Government / Politics
Rail Safety Improvements Years Away
Head-on train collisions can be avoided by simply keeping one train per track. There's a plan to make that happen, but it's years from implementation.
Bush DOT Secretary Gives Her Two Cents
Mary Peters, Secretary of Transportation from 2006-2008, gives her opinion on where transportation funding should go. Better technology is high on her list.
A Backyard Battle: Trials of a Garden-Variety NIMBY
Nandita Godbole advocates for parks and greenspaces around Atlanta. But when faced with a struggle over keeping her own quarter-acre backyard open and free, she found she was powerless.
Immigration Detention Hotels?
Homeland Security is looking to change the way the detention of nonviolent undocumented immigrants is handled. Among the ideas for a more appropriate detention system: converting hotels and nursing homes to hold people who are not accused of crimes.
Fighting the Invasive Species of the Galapagos: Humans
Drawn to the Galapagos Islands by their booming tourism industry, thousands of poor Ecuadorians are being booted from the sensitive ecosystem to counteract the negative impact of the rising human population.
One Planner Left Standing
With the layoff of City Planner John 'Rusty' Lewis, Natchez, Mississippi is left with only one employee in its planning department - and she retires next week.
The Frustration Behind Miami's Push for a Bike Plan
This audio report form WLRN in Florida looks at the frustrated bicycling community that mobilized to create the city's bicycling master plan, up for approval this week.
Anti-Graffiti Coating To Be Required on L.A. Buildings
The Los Angeles City Council has unanimously approved a measure that will require an anti-graffiti coating on all new buildings in the city.
Intercity Rail Rides Again in Virginia
Intercity rail service has begun operations in Virginia, connecting Lynchburg and Washington D.C.
Ban on Biking and Walking to School May Be Lifted
A 15-year-old ban on biking and walking to school in Saratoga Springs, New York may be lifted, after one bike-friendly parent challenged the policy.
Kids Tackling Planning Issues
The Municipal Art Society of New York talks with four young people who are actively involved in addressing the planning challenges facing their communities.
France Plans Electric Car Charging Network
The French government hass announced plans to install electric car charging stations throughout the country.
The Curse of Pruitt-Igoe
Rumor had it that the site of the infamous Pruitt-Igoe projects remains empty because the foundations are impossible to demolish. Turns out that the problem is politics, not pilings.
The Debate Over Metropolitan Planning Organizations
In the midst of an important debate in Washington, DC over the future of America's transportation funding, a report issued this month by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) identified several challenges facing regional transportation policy.
How to Speak Senior Citizen
Elaine Cogan gives these tips for talking about planning issues with senior citizens and getting the most out of them throughout the planning process.
U.S. Senate Set To Begin Climate Legislation Battle
The Senate will introduce on Sept. 30 its companion bill to the Waxman-Markey climate change legislation that has already passed the House of Representatives. Both bills rely on 'cap & trade' to meet their greenhouse gas emission reduction targets.
L.A. Supergraphics Ban Upheld
A federal judge has allowed a citywide ban on new digital billboards and building-sized supergraphics to continue.
Public Art Flourishing in Northwest
New public art projects are popping up across the Pacific Northwest. Some of Seattle’s traffic signal boxes are getting a makeover, as artists add decorative touches to them.
Third-Grader Brings Bike Lane to Montana
A third-grader in Missoula, Montana has successfully rallied her city to build a new bike lane near her busy street.
400 Miles of New Highways
That's what the Maricopa Association of Governments is proposing, to meet the needs of the millions projected to move into the Phoenix metro area by 2050, along with 320 miles of new rail transit. Some are questioning the population projections.
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
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)
