Government / Politics

Peter Hermann describes the police force's efforts in D.C.'s up-and-coming areas to put a stop to crime and congestion before it even occurs.

August 7, 2012 - The Washington Post

Facing crippling deficits that have threatened California's vaunted quality of life, the discovery of more than $286 million in state accounts will come as a welcome relief. A sweeping state audit, however, raises more questions than it answers.

August 6, 2012 - Los Angeles Times

Brooklyn Bridge Park's privately funded field house proposal, complete with Olympic-class velodrome, faces criticism over its size, effects on the surrounding neighborhood, and arguments over open space versus space for sports facilities.

August 5, 2012 - The New York Times

Five years after the I-35W bridge collapse, Congress has yet to address the failing condition of America's bridges. There is no consensus between the two parties in Congress on how to remedy the situation, unlike the progress shown in Minnesota.

August 5, 2012 - StarTribune (Minneapolis)

With a flurry of ambitious, and big ticket, proposals unveiled over the past three weeks, chronically under-budgeted Amtrak is shifting its strategy in the hopes of proving its potential worth.

August 4, 2012 - Bloomberg

As an increasing number of states seek to plug budget gaps and boost declining revenues by expanding gambling opportunities, the stakes keep getting higher in the competition to lure bettors.

August 4, 2012 - The New York Times

After years of signaling its intent, it appears as though the City of Portland is getting serious about ditching its auto-centric level-of-service (LOS) metric with one that evaluates multiple modes, reports Jonathan Maus.

August 3, 2012 - Bike Portland

Planted to solve a perceived food desert problem, urban gardens are harvesting more than just fresh, nutritious food. Neighborhoods surrounding gardens are seeing surprising declines in violent crime.

August 3, 2012 - Mother Jones

From its mountain tributaries, to the San Fernando Valley, through Downtown, and across the basin into the Pacific Ocean, Christian MilNeil tells the story behind the ecological and recreation rehabilitation of the Los Angeles River.

August 3, 2012 - Grist

In light of the resounding defeat of Atlanta's regional referendum on a transportation sales tax that could have brought 'transformative infrastructure' to the sprawling region, Brookings' Adie Tomer provides a brief post-mortem on the historic vote.

August 3, 2012 - TNR (The New Republic)

In an initiative announced today, New York will become the first city in the U.S. to test social impact bonds, "an experimental mechanism for financing social services that has excited and worried government reformers around the world."

August 2, 2012 - The New York Times

Part 4 of this multi-part series on the 5-year anniversary of the August 1, I-35W bridge collapse by David Levinson, U. of Minnesota Professor of Civil Engineering, deals with the three vetoed gas tax measures before and after the bridge collapse.

August 2, 2012 - Streets.MN

According to Steve Lackmeyer, traditional highway design, aimed at the automobile, is clashing with modern urban planning trends, of 'complete streets' and multi-modes, over a new proposal to build an elevated highway in Oklahoma City.

August 2, 2012 - NewsOK

This week it was announced that, after a lengthy search, Toronto had found a candidate willing to take on the challenge of guiding the city's planning efforts amid a hostile climate created by "car-loving" mayor Rob Ford.

August 1, 2012 - The Globe and Mail

Deen Sharp asserts that inattention to smaller and less-central cities in the Arab world has obstructed urban theorists from understanding the roll such places have played in changing the course of history.

August 1, 2012 - The Global Urbanist

Increased speeds for passenger rail lines in the Midwest bring along economic baggage, but can the pros outweigh the cons? As higher-speed rail, and expected economic growth, come to Illinois and Michigan, neighboring states see pitfalls.

July 31, 2012 - The Wall Street Journal

Scott Doyon discusses the dangers of simplification and the counter-intuitive soundbite, which work against the creation of partnerships that are essential to solving some of our biggest challenges.

July 31, 2012 - PlaceShakers

Whatever Atlanta area voters decide when they head to the polls tomorrow to vote on a proposed 10-year, 1 percent sales tax to fund transit and road projects, the outcome will be a historic moment in the area's history. Ariel Hart puts it in context.

July 30, 2012 - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

For a city of its size, London and its skyline are notoriously flat. Now, as the city struggles to expand its housing stock to meet the needs of it surging population, increasingly taller solutions are being prescribed, concerning some.

July 29, 2012 - The Global Urbanist

After decades of planning and development of its urban rail networks, will the American West change its image from car cornucopia to transit paradise?

July 29, 2012 - The Architect's Newspaper