Government / Politics

A task force created by the White House in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy has published its 69-point strategy for communities to better withstand and recover from extreme weather events.

August 19, 2013 - Next City

Anyone living in New York, or paying attention to baseball, knows how one failed splashy signing can sink a team's competitiveness. Rather than trying to win with home runs, local governments should be playing small ball, argues Charles Marohn.

August 19, 2013 - Strong Towns

Unlike prior litigation based on environmental grounds, this suit, brought by a farmer, homeowner and the Kings County Board of Supervisors, is based on the rail project's business plan violating the bond measure the voters approved to fund it.

August 19, 2013 - Sacramento Bee

This interactive feature from the New York Times employs animation and photographs of the city over time to explore the places where the outgoing Mayor has left the biggest impression.

August 19, 2013 - The New York Times

In this opinion piece on how to pay for roads, Noel Popwell gives 5 reasons for switching from gas tax to vehicle-miles-traveled (VMT) fee revenue collection - even if the Highway Trust Fund wasn't facing insolvency next year. Obama is opposed to it.

August 18, 2013 - Streetsblog Capitol Hill

A scholar and former New York City planner has an interesting idea for improving the financial state of America's often beleaguered public transit systems: let non-profits run them instead of public agencies. Eric Jaffe explains his reasoning.

August 18, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

A new report by the office of City Councilman Brad Lander finds that New York's voluntary inclusionary housing program is failing to entice developers in large numbers, producing only 2,700 permanently affordable units over the past 8 years.

August 17, 2013 - The New York Times

In a wide-ranging poll looking back at the 12-year tenure of Mayor Bloomberg, New Yorkers overwhelmingly approved of his bike/ped and public health programs, but found his attempts to reform the city's schools and ban sugary drinks objectionable.

August 16, 2013 - The New York Times

Dwarfed by its city counterparts, the Bay Area's 1,000 bikes will cover a larger region (5 cities in 3 counties) with fewer bikes, many placed at key transit nodes. It also distinguishes itself by being a 'pilot program' with multiple public owners.

August 14, 2013 - Environment News Service

What has the United States lost in its journey from a nation of communities to a nation of individuals? Resilience, for one, says Scott Doyon, who suggests how we can utilize community design and planning processes to regrow social ties.

August 14, 2013 - PlaceShakers

What's made the difference in the trajectories of similarly-sized Midwest cities Detroit and Indianapolis? According to David Masciotra, cross-sector partnerships centered around sports entertainment have been the driving force behind Indy's success.

August 13, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

In the aftermath of the disappointing defeat of a one-cent regional sales tax transportation measure, the city council is considering two measures to raise transportation revenue, one being a parking tax based on a Georgia Tech masters thesis.

August 12, 2013 - Creative Loafing Atlanta

The nation's largest oil and natural gas producer is flush with revenue from energy production. If Gov. Rick Perry signs the bill supported by two-thirds of both chambers, voters will decide whether to use about $1.2 billion of it annually for roads.

August 12, 2013 - KUHF Houston Public Radio

Recent controversies surrounding large-scale projects in Hollywood approved without comprehensive seismic evaluations reveal gaps between California construction laws and the City of Los Angeles's ability to enforce them.

August 12, 2013 - Los Angeles Times

While protected bike lanes have yet to be recognized by AASHTO, they are en route to being recognized by US DOT, writes Green Lane Project's Michael Andersen. With federal guidance, transportation engineers may be more willing to build cycle tracks.

August 12, 2013 - Green Lane Project

The Motor City is the not the only victim of the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history. Local governments across Michigan are now encountering substantial obstacles to borrowing amid concerns about the security of municipal bonds.

August 12, 2013 - The New York Times

The $500 million Renaissance Center, a 2.9-mile People Mover, and new downtown sports stadiums are just some of the grand schemes that were supposed to help arrest Detroit's decades-long decline.

August 11, 2013 - The Washington Post

25 years ago, the conversion of 1950's era public housing into a mixed-income community on Columbia Point in Boston provided the template for the federal government's Hope VI program. How has this seminal project withstood the test of time?

August 11, 2013 - Architect

Streetsblog is running a humorous, and sadly disturbing, competition to find the most moronic statements uttered by state and local transportation officials. Meet North America's "Motor Mouths".

August 9, 2013 - DC.Streetsblog

After the U.S. Supreme Court sent a long-running lawsuit over pollution in the Los Angeles and San Gabriel rivers back to a lower court, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that L.A. County is liable for high pollution levels in the rivers.

August 9, 2013 - Los Angeles Times