Infrastructure
Chicago's Lawrence Avenue Is Changing—Is the Neighborhood Ready?
The Lawrence Avenue corridor in Chicago is poised to evolve into "New Lawrence," but as development proposals follow a streetscape improvement project, the community is still sorting out what exactly "new" should mean.
A New Theory for Traffic Engineering
If transportation officials embrace a new approach backed by science, safe and effective mobility no longer need conflict with the multidimensional role of streets as public spaces and with people's varied modes of travel.
Seattle Residents Angling For New Cap Park Over I-5
As Seattle’s Convention Center expansion moves forward, community members want the public benefit discussion to focus on a new downtown park over I-5.
Zoning Strategies for an Aging Country
Planners convene to discuss a model plan for the smart growth of an aging population.
Audit: Dallas Falling Behind as Water Mains Fail
The average water main in Dallas is 42 years old, and the costs of updating the city's water mains are estimated at $55 million a year. The problem: Dallas doesn’t even know where to start.
Op-Ed: Lake Powell No Longer Needed
Eric Balken makes the case that Lake Powell, anchored in place by the Glen Canyon Dam, is too inefficient a reservoir during times of water scarcity. Lake Mead, he says, is more than up to the task.
Charles Marohn: Not Your Typical Urbanist
From his home in Brainerd, Minnesota (population 13,500), this fiscally conservative engineer leads a growing movement. His slow-and-steady approach to urban development has real bipartisan appeal.
Water Resilience in Dry Climates
How can cities in dry climates become self-sufficient in terms of water? California based Dry Lands Institute is creating a digital design tool called Hazel that aims to address just that.
Anchorage Changes Policies for Cell Towers in Neighborhoods
Draft regulations under consideration in Anchorage "would prohibit building large cellphone towers next to homes in dense urban settings."
Poor Urban Planning at Heart of Devastation in India's Torrential Rains
The death toll from the torrential rains in Chennai, capital of Tamil Nadu state, and the surrounding region has climbed to 345 as of Dec. 4. While the scope of the rains are unprecedented, poor urban planning has been linked to the devastation.
A Hoboken Resident Finds Fault in Parking Minimums
In older, denser communities like Hoboken, NJ, where almost everything is walkable and land value is sky high, why are city officials still requiring parking minimums?
Dallas Has Nation's First Hybrid Streetcar
At critical points, Dallas' streetcar system runs without overhead cables. Two batteries underneath the car store enough power to propel the train across a mile-long bridge.
Death of the Federal Transportation User Fee
The passage of the five-year FAST Act, the first long-term transportation bill since 2005, solidifies the trend that has been in place since 2008, when General Fund transfers to the Highway Trust Fund first began. Such transfers are now the new norm.
Public-Private Partnership Anticipated for Amtrak Gateway Program
Similar to high-speed rail projects throughout the nation, Amtrak will be looking to the private sector to help pay a portion of the expected $20 billion tab to build two new tunnels under the Hudson River and expand New York's Penn Station.
Gondola Monorail Could Ease Mexico City Traffic
Mexico City is considering a novel transit idea: two-person gondolas gliding along an aerial track. The costs of such a system may be far lower than extending the subway system.
Study to Address Staten Island Transportation Deserts
Residents of Staten Island suffer from very long commutes, and many rely on cars. The New York City Council has proposed a study to determine how additional transit could be implemented in the borough.
Too Many Cities Relying on 'Plan and Forget' Climate Adaptation Strategies
A highly critical article suggests that the experts drafting climate adaptation plans should re-evaluate their assumptions about what works and what is likely to collect dust on a shelf as the sea rises.
To Solve Sao Paulo's Water Crisis, Collaboration Is Key
Brazil is rethinking it's approach to water infrastructure. Brazilian think-tank Arq Futuro and Arup's Pablo Lazo give their take on the state of South America's most populous country.
Public Transit May Boost Mental Health
A new study based on an analysis of the residents of Turin, Italy, a city of over 900,000, reveals that walkable access to public transit and urban services benefits mental health, particularly for women and seniors.
The Great Debate: Which Infrastructure System Most Needs Repair?
The New York Times created a "Room for Debate" feature offering four points of view on the subject of infrastructure repair.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Thousand Oaks
City of Wisconsin Rapids
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA)
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
