Illinois

Chicago Releases Vision Zero Traffic Safety Plan
Chicago is following in the footsteps of cities around the country (a few years behind the pack) in adopting a Vision Zero plan to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries by 2026.

Downzoning in the Hopes of Attracting Prestige Businesses
South Side Chicago Alderman Leslie Hairston says downzoning 71st will help 'take control of our corridor,' but some worry the move is a power grab that will ultimately stifle prospects for the neighborhood.

Cook County Property Taxes Cheat the Poor
In Cook County, which contains the city of Chicago and some of its suburbs, property values have been manipulated to disguise the value of homes, helping the rich at the expense of the poor (particularly poor minorities).

Safety Should Be Just Half the Goal of Vision Zero
A Streetsblog NYC article argues that New York misses an opportunity to make itself more vibrant and accessible by focusing only on safety and not also on active transit infrastructure.

Chicago 'L' Train Celebrates 125th Birthday
The 'L' train has survived calls to be disbanded and a tumultuous century and a quarter to become a, sometimes unreliable, city icon.

Celebrate Frank Lloyd Wright's 150th Birthday Today
June 8 marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of Frank Lloyd Wright, and Dezezen has rounded up 10 ways to celebrate nationwide.

Residence in Chicago's TODs Come With a Major Caveat: No Parking Permits
One big idea behind transit oriented residential developments is that residents will be liberated from their cars. New developments in Chicago are making sure residents won't be parking on streets to get the best of both worlds.

The Dakota Access Pipeline Now Pumping Oil
Adding insult to injury in a bad week for environmental causes, the Dakota Access pipeline began shipping oil this week.

Sign of the Times: Developers Deconverting Condos Back to Apartments in Chicago
In the 1970s and 1980s, condo conversions were all the rage in Chicago. In 2017, however, developers are scooping up multi-family buildings en masse and "deconverting" condo units into apartments.

Metra Proposes Frequency Changes for the South Side of Chicago
Overall, Chicago's regional train service the Metra has been losing ridership, however, Hyde Park neighborhood stations have seen some growth.
Reimagining the Spaces Under Chicago's Skyway
UIC architecture students competed to design improvements for the spaces under Chicago's South Side "Skyway," which carries drivers from the city to and from Northwest Indiana.

Black Chicagoans Segregated, Regardless of Income
Latino Chicagoans are more likely to live in diverse neighborhoods than whites or blacks do.

Mapping Chicago's Zoning Code Changes
A new interactive map feature launched by the Chicago Cityscape website maps all the zoning changes up for approval around the city.

Leaving Chicago's South Shore
Middle class African Americans are leaving Chicago, and that leaves neighborhoods like the city's South Shore reeling.

Obama: Pedestrianize Street Next to Presidential Center
Barack Obama supports closing Cornell Drive, a six-lane road next to the future site of the Obama Presidential Center, to automobile access. He cites safety concerns and the need for green space.

Distracted Drivers Get Few Tickets in Chicago
Police in Chicago issued 99% fewer distracted driving tickets in 2016 than in 2015.

Planned Skate Park Killed Near Chicago's 606
A planned Bucktown skate park will not be built and many neighbors are celebrating.

Do Good Fences Make Good Neighborhood Parks?
A Chicago city park, recently redesigned to be more welcoming, could become less so in its final form. Neighbors complaining about "really shady" park visitors are lobbying for a 6-foot fence to be included in the park's multi-million dollar revamp.

Cyclists Still Waiting for Chicago's Navy Pier Flyover
Delays and slow financing have kept a Navy Pier flyover grounded, and cyclists are tired of getting hit as they bike around the construction.

First Look at the Future Obama Presidential Center
The former president and first lady released a first look at the designs for the future site of the Obama Presidential Center on the South Side of Chicago.
Pagination
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
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Planning for Universal Design
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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