California
California's Rural Communities Want Transit, Too
Parts of California’s rural, working-class Central Valley see virtually no transportation investment, leaving many residents stranded in the heat.
Study: Bureaucracy Restricts Housing Supply
A recent study by Trulia concentrates on elasticity (i.e., the rate at which housing stock grows, relative to demand), and arrives at the conclusion that bureaucracy, not regulation, is responsible for rising housing prices.
Study: Land Use Regulation Restricts Housing Supply
A new paper studies the impacts both of specific land use regulations and land use regulations in the aggregate.
New Player Emerges in Car Sharing Services
Arriving just in time in the District of Columbia, as Safe Track disrupts Metro service, General Motors launched 'Maven' to compete with ZipCar, Car2Go, and Enterprise car sharing services.
San Francisco Shifts Maintenance Burden for Street Trees Back to the City
Three proposed legislative measures would undo one of the more obvious signs of the recession, and return the responsibility for street trees to the city.
'50s Researchers Saw Architects as Key to Understanding Creativity
What would Richard Neutra do with a third arm? UC Berkeley researchers once asked him that and more, for science.
How to Develop a 'World Class Waterfront': a Letter to the San Diego Unified Port District
Downtown San Diego’s waterfront is undergoing major changes. Regarding the latest proposal, the San Diego Environment + Design Council has some words of advice in this open letter to the Port District.
Cleanest Diesel Locomotives to Join Southern California Commuter Rail Fleet
Forty so-called Tier 4 locomotives, a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency designation requiring a dramatic reduction in particulate and nitrogen oxide emissions, will be joining Metrolink's fleet covering 512 track miles in six counties.
Key Facts from L.A. County's Park Needs Assessment Study
L.A. County's Parks and Rec Dept. has just completed a major study of the county's park needs. Departmental Facilities Planner Clement Lau explains the study and below are a few things that came to light.
Taxis Taking a Back Seat to Uber and Lyft at Airports
The Bay Area provides a case study of the effect of transportation network companies on ground transportation to and from airports.
$1.25 Billion Approved for Caltrain Electrification; More Funding Needed
At their July 7 meeting, the Caltrain Joint Powers Board, a 3-county body that administers the crowded San Jose-to-San Francisco commuter rail line, unanimously approved $1.25 billion in contracts to rail and infrastructure firms for electrification.
Bay Area Activists Mobilize to Ban Big-Box Stores
The latest front line of the battle to prevent the spread of big-box stores is the city of Pleasanton, California.
Better to Appease Irate Neighbors Than Decrease Car Commuting
A San Francisco Chronicle editorial supports the decision by the Municipal Transportation Agency to 'bow' to complaints from residents about the large tech buses by reducing their stops in their neighborhoods even if it means increasing car trips.
Changing This Law Could Reduce Traffic Deaths
In California and much of the rest of the country, says Andrew Said, the laws governing speed limits and enforcement are dangerously outdated, especially where pedestrians and cyclists are concerned. What could we change?
Google, LinkedIn Complete 'Blockbuster' Land Swap
Big development news for two of the biggest names in the Silicon Valley.
Anaheim—Home to Disneyland—Bans All Short-Term Rentals
Reports about the decision by the Anaheim City Council to ban all short-term rentals, through companies like Airbnb or VRBO, described it as a victory for homeowners.
Facebook: Solo Commutes Increasing After Loss of Tech Shuttle Stops
Public pressure led the city of San Francisco to cut and relocate tech shuttle stops. Now the cities at the other end of the commute might be dealing with the consequences of those decisions.
Meet the Roving Robot Parking Attendant
They're not as cute as R2D2, but they have better intentions than a Cylon. Welcome our new robot parking attendants.
Greatest Barrier to Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions in California: Gas Prices
Gas prices are down and sales are up, and greenhouse gas emissions from transportation, the largest source of the state's emissions, are up, even though overall they dipped. In addition to increased driving, sales of EVs and hybrids dropped.
When ADA Compliance Runs Afoul of Seismology
Seismologists were recently upset by the loss of a curb at the corner of two streets in Hayward, California that displayed the power of the Hayward Fault. The city had repaired the curb to provide ADA access to the sidewalk and street.
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
