendering of the forthcoming Las Vegas Convention Center Loop tunnel.

July 27, 2020 - Curbed

Gas

Survey Finds Growing Support for a Mileage Fee Over the Gas Tax

An annual survey by the Mineta Transportation Institute found new levels of support for a change in the way the federal government raises money from, and for, highway infrastructure.

July 24, 2020 - Streetsblog USA

Coronavirus and Transportation

Ridership Up, Speeds Down for Buses in New York City

The new normal might be fleeting on buses in New York City, but it's already different than the normal routine during the early months of the pandemic.

July 23, 2020 - StreetsBlog NYC

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.