A few days ago I posted a blog that discussed the concept of Universal Design (transportation facilities designed to accommodate all possible users, including those with disabilities and other special needs) and the value it provides to individuals and communities. One way to approach this issue is to define the design vehicle for pedestrian facilities.
Infrastructure
California Legislators Pushing For Resolution to Water Crisis
Legislators in California are forming a special session to try to tackle the state's crippling water woes. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is hoping they can hammer out a deal within the week.
The New York Times
Food and Urban Form
Carolyn Steel gives a talk inspired by her new book "Hungry Cities," about the history of feeding urban areas, and the ways in which food might reach increasingly urban populations in the future.
TED.com
Universal Design - Accommodating Everybody
Mon, 10/12/2009 - 07:23
I spent the last week teaching a professional development course for young planners in Buenos Aries, Argentina. It’s been a wonderful experience – my students are smart and enthusiastic, and Buenos Aries is a vibrant city with old-world charm. The buildings, plazas and old statues are beautiful and dignified, although a little frayed around the edges.
Citizen-Activated Adaptive Urban Spaces
The availability of information in the city is creating a new opportunity for adaptive and interactive urban spaces. As Carlo Ratti of MIT's SENSEable City Lab discusses, the key is people.
Wired UK
Reclaiming Alleyways
Office workers in Seattle's Pioneer Square area are claiming their network of alleyways as social spaces.
Northwest Hub
APA Picks 10 Great American Streets for 2009
The American Planning Association has released its picks for Great Places in America for 2009, including their choices for Streets, Public Spaces and Neighborhoods. Skagway, Alaska's Broadway tops the list.
American Planning Association
Asian Disasters Exacerbated by Inadequate Infrastructure
Many of the deaths of the past few rounds of storms and earthquakes are due to inadequate drainage systems, poor building regulation enforcement, and lack of emergency planning.
The Wall Street Journal
The Frustration Behind Miami's Push for a Bike Plan
This audio report form WLRN in Florida looks at the frustrated bicycling community that mobilized to create the city's bicycling master plan, up for approval this week.
WLRN
Anti-Graffiti Coating To Be Required on L.A. Buildings
The Los Angeles City Council has unanimously approved a measure that will require an anti-graffiti coating on all new buildings in the city.
NBC
Intercity Rail Rides Again in Virginia
Intercity rail service has begun operations in Virginia, connecting Lynchburg and Washington D.C.
The Washington Post
Drought Policy and Flooding Streets in LA
While residents ration water for lawn-watering, Los Angeles has experienced double the breaks in water mains as in previous years. The breaks have destroyed streets and flooded businesses, leaving many looking for answers.
The New York Times
Third-Grader Brings Bike Lane to Montana
A third-grader in Missoula, Montana has successfully rallied her city to build a new bike lane near her busy street.
The Missoulian
How Cities Grow Like Brains
Interconnectedness is just as important to brains as it is to cities, according to researchers who've just released a study about the organizational similarities between cities and brains.
Science Daily
Curb Ramps to Nowhere
A number of curb ramps in Jackson, Miss., are built to meet federal regulations but are completely unusable by wheelchairs. [VIDEO]
WLBT-TV
