Government / Politics
Friday Funny: The Totalitarian Utopianism of Smurfs
A new book by researcher Antoine Buéno looks at the cartoon and comic book characters the Smurfs as an example of a totalitarian regime with utopian goals.
The True History of America's Interstate Highways
The Dwight D. Eisenhower System of Interstate and Defense Highways was actually the idea of an earlier president, according to this history of highways posted on The Infrastructurist.
New Orleans to Explore Dutch Approach to Water Management
A local firm is leading an effort in New Orleans to manage the city's water more like the Dutch.
Treasure Island Project Approved in San Francisco
A massive new neighborhood planned for the man-made former military site of Treasure Island in the San Francisco Bay has been unanimously approved by the city's Board of Supervisors.
Federal Money at Risk as Regional Transit Falters in Detroit
Millions of federal dollars could be lost if transportation officials in metropolitan Detroit can't figure out a way to combine a variety of transit services into one regional authority.
GM's CEO says, "Increase the Gas Tax"
General Motors CEO Dan Akerson told The Detroit News that he wants the gas tax boosted to "nudge" consumers towards more fuel-efficient cars.
Kotkin Compares California to Iran
Calling California's attempts at environmental responsibility a "green jihad," Joel Kotkin argues that the state's "ideological extremism" has led to illogical economic and political decisions - similar to those made in the Islamic Republic of Iran.
LaHood and DOT Employees Bike to Work (VIDEO)
This two-minute video features U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood discussing the merits of bicycling and bike friendly places as he and other DOT employees bike to work.
Tea Party Sinks Planning Meeting
Public outreach on SB 375, California's climate change bill, began last month in the San Francisco Bay Area. But the East Bay Tea Party had other plans.
Local Planning Offices Eliminated
Gov. Bill Haslam of Tennessee has slashed 58 jobs from the Department of Economic and Community Development -- including the entire local planning assistance division.
Livability Trumps Architecture at CNU19
At the 19th Congress for the New Urbanism, Planetizen's Tim Halbur finds a vibrant, active community of urban thinkers more interested in improving livability than in architectural principles.
Could Detroit Rise Again?
Detroit has become our most notorious story of urban collapse. But reporter Matthew Power suggests that we consider the city's official motto: "It shall rise from the ashes."
Streamlining the Process on Public Projects
The L.A. County Department of Public Works was in a constant battle with its contractors, until they moved from the standard "design, bid, construct" to a "design-build" model.
The Social Life of Dallas City Hall Plaza
Filmmaker Aaron Garcia uses narration from William H. Whyte's classic The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces to highlight the failings of the I.M. Pei-designed Dallas City Hall Plaza.
Luring Luxury and Expelling the Lower Class
New York City's policy that incentivizes luxury development has had deleterious impacts on the city's lower and middle classes, according to the new documentary "The Vanishing City".
Listening to the People's Voice in Detroit
In this op-ed for The Detroit News, Rob Goodspeed argues that Detroit needs to exert more effort to dialog with its citizens about how the city should change.
Last Month For Hybrids In CA Carpool Lanes
In Sept. 2005, eligible hybrid vehicles could use CA carpool lanes with only one occupant as an incentive to purchase them. The expiration date was extended by legislation twice, but DMV assures the 85,000 yellow decal owners it ends July 1.
Mobility Lacking in Toronto
Toronto's lack of focus on transportation planning and the absence of a national strategy for mobility is turning the city into a messy gridlock, according to this column.
New Jersey Gov. Scraps Rail, Invests in Mega-Mall Instead
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie defunded the construction of the ARC Tunnel (connecting NJ to NY via increased rail service), claiming that it was fiscally irresponsible. Now, Christie is using state funds to finance the construction of a mega-mall.
New York City Brownfields Program Clean But Flawed
A citywide brownfields recovery program in New York City has been cleaning up polluted sites, allowing new developments to move in on formerly vacant areas. But some worry the program is fueling gentrification.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont
