California
How Art Inspires L.A.'s Public Transit Commuters
As the L.A. metro continues to expand, so do opportunities for artists to showcase their art. For transit riders, this adds an important element to their daily journey, making the commuting experience all the more memorable.
EIR Lawsuits Target Infill Locations
Most California lawsuits challenging environmental impact reports have their sites set on infill projects.
Light Rail Planning Gone Bad: Lessons from Santa Clara County
After 25 years, Santa Clara's light rail has failed to live up to its promise, proving to be “among the least successful in the nation” reports Mike Rosenberg, while “serving as a constant reminder that the car is still king in Silicon Valley."
L.A. to Increase Parking Requirements...For Bikes, not Cars
This week the L.A. City Council's Planning and Land Use Committee forwarded to the full council a progressive bike parking ordinance that could dramatically change how developers provide parking for both bikes and autos, reports Damien Newton.
How Should L.A. Connect the Valley to the Basin?
For anyone who's tried to commute between the San Fernando Valley and L.A.'s Westside during rush hour, it's clear the existing options just don't work. LA County is now considering six options - from BRT to rail tunnels - to help ease congestion.
After Redevelopment, LA May Consolidate Economic Development Efforts
Now that the powerful Community Redevelopment Agency is dead, Los Angeles is considering consolidating economic development efforts, using new money that flows to the city post-redevelopment.
CA's First Experiment in Edible Landscaping Blossoms in L.A.
Angel Jennings reports on the opening of renovated Del Aire Park in unincorporated Los Angeles County, home to the state's first public orchard.
Should L.A. Pursue Massive Street Repair Bond?
Two L.A. City Council members have floated an ambitious proposal to fund the city's backlog of needed road repairs. At a time when the city is expanding transit, and seeking other tax hikes, should $3 billion in street repairs be a top priority?
Green Lights for Bike Traffic Signals
With bicycling growing in popularity while driving decreases, should a city install "bicycle-specific traffic signals"? Mary Ebeling of State Smart Transportation Initiatives provides guidance and helpful designs from city transportation officials.
Street Redesign Provides Path to Prosperity
An award-winning street redesign project in the Los Angeles exurb of Lancaster provides a case study in the value of retrofitting for walkability.
Emerging Street Life of So Cal's San Fernando Valley Threatened
L.A. Times architecture critic Christopher Hawthorne reports on the changing nature of Lankershim Blvd., which appears to be at a crossroads between integrating transit into a multi-modal future or turning to outdated planning strategies.
Leaked Settlement Shows the Dirty Underbelly of NIMBYism
In case anyone thought that developers were the only bad actors seeking to profit off of contentious projects, confidential settlement terms leaked to Curbed show how local groups abuse the California Environmental Quality Act for dubious gains.
Looking for Lost Angeles
A new exhibit seeks to document the Los Angeles that could have been, had the visionary plans of the past been executed, reports Eric Jaffe.
New San Diego Office Building Exposes the Fallacy of the Net-Zero Label
Lloyd Alter dismantles the aggrandizement of the new LPL Financial building being developed by Hines in La Jolla, California, which a recent press release touts as the "Largest Net-Zero Energy Commercial Office Building in U.S."
Is Safety on Public Transit Just an Indian Problem?
The case of a fatal bus rape in India, and subsequent protests, has captivated the world. But, argues Sarah Goodyear, the incident should serve as a larger reminder of the threat of violence and harassment towards women on transit systems worldwide.
'Modern' Cable Car Coming to Oakland in 2014
BART's Oakland Airport Connector will not look at all like the familiar cable car found across the Bay, but will be propelled by a moving cable similar to the Clay Street Hill RR in S.F. almost 140 years ago. The 3-mile ride to OAK will be 8 minutes.
California's Environment Bears the Cost of Growing the Economy
Over a long career in public office, Gov. Jerry Brown has earned a reputation as a pioneer in the modern environmental movement. Now, in the twilight of that career, some see him forsaking that path for the pragmatism of economic growth.
A Modest Proposal for Protecting L.A.'s Pedestrians
Commentator D.J. Waldie laments the stunning health hazards for L.A.'s pedestrians, and proposes five solutions to make the city safer for those on foot.
Redesign of Bay Area's El Camino Real is a Royal Pain
One road, two counties, 19 cites - that's what and who is involved in a far-reaching plan to redesign El Camino Real, the first paved road in California, from Daly City in northern San Mateo County to San Jose in the heart of Santa Clara County.
Slowly but Surely, L.A. Reclaims Its River
The opening of a half-mile trail along the Los Angeles River, after a decade of funding and construction snags, marks the latest step in the city's effort to reclaim its forsaken river as a public resource.
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
