California
And the Best City for Bicycling in the U.S. Is...
This university town of 47,000 on the Central Coast of California has also been called by National Geographic the "Happiest Place in America." Is there a relationship between biking and happiness?
Transportation Authority Choose the Boring Company in the Inland Empire
The San Bernardino County Transportation Authority decided that Elon Musk's The Boring Comany offers a cheaper, faster alternative to proposals that would build a light rail connection to the Ontario International Airport.
Budget Crunch Threatens California's Climate Resilience Plans
Facing a massive budget due to the declining revenues created by the coronavirus pandemic, California will have to cut a program intended to retrofit homes and roofs as a protection against wildfire, among other climate resilience programs.
Updated Long Range Transportation Plan Released for L.A. Metro
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) recently released an updated draft of its 2020 Long Range Transportation Plan.
How COVID-19 Impacted U.S. Traffic Trends
Vehicle miles traveled, collisions, and collision-related injuries have been impacted by shelter-in-place orders nationwide. The level of impact, however, largely varies by region.
The Shifting Geography of Protest
Compared to 1992 in Los Angeles, the protest and civil unrest of 2020 have relocated to neighborhoods farther north, and further entrenched by white wealth.
Can Bay Area Communities Come Together to Plan for Sea Level Rise?
Bay Area municipalities need to work together to enable a comprehensive plan to protect against sea-level rise. Communities may be submerged as early as 2030.
Entertainment District in East Bay Area City Scrapped Due to Economic Uncertainty
A developer has changed its mind about a plan to bring a soccer stadium and convention center to the city of Concord in the East San Francisco Bay Area.
UCLA Report Raises Housing Crisis Alarm to L.A. Officials
A new UCLA report predicts a grim future for renters in Los Angeles. The report, the first issue published in a new journal dedicated to housing and the coronavirus, spells out what government officials must do to offset and prevent further damage.
U.S. Supreme Court Rules on State-Imposed Social Distancing Restrictions
In a 5-4 decision, the court voted to uphold the prohibition of religious services that was part of California Gov. Gavin Newsom's stay-at-home order. While the restriction had since been loosened, the plaintiff wanted all restrictions removed.
The '30 by 30' Framework Sets an Ambitious Goal for Nature Conservation
California State Legislature committee approved AB 3030 in May, adopting a plan to save 30% of land and sea from development by the year 2030. The Convention on Biological Diversity is likely to follow in adopting the 30 by 30 framework.
Commandeered Buses, System Shutdowns—Transit on the Frontlines of Protests
The optics of public transit suffered over the weekend, as a few transit agencies have been commandeered by police and even shut down entirely with little or no notice, stranding protesters and essential workers alike.
Reopening California: Respected County Health Official Issues Warning
Dr. Sara Cody, the Santa Clara County health officer widely credited for leading the Bay Area into issuing a 6-county shelter-in-place order on March 16, the nation's first, warns that the pace of reopening is too fast.
Mothballed Rental Car Fleets Fill Stadium Parking Lots
A photo series showcases the disruptive effect the pandemic has had on the U.S. auto industry.
Renters Living in Small Buildings Face the Steepest Economic Risks in the Pandemic
Renters in smaller multi-family buildings and single-family homes are faced with larger economic challenges during the pandemic, according to new analysis by researchers at the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University.
California's Population Might Be Peaking
Heretofore, the question was never if, but when, the nation's most populous state would reach 40 million.
Religion in the Pandemic: First Amendment vs. Public Health and Safety
Conflicts between church and state are being decided in state and federal courts as governors act to protect their constituents from the coronavirus while religious institutions and their supporters seek exceptions from social gathering restrictions.
History in the Making: BART Extension into San Jose Ready for June Opening
Twenty years after voters first approved funding to build a BART extension into the heart of the South Bay Area, the project is finally ready to offer rides to the public.
Economic Downturn Could Cost California More Than $10 Billion in Transportation Revenue
The effects of the economic downturn resulting from the public health crisis presented by Covid-19 could have long-term impacts on the ability of California to plan and build new transportation infrastructure.
Hotels Could Play a Critical Role in Containing Coronavirus in Crowded Cities
Some cities are leasing entire hotels to provide rooms for people who have tested positive for COVID-19 or been exposed to infected people, to allow for safe and supportive isolation away from family or household members who risk being infected.
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
