Government / Politics

Defining a National Infrastructure Bank

The idea of creating a national infrastructure bank is gathering support amongst politicians and officials at the federal level. But what is it?

December 12, 2010 - Transportation Nation

The Impact of D.C.'s Outgoing Transportation Head

As Washington D.C. transportation Gabe Klein prepares to leave his post, columnist Robert Thomson looks at the impact of his short legacy.

December 12, 2010 - The Washington Post

Do Rainforests Grow on Money?

In an effort to halt the destruction of rainforests, increasing amounts of money are being offered to countries for preservation efforts. But some wonder whether throwing money at the problem will yield a solution.

December 11, 2010 - Der Spiegel

HUD With an Emphasis on the 'UD'

The federal government is attempting to pay closer attention to urban issues, and its Department of Housing and Urban Development is leading the way.

December 10, 2010 - Next American City

Bing on Detroit, 18 Months into Office

Detroit Mayor Dave Bing has been in office for a year and a half. Some progress in the troubled city has been made, but much work remains, as is revealed in this interview.

December 10, 2010 - The Detroit Free Press

LaHood Announces New HSR Winners & Losers

The loser list is short and no surprise: The governor-elects of OH and WI had campaigned against HSR projects in their states-they got their wish. The recipients of the redirected $1.2 billion were the surprise,with CA, FL, and WA being the happiest.

December 10, 2010 - U.S. D.O.T. Press Release

Predictions for California Planning in 2011

Paul Shigley of the California Planning and Development Report offers three predictions on what the state can expect to see in 2011 in terms of urban planning and development.

December 10, 2010 - California Planning and Development Report

Fort Worth Kills Streetcar Plan

City officials in Fort Worth, Texas, have backed out of plans to build a streetcar downtown.

December 10, 2010 - Fort Worth Star-Telegram

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.

December 9, 2010 - Next American City

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.

December 9, 2010 - TheCityFix

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.

December 9, 2010 - AP via The Fresno Bee

Park Funding Problems? Privatize

More parks in the U.S. should fight funding issues through privatization, writes John Stossel.

December 8, 2010 - Reason

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.

December 8, 2010 - Guardian

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.

December 8, 2010 - The Wall Street Journal

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.

December 7, 2010 - NationalJournal

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.

December 6, 2010 - Citiwire

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.

December 5, 2010 - Citiwire

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.

December 4, 2010 - Next American City

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.

December 3, 2010 - The San Mateo Daily Journal

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.

December 3, 2010 - The Atlantic

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.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.