Government / Politics
Fort Worth Kills Streetcar Plan
City officials in Fort Worth, Texas, have backed out of plans to build a streetcar downtown.
Opening Government Easier Said Than Done
Federal government entities are supposed to be "opening" their data, publishing it online for any and all to see. While the goal is good, the reality of meeting the requirement is creating problems.
Adios Automobile!
TheCityFix looks at the future of the automobile in cities and the possibilities of moving people in to alternative modes in times when car ownership rates are still exploding.
U.S. Court Of Appeals Rules 'Sprawl Fee' Lawful
A U.S. Court of Appeals has upheld a 2008 District Court ruling allowing a regional air quality district to manage land use for the improvement of air quality. CA's Central Valley Air Dist. now has a lawful Indirect Source Review or sprawl fee rule.
Park Funding Problems? Privatize
More parks in the U.S. should fight funding issues through privatization, writes John Stossel.
Rio's Slums to See Massive Redesign
Ahead of the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics, officials in Rio de Janeiro are taking on a massive upgrade project in the city's slums.
Cities Putting Public Spaces Up for Sponsorship
Hundreds of public spaces -- from public parks to subway stations -- are open for bids from sponsors for naming rights.
Can A Tranportation Bill Pass Without Earmarks?
Transportation bills are notorious for being chock full of earmarks, and with new attention being brought to curbing them, how will good policy get passed? A handful of experts are discussing the problem over at the National Journal.
Revenue-Hungry Cities Look to PILOTs
Budget-constrained cities are increasingly looking at PILOTs -- payments in lieu of taxes that some tax-exempt nonprofit organizations contribute to cities.
Cities Preparing for Lower Revenues
As recession-reduced property tax levels begin to play out in cities across the U.S., municipalities are beginning to react to the realities of lowered revenues.
Local Digital Media Outlets Galvanize Neighborhoods
Washington's panoply of hyperlocal news media is filling the holes left by tradition outlets as web 2.0 expands. Since many of the local newspapers have folded, bloggers and other digital media have grown to cover matters at the local level.
Suburb To City: No More Congestion Pricing, Please
San Mateo County officials have a bone to pick with their bigger neighbor (in population, not area) to the north, San Francisco: don't charge us to drive there. Unlike drivers from East and North Bay counties, no bridge tolls separate the counties.
The Most Dynamic Cities in the Post-Crash World
A new report from the Brookings Institution lists the 30 most dynamic cities in the world -- cities that are recovering from the global economic downturn with growth in employment and income.
Ridership Predictions Lowered, But Subway Plans Move Ahead
Despite predictions of ridership that are lower than previously thought, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency is still pushing ahead with plans to build a subway line in the center of the city.
New Toronto Mayor Kills Transit Dreams
The newly installed mayor of Toronto has swiftly abandoned an $8.1 billion mass transit plan for the city.
Dark Clouds Over L.A.'s Light Rail
Los Angeles is in the midst of expanding its light rail system. But a new idea to speed up the process has backfired and caused delays and major increases in estimated costs.
'Urbanism Is the Most Cost-Effective Solution to Climate Change,' says Calthorpe
Phil Langdon reviews Peter Calthorpe's latest, called 'Urbanism in the Age of Climate Change'. Langdon says it is "a densely packed, yet concise overview of the troubling situation we all find ourselves in."
Footing the Bill for the Cancelled ARC Project
And the tab is substantial: $271 million. NJ Gov. Christie, who killed the trans-Hudson, $9 billion rail tunnel for financial reasons, is now left owing funds for work completed that his state would not be liable for had he not canceled the project.
D.C. Takes Long-Range Transit Planning Online
Washington D.C.'s Metro is expecting a major increase in ridership over the next 30 years. To try to meet that demand, they're recruiting ideas from the public with a new outreach effort.
Property Taxes Discourage Density
Local property taxes are often levied disproportionately on multifamily developers, resulting in higher taxes for apartment-dwellers, says Stephen Smith.
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.
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
