Government / Politics
The Daily Commute and The Daily Protest in Mexico City
Frequent street closures due to unregulated protest -- up to about 7 per day -- clog the streets of Mexico City, leaving some hungry for a more active response from the government.
McMansions Go Section 8
The bust of the housing market has put a fleet of atypically nice homes into the Section 8 subsidized housing pool.
Garden of Eden Site Being Restored
A marsh in Iraq drained by Saddam Hussein and believed by some to be the site of the Garden of Eden is being restored -- despite dangerous risks.
Fuzzy Connection Between Transportation Policy and Obesity?
Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is paying close attention to the link between transportation options and obesity in America. Next American City's Willy Staley looks at whether this attention will fight the epidemic.
Ambitious Development Plan Crumbles Before City's Eyes
This piece from The New York Times looks at how an ill-fated development plan for the island of Alameda fell apart, and the city official tied up in the controversy.
Benefits and Burdens in Post-World Cup South Africa
The 2010 World Cup has ended in South Africa. What's left behind are a number of physical and cultural legacies that will be both landmark developments and potential economic hazards.
Seattle Could Ban New Houseboats
The city has hundreds of houseboats on its waterways, but new shoreline regulations could prohibit any new houseboats.
High Speed Rail for Wisconsin, Like it or Not
Despite what either of the state's two Republican gubernatorial candidates want, high speed rail is on its way to Wisconsin, according to DOT Secretary Ray LaHood.
Variable Pricing Parking Meters Unveiled in San Francisco
San Francisco has begun a two-year test of variably-priced parking meters in an effort to see how pricing affects driving and parking decisions in parts of the city.
Small-Town Seafood Shack Creates Big Traffic Problem
A popular seafood shack in small-town Maine is causing huge traffic problems. Officials are considering a $100 million solution.
Towns Across The Country Let Their Paved Roads Return To Nature
"When counties had lots of money, they paved a lot of the roads and tried to make life easier for the people who lived out here," said Stutsman County Highway Superintendent Mike Zimmerman, "Now, it's catching up to them."
Miami Approves 50-story Electronic Signs
The Miami City Commission has controversially approved a pair of 50-story electronic signs to be built atop a parking garage next to the City's Arsht Performing Arts Center.
The Government Greens Its Real Estate
The Public Buildings Service, which is responsible for charging and collecting rent on 9,600 public buildings across the 50 states, has been asked to go green by retrofitting and smartening its aging buildings.
San Francisco Pins Utopian Hopes on Treasure Island
San Francisco has always been home to utopian dreamers. With a clean slate to work on in the middle of the bay, the city has drafted plans for a sustainable utopia. With politics and money kicking in, will the dream be dashed?
Bike Advocacy Rule #1: Show Up!
Bike Blogger Richard Masoner offers some tips on how to successfully advocate for effective bicycle facilities, covering the gamut from bike parking to placement of bike sharrows.
Senate Abandons Climate Bill...Now What?
On July 22, the congressional attempt to pass comprehensive climate change legislation officially ended for the year. That day the World Resources Institute unveiled a report assessing carbon reductions possible under existing federal and state law.
L.A.'s New Planning Director
It's been nearly three weeks since Los Angeles Planning Director Gail Goldberg resigned. Now, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has nominated a new director: Michael LoGrande.
Battling Over the Nile's Water, Forgetting About its Ecosystem
Despite flowing through ten different nations, the Nile's water is only technically the property of Egypt and Sudan. The other eight nations are trying to change that. But as the debate heats up, the river's ecosystem may be caught in the cross-fire.
Facing the 'Generational Mismatch'
Two age groups are rapidly growing in the U.S.: baby boomers and minors under 18. The difference is that one group is primarily white, while the other is overwhelmingly not.
Homesteading 2010
A small town in Nebraska is reviving the Homestead Act, offering plots of land to people in order to cash in on property taxes down the line. Other places are following suit.
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.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)
