Pennsylvania

The Politics of Sidewalk Funding
Do cities that make homeowners repair sidewalks subsidize car culture? Or do cities that fund sidewalks subsidize sprawl?
Friday Fun: Mapping a Decade of Philadelphia Block Parties
David Bowie and Mick Jagger approved.

Department of Justice Steps in to Halt Religious Discrimination Through Zoning
As the U.S. Department of Justice takes action to protect the religious freedoms of Muslims in the United States, zoning decisions have proven a particularly common source of anxiety among Muslim communities.

SEPTA Expects to Be Operating at Normal Fleet Size in *November
After 120 of Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority's new but faulty Silverliner V cars were grounded in early July, regional rail service was drastically reduced. Repaired cars will begin returning to service this month.
Median Parking: A South Philly Tradition Some Hope Will End
A group of local activists argue that the median parking that is so common on South Broad is dangerous. Some South Philly residents say median parking is part of the neighborhood's DNA.

Rustbelt Cities Continue to Make Play for Millennials
From St. Louis to Baltimore, the Rustbelt Cities are seeing a growing population of millennials as a possible cure to shrinking populations and stagnating economies.

Details of a Green Street redesign in Philadelphia
A comprehensive overhaul of a stretch of American Street in Philadelphia includes a bioswale to better manage stormwater runoff along the corridor.
5 Cities Launch the 'Racial Equity Here' Initiative
The idea behind the "Racial Equity Here" initiative: dismantle systematic racial inequality.

Why the Sierra Club Owns a $2.2 Billion Coal Reserve
Through a series of legal maneuvers associated with a coal giant's bankruptcy, the Sierra Club made good on a conservation opportunity worth $2.2 billion and weighing 53 million tons.

An Urban Lesson From the DNC's Host City
While Democrats consider the future of the country, the host city of the DNC offers a great urban lesson from the past: the elegant efficiency of rowhouses.

Pondering the Continued Existence of the 'Rust Belt'
A recent spate of articles has pondered the concepts and planning strategies at work in the region of the country described as the Rust Belt.
Effort Underway to Halt Pennsylvania's Gas Tax Increase
Pennsylvania has the nation's highest state gas and diesel taxes, 51.4 cents per gallon and 65.1 cents per gallon, respectively. Both are scheduled to increase up to 10 cents on Jan 1. A bill has been introduced to halt all future fuel tax increases.

Too Much Programming, Not Enough Protesting at Philadelphia's Dilworth Park
The Pulitzer Prize-winning architecture critic for the Philadelphia Inquirer raises pointed questions about the purpose of public space such as Dilworth Park, which has been absent of protests since it was remodeled two years ago.

Families Departing Philadelphia for the Suburbs
That headlining claim is found in a recent research study from Pew Charitable Trust's Philadelphia Research Initiative—more demographic goodies are included.

$9.3M Awarded to Affordable Housing Development in Philly
The Pennsylvania Governors Office announced that eight developers were awarded a total $9.3M in tax credits from the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA) to build 495 affordable housing units in the city of Philadelphia.

Denver's Commuter Rail Cars: Same as SEPTA's But Without the Defects
Denver's transit agency is running very similar Hyundai Rotem EMUs on their new A Line to the airport. The car shells are imported from South Korea and assembled in the same Philadelphia plant as SEPTA's problem-plagued Silverliner V cars.

Philadelphia Discovers the Difficulties of Restoring a Wood-Paved Street
A failed 2012 restoration of South Camac, meant to last five years, only made it until 2015. Now it will have to wait until 2017 to see the historic street paved in wood again.

SEPTA Forced to Take 120 Regional Trains Out of Service for Repairs
SEPTA commuters traveling to and from Delaware will spend the summer in transit gridlock, as 120 trains undergo necessary repairs to a serious structural flaw.

More Residents and Workers Using Fewer Parking Spaces in Philly's Center City
The findings of a report on changes occurring in Philadelphia Center City finds more residents and workers walking, biking, and taking transit. (Thankfully, they aren't all looking for parking every day.)
Connecticut Among States Competing for Federal Grants to Study Mileage Fees
Connecticut state legislators may not like vehicle-miles-traveled (VMT) fees, but that hasn't stopped the state Department of Transportation from joining other states in applying for $2.1 million from the U.S. DOT to study the road user fee.
Pagination
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