Chicago

The Chicago Transit Authority is cracking down on 'continuous riders', people who sleep or hang out in the subway through the winter nights to keep warm. Advocates worry the crackdown will hurt the homeless.

For $1.16 billion, Chicago Parking Meters LLC, has won the rights to manage Chicago's parking meters. This is one step the city has taken to ease budget shortfalls.

One architecture critic addresses two skyscraper-related conundrums: Decorative lighting that tops the buildings are energy inefficient, and they are dangerous to migrating birds.

Midway Airport may become the first U.S. airport to be privatized if the 99-year lease for $2.52 billion is approved by the City Council and F.A.A., following in the footsteps of privatizing the Chicago Skyway toll road in 2005.

Portland, Oregon, has again been named the most sustainable city in the U.S. in a recent ranking.

As the 100-year anniversary of the writing of the Burnham Plan for Chicago approaches, the city and its suburbs are thinking big about how to improve the city.

This piece from Discover looks at the iconic "invisible" things that define cities -- like Seattle's clouds, Houston's air conditioning, and L.A.'s Botox.

Olympics-related construction in Beijing has impressed many, but does little to make the city a better place. Architecture critic Blair Kamin says Chicago needs to be careful about not repeating China's mistakes if it hosts the games in 2016.

The Chicago Transit Authority has announced plans to remove all the seating from some of its rush hour trains in order to deal with increased demand.

More than 2 million people are expected to be added to the metropolitan Chicago region by 2030, and water supplies may not be able to keep up. Officials are trying to find a solution.

As part of a plan to utilize the city's rainwater and recycle it back to lake Michigan, Chicago has been renovating its 13,00 alleys to become permeable surfaces, where rainwater can soak back into the ground. 40 alleys have been redone so far.

Transit officials in Chicago are calling on the city to rebuild its historic streetcar system. Rails still exist on many streets, but city officials are leaning away from streetcars and towards bus rapid transit.

Chicago has come in second-to-last place in the selection of finalists seeking to host the 2016 Olympics. The city's bid was criticized for not having a strong transportation plan.

A peaceful suburb wanting to preserve its tranquility is pitted against a large rail company attempting to lessen freight congestion around Chicago by running its trains through it and other suburbs on an existing rail line it hopes to purchase.

Fast Company highlights Chicago and London, their picks for U.S. and Global Cities of the Year, respectively. Whatever you think of the way such lists come together, these are interesting profiles of two vibrant municipalities.

Michael Gecan uses the Chicago and New York City areas as examples of the challenges facing mature suburbs, examines the ways many are avoiding reality, and draws a series of conclusions.

Th small town of Golf, Illinois, is likely to stay that way because of barriers at its borders. Its residents couldn't be happier.

The blog post features a list of the top five densest cities in America, and looks at the conditions that have made them that way.

As part of its yearly tradition, officials in Chicago have dyed the Chicago River green to celebrate St. Patrick's Day.

The Friends of the Bloomingdale Trail want to convert a three-mile section of abandoned elevated rail line into a bike trail. It could take a decade, but the idea already has the backing of some of the city's power players.