Government / Politics
Lifting Parking Requirements
As part of its series looking at improving transportation in the U.S., Slate delves into the intricacies of parking requirements and how they impact transportation and traffic in cities.
Jan Gehl's Ten Principals For Liveability
Kaid Benfield introduces Jan Gehl and Walter Hook's principals to promote "environmentally sustainable and socially equitable transportation worldwide."
Baltimore Points The Way Forward For Urban Renewal
Neal Peirce describes how Baltimore's first mixed income neighborhood since WWII is taking shape on the east side just north of the Johns Hopkins campus.
Illegal NYC Commuter Vans Could Become Legitimate
Private transit in the form of livery vans are now sanctioned as part of a year long pilot pushed by Mayor Bloomberg that will compete with public bus and taxi for areas not well-served by the city's extensive, but hard-hit transit network.
Battle Over Closure of Paris Expressways
A political battle is brewing in Paris, where the city's mayor wants to close off sections of roadway along the River Seine, a move that President Nicholas Sarkozy is against.
Wal-Mart Gains Foothold In Lucrative Urban Market
Wal-Mart is succeeding in convincing Chicago politicians that it will create sustainable "employment and revenue for the city." The predominantly suburban-based supercenter chain is trying to move into denser urban areas.
CalTrans Shells Out $17 Million to Rename Pasadena Freeway
The first freeway in California is being renamed back to its original designation, the 'Arroyo Seco Parkway.' Known more recently as simply 'the 110,' it was considered a "marvel of engineering," when construction began in 1938.
Reshuffle at L.A. Planning Department
With fewer staff members to cover the workload, L.A. is redefining planners' roles, including a change that will make planners more community-focused and less centralized.
How Yorkville Ended Up With So Much Dead Public Space
Martin Pedersen of Metropolis Magazine explains how a city ordinance termed the 'plaza bonus,' lead to the creation of more than five hundred "privately financed, privately owned, but public spaces."
Redesigning Cities for Better Mobility
A new project aimed at reducing car reliance in world cities has paired ten architects with ten cities to create a redesigned public space that encourages a mix of transit modes.
Funding Neighborhood Food Security in Vancouver
The city of Vancouver has announced a plan to dedicate $100,000 to fund neighborhood-based food security projects.
Standardizing and Sharing City Data
New York City is moving forward with a plan to create a singular clearinghouse of public agency information -- an effort to help improve the way city departments work together.
The Dangers of Drinking and Riding
The perils of drinking and driving have been well documented - but what of drinking and riding the subway? While the latter only endangers oneself for the most part, crashes can still happen - in this piece, a $2.3 million award was overturned.
City Data Visualization Tool Wins Journalism Prize
A visual city data mapping tool called CityTracking is one of the winners of this year's Knight News Challenge, a journalism competition that seeks out innovative communication ideas for the changing news media.
The Growth of Municipal Debt
Municipal debt is on the rise, as state and local borrowing has grown to nearly one-quarter of the U.S. GDP.
Reversing California's Sprawl with SB 375 and TOD
A new report from the Urban Land Institute finds that California's VMT-focused Senate Bill 375 can potentially reverse the state's sprawl. Transit-oriented development is seen as a strong strategy.
Mortgage Headache Spawns Legislation in California
Mortgage debt is crippling the housing market all over the country, and the homeowners who've taken on more debt than they can afford. Now, real estate interests and banking interests are battling over legislation intended to ease the pain.
Layoffs Hurt Planning Efforts in California
Cities in California's Central Valley are looking at the economic downturn as an opportunity for planners to focus on long-range work. But layoffs in planning departments are making that hard to do.
A Plan for A Carbon-Neutral UK
Worldchanging takes a look at a new report that plots out a plan to create a carbon-neutral United Kingdom by 2030.
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)
