Tim Halbur

A new gondola cable car system is opening in a Rio de Janeiro slum to improve accessibility.

Gene Dunn, a 63-year-old resident of Ventura, California cuts weeds with his square shovel on public streets. City leaders would like to recruit an army of Gene Dunns.

The Planters company has revealed plans to assist cities in designing and building urban pocket parks in underused land. In return, the parks will include branding from the company, including a Mr. Peanut statue sitting on a peanut bench.

Portland is known today as one of the nation's top bicycling cities, but it wasn't always thus. Mia Birk, the city's bicycle coordinator in the early 90s, explains how the city changed course to create an enviable bicycle infrastructure.

Angela Starita reports on the growing popularity of "haute food courts" -- high-end food markets -- and what they mean for cities.