Infrastructure

Sound Transit Rendering

Planning Work Beginning on Sound Transit's Tacoma Dome Link Extension

Sound Transit is hard at work with a busy planning schedule for several light rail projects in the Tacoma area. A post on The Urbanist focuses on the scoping project for the Tacoma Dome Link extension.

May 9, 2018 - The Urbanist

Colorado Water

Growth Requires New Water Supply Solutions in Colorado

Colorado cities located north of Denver consider the future of water as the region grows. New infrastructure and new partnerships will be necessary to meet demand for water in the future.

May 9, 2018 - The Denver Post

Brooklyn Queens Connector

BQX Streetcar Lacks Funding in de Blasio's Proposed Budget

It's been awhile since the proposed BQX Streetcar project had any forward momentum in New York City.

May 9, 2018 - Crain's New York Business

Target Parking Lot

6 Ways Big Box Stores Harm Communities

A compendium of big box dissent.

May 9, 2018 - Strong Towns

Michigan

A $130 Million Infusion for Detroit's 'Strategic Neighborhood Fund'

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and Planning Director Maurice Cox announced a major new funding initiative to support the city's Strategic Neighborhood Fund. Funding will support projects in seven target neighborhoods.

May 8, 2018 - The Detroit Free Press

Bay Area Highway

Clearview Is Back as the Font of Choice for Highway Signs

An overlooked feature of the federal omnibus bill approved earlier this year: a return to the Clearview font for highway traffic signs.

May 6, 2018 - Equipment World

I-66 Virginia

Express Lanes Toll Revenue Benefits Bus Riders, Carpoolers, and Bike Riders

The new 66 Express Lanes Inside the Beltway made headlines when one-way tolls topped $40. Max Smith of WTOP News reports how revenues are used in Northern Virginia. Bus transit and shuttles to park-and-ride lots are two of the biggest beneficiaries.

May 6, 2018 - WTOP

High-Speed Rail

High-Speed Rail to Partner with Amtrak in Texas

The Texas Central high-speed rail line between Houston and Dallas is planning to offer smooth connections with Amtrak lines at either end of its 240-mile route.

May 6, 2018 - Houston Chronicle

Weekend Watch: Video Makes the Case for Light Rail Over Bus Rapid Transit

Here's another entry in the ongoing debate over which public transit mode reigns supreme.

May 5, 2018 - YouTube

Delay Sign

Op-Ed: 'Public Mood' Has Turned Against Cars in Cities

A survey of recent planning decisions demonstrates that cities are no longer necessarily looking to more and bigger highways to solve their traffic problems.

May 4, 2018 - The New York Times

High Line park NYC - Manhattan - New York City

Pittsburgh's Version of the High Line Takes Off

Pittsburgh is betting on its own version of New York City's famed elevated park, based on a 500-foot-long raised roadway connecting two warehouses.

May 4, 2018 - The Architect's Newspaper

Stormwater Infrastructure

Friday Funny: Adopt a Drain, Name a Drain

This is the first and only time you will be actively encouraged to get your mind into the gutter.

May 4, 2018 - Houston Chronicle

Detroit Transit

Connecting Public Health to Public Transit

Four chiefs of hospitals in the Detroit area pen an opinion piece in support of public transit as a key factor in public health outcomes.

May 2, 2018 - Detroit Free Press

Downtown Freeway

Nashville Transit Referendum Soundly Beaten at the Ballot Box

Transit advocates suffered a resounding defeat in Nashville yesterday. The Let's Move Nashville plan does not have the funding to build-out its ambitiously pro-transit agenda.

May 2, 2018 - Tennessean

Train Buffs: Do You Know What a ZEMU Is?

In addition to commuter trains hauled by an electric or diesel-powered locomotive, there are EMUs and DMUs, and come 2021, for the first time in North America, there should be a ZEMU thanks in part to a $30 million California transportation grant.

May 1, 2018 - California Assembly Press Release

Vancouver Protected Bike Lane

Vancouver Is 'True North' for Seattle Bike Lane Advocates

In Seattle, securing every new bike lane seems like a "tooth and nail" fight. But across a border to the north, vigorous initial opposition melted away as a connected system took shape.

May 1, 2018 - The Seattle Times

Baltimore MTA Bus

'Complete Streets' Bill Enjoys Broad Support in Baltimore

The city of Baltimore is ready to make a concerted effort in planning for multiple modes of transportation and all users of the public realm.

May 1, 2018 - The Baltimore Sun

Texas

Dallas Putting Together a 'Smart Streets' Plan

Wireless electric vehicle charging built into the street and smart dynamic signal system are among the improvements under consideration in Dallas.

May 1, 2018 - Dallas Innovates

Ontario, Canada

Inside the Toronto 'Smart City' Experiment

Google subsidiary Sidewalk Labs has partnered with Waterfront Toronto to deploy smart city innovations in the redevelopment of the Quayside district along Toronto's Eastern Waterfront.

April 30, 2018 - Project for Public Spaces via Medium

Gaslamp Quarter

$4.3 Billion Awarded to California Transformative Projects from Gas Tax and Climate Fund

Two difficult votes last year, both requiring super-majorities, are paying huge dividends to 28 transformative projects throughout the Golden State to improve rail and transit service and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

April 30, 2018 - Los Angeles Times

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.