Infrastructure
Dam Removal Goes Mainstream
In 20 years, dam removal has gone from a "fringe notion" to "wide acceptance." National Geographic explains how and why this sea change occurred.
Local Revenue Funding More Bay Area Road Maintenance
The greater Bay Area is enjoying a substantial increase in road maintenance funding from local measures, like bonds, city and county sales taxes, and development fees, part of a growing trend in compensating for a shortage of state gas tax funds.
California Committee to Consider Road User Charge
Gov. Jerry Brown has an environmental goal that conflicts with an infrastructure goal: reducing oil consumption and raising funds to pay for deferred road needs. The solution may be the Road User Charge, which lies in the hands of a new committee.
More Details on the End of Architecture for Humanity
Following the recent news that Architecture for Humanity shut its doors after operating since 1999, FastCo.Design provides more details about what went wrong.
Poll: Voters Remain Opposed To Raising State Gas Taxes
Notwithstanding plummeting gas prices, Keith Laing of The Hill reports on poll results that reveal an uphill battle for political leaders in Utah, Georgia, and New Jersey, who are advocating gas tax increases to fund roads, bridges, and transit.
An Interactive Map of California's Urban Water Use
California has commenced new water use reporting requirements, which the Pacific Institute has compiled into an interactive map and database to provide accessible evidence about where the state's water goes.
New York MTA Increases Transit Fares to Fund Capital Investments
The latest fare increase for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority comes against the backdrop of record ridership and a $15 billion funding gap for the system's five-year capital plan.
New 'Infrastructure Financing District' Proposed for Los Angeles River Improvements
Los Angeles officials are hoping to create an "Infrastructure Financing District" (i.e., tax increment financing) to help finance ambitious goals for revitalizing and restoring the Los Angeles River.
Should a Residential Street Ever Lack Sidewalks?
You're probably familiar with the sight of a long, quiet residential street unadorned by sidewalks, pushing pedestrians, pets, and kids on bikes onto the street. Is there ever a good reason for such a typology?
Pittsburgh Launches GPS-Enabled Snow Plow Tracker
Pittsburgh has a new web-based portal for residents to track snow removal operations as they happen. It's the latest example of a city allowing public access to the details of city operations during snowstorms.
Critiquing Gov. Cuomo's LaGuardia Airtrain Proposal
LaGuardia lacks an AirTrain, unlike the two other airports that serve the New York City area, so public transit access is available via Queens and Manhattan buses. But would a $450 million proposal by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo remedy the problem?
State of the Union Roundup: On Rent and Infrastructure
In describing the state of the union, President Barack Obama addressed a issues of professional and personal concern to Planetizen readers.
Wall Street Journal Editorial: Abolish Federal Gas Tax
As May 31 approaches—the date when the current patch bill that supplements insufficient gas tax revenues to the Highway Trust Fund expires, The Wall Street Journal, a favorite among many conservative political leaders, sends an unhelpful message.
U.S. EPA Announces New 'Water Infrastructure and Resiliency Finance Center'
The U.S. EPA recently announced the Water Infrastructure and Resiliency Finance Center "as a resource to communities to improve their wastewater, drinking water and stormwater systems." Two reports show why it's the new resources are so badly needed.
How to Turn Boring Utility Boxes into Public Art
Cities around the country have been making it easier to decorate mundane utility boxes into something more colorful and representative of the neighborhoods they serve.
An 'Energy Hub' Boomtown—In Philadelphia?
The Marcellus Shale boom has inspired some in Philadelphia to imagine their city as the "next Houston"—if it can attract the businesses and infrastructure to bring oil and gas in for the benefit of a homegrown manufacturing economy.
Plunging Fuel Prices Could Bring Plunging Fuel Taxes
It was considered a given by many analysts that global oil prices would only increase as world oil demand outstripped supply, so switching to percentage-based fuel taxes from per-gallon taxes made sense, until OPEC chose not to restrict their output.
South Dakota Governor Proposes Perpetual Gas Tax Increase
Gov. Dennis Daugaard, who pledged not to raise taxes during his first term, proposed in his state of the state to increase the state gas tax two cents on July 1, and then two cents a year thereafter, to fund state and local roads and bridge repairs.
Can the 2024 Olympics Help Boston Plan for a Better 2124?
Can the Olympic bid provide an impetus for long-range planning for the Boston metropolitan area?
California High-Speed Rail's Second Construction Contract: $1.36 Billion
A week after the groundbreaking ceremony for California's beleaguered high speed rail project, a second construction contract has been awarded. The rail authority will now build 29 miles north and 65 miles south of Fresno to the Kern County line.
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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
