Community Planning and Design

Suburbs like New Rochelle are seeking denser downtowns and transit-oriented development to attract more residents. [Wall Street Journal]

In anticipation of a future rezoning, the Brooklyn neighborhood of Gowanus has prepared its own redevelopment plan for the district called Bridging Gowanus, which calls for improvements and preservation in exchange for an increase in density and the creation of more affordable housing. [New York Times]

The answer to the affordability crisis in Long Island has long been an increase in housing development, but urban planner Rich Murdocco argues that community input and data-driven planning are the preferred alternative. [Long Island Press]

Energy and Environment

New York has come up with a plan to help save its struggling nuclear power facilities that are in danger of closing and consequently ruining the state’s goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent by 2030. [Vox]

To the dismay of environmental groups, Democratic leaders in the New Jersey Senate have decided not to block changes in the regulation of land along rivers and streams. [The Record]

The Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University claims that the way to avoid devastating shut downs of energy infrastructure, like those that occurred as a result of Hurricane Sandy, is greatly improved communication for better decision making between private and public sectors. [NJ Spotlight]

Transportation

A month-long shutdown of transportation project continues in New Jersey, as politicians fail to reach an agreement on replenishing the state’s transportation fund. [NJ.com]

After a fire broke out beneath the Metro North Railroad tracks in May, the MTA is planning to sue the City of New York for failing to maintain safe conditions at the businesses along the track. [New York Times]

The future of rail in Connecticut is being debated with a fairly equal split between plans to renovate existing rail service and plans to add service along the coast connecting CT to Boston. [The CT Mirror]

With the impending shutdown of the L train, ridership is due to increase on the G train. [The New York Times]

Jason Wright, Brooklyn electrical engineer and winner of ​“The Power Broker” game design competition, created a game that utilizes Census Bureau and MTA data to allow users to re-invent the NYC subway system. [am New York]

Photo: Downtown New Rochelle by Walking Geek // Flickr Creative Commons