Reducing emissions: East Coast states are looking at cap-and-trade changes that would hike fuel prices to lower carbon emissions from motorists ($).
Soaring rents: Phoenix was once seen as a land of affordability, but rents are soaring fast.
Cali rent cap: California has a new residential rent cap law in force, but what does that mean for renters?
Induced demand denier: Elon Musk denies intro economics on induced demand to justify his tunnel car sewers.
Car free: York, England hopes to ban cars from its city center within three years.
Merger more likely: As finances worsen, Everett continues a dialogue on a possible merger of Everett Transit with Community Transit as well as dire forecasts under the status quo ($).
The new SPL: The Seattle Public Library has implemented new changes on late returned media and forgiveness to past patrons.
Partial solution: A study indicates that the Olympic Mountains, Cascade Range, and forests along the coast have the most potential to sequester carbon, but logging needs to be curtailed.
Lead nation: While lead has been banned for decades, its effects across America remain deeply unequal.
Corrupt incentives: New York was prepared to give Amazon an additional billion dollars ($) in government handouts to lure “HQ2” there.
Mistaken attitude: TransLink’s leader says he’s not afraid of ridehailing, but he’d be misguided to think that.
Lower mileage: Americans are poised to drive less in 2020.
Facial recognition: Washington may be looking at new regulations for facial recognition.
French housing solutions: Yonah Freemark explains how the French are fixing a housing crisis comparable to California’s.
Eyes on Minneapolis: Major land use and housing policy changes are poised to be rolled out in Minneapolis this year.
A false hope: The Tappen Zee Bridge in New York is busier than ever and continued evidence of the induced demand cycle.
Highway building creep: California is looking toward more toll lanes, mainly in the form of high occupancy toll lanes, which will further induce highway demand.
Wild urban park: Pittsburgh has acquired about 600 acres of land, once use for mining and munitions, and now plans a wild urban park.
Not regulated enough: Los Angeles may require ridehailing operators to drive electric vehicles only.
Vision Zero at work: Vision Zero is working in Oslo where no people walking or biking were killed by drivers in 2019.
Everett scooters: Lime has pulled its electric scooters in Everett for the winter ($).
Cancelled: A major highrise project in Berkeley appears to be dead.
New life: A 1920s tower in Tacoma, formerly in commercial use, will find new life as housing ($).
Retrofits needed: The cost to repair homes in poor condition for low-income households in Philadelphia is pegged at more than $2.7 billion.
Better lights: LED streetlights and new shielding standards may forever change Chicago’s night sky.
Climate action cost: The global cost to transition to 100% renewable energy could top $73 trillion.
More restrictive?: According to a new study, primarily of suburban jurisdictions, American land use regulations have become more restrictive since the Great Recession.
Slowing growth rate: California’s growth rate is slowing and statewide population may still be short of 40 million.
On-demand: How has the on-demand economy reshaped American cities?
Map of the Week: See a decade of American urban change from above ($).
Stephen is a professional urban planner in Puget Sound with a passion for sustainable, livable, and diverse cities. He is especially interested in how policies, regulations, and programs can promote positive outcomes for communities. With stints in great cities like Bellingham and Cork, Stephen currently lives in Seattle. He primarily covers land use and transportation issues and has been with The Urbanist since 2014.