Infrastructure

Clean-Fuel Zone Widened Per Navy's Request

Known for its puritanical environmental laws, California's shipping pollution standards just got tougher. The California Air Resource Board voted unanimously to expand the 2009 clean-fuel zone, which mandates ships to use less-polluting fuels.

June 27, 2011 - The Los Angeles Times

Basra to Baghdad in 2 Hours

A preliminary deal has been signed to construct a high-speed rail linking Baghdad to a southeastern city Basra.

June 26, 2011 - BBC News

The True Cost of Solar Power

By the numbers, solar energy comes with a hefty price tag in comparison to other sources. But energy experts claim that the overall value to society offsets the initial high production cost.

June 24, 2011 - Renewable Energy World Magazine

City of the Future: Two Legs Good, Four Wheels Bad

Once dubbed the "lungs of the city," highways are becoming perhaps less essential. From Seattle to Seoul, pedestrianization is gaining traction on both the domestic and international fronts.

June 24, 2011 - The Architect's Newspaper

Power Struggle (Literally) in the Pacific Northwest

The Economist reports "a case of favoritism towards electricity generated by federal dams" in the Columbia River basin, a stretch of land that encompasses Oregon, Washington state, Idaho, and western Montana.

June 24, 2011 - The Economist

Japan Moves Forward With Maglev Train

Tsunami, earthquakes, and nuclear radiation in the past, Japan proceeds to build a magnetic train that defies Newton's laws of physics.

June 24, 2011 - GOOD Magazine

U.S. Bicycle Master Plan Undergoes a Renaissance

Rendered obsolete in the 1980's, Secretary of Transportation LaHood makes a commitment to bring back a national network of bike routes.

June 23, 2011 - GOOD Magazine

Yacht Race to Bring New Cruise Terminal to San Francisco

As San Francisco prepares to host the America's Cup yacht race in 2013, one of the key building areas for the event is also being fast-tracked as the site of a new cruise terminal.

June 23, 2011 - San Francisco Chronicle

China's Superhighway on Kenyan Soil

Three Chinese companies are building a 31-mile highway to the Kenyan capital of Nairobi. It's a move locals see as an effort to gain favor with the Kenyan government.

June 23, 2011 - NPR

'The Johnny Appleseed of Walk-able Communities'

Walkability guru Dan Burden's long-preached message of pedestrian-focused planning is increasingly becoming policy in cities across the country.

June 22, 2011 - The Washington Post

The Top 10 Cities Leading the Way on Climate Change

Predictable cities like San Francisco, Seattle, and Portland are in the Top 10, but cities like San Diego and San Jose also hold prominent spots on the list.

June 22, 2011 - Triple Pundit

A Neighborhood of Stairs

The La Independencia neighborhood in Medellin, Colombia sprawls up a hillside, leaving the inhabitants to walk up to 10 flights of stairs every day. An ambitious development program is considering building an outdoor network of escalators.

June 22, 2011 - TheCityFix.com

Londoners Expect Olympics to Bring Transportation Legacy

A new survey of Londoners shows that improved transportation is seen as the most likely long-term benefit from hosting the 2012 Summer Olympics.

June 22, 2011 - Rail.co

New Bridge and Park Reconnects Detroit Neighborhood

A new pedestrian bridge over a freeway has reconnected a Detroit neighborhood with new accessibility and a new park.

June 22, 2011 - The Architect's Newspaper

America's Hidden, Distributed Infrastructural Dependencies

The WikiLeaks release revealed the locations of a set of infrastructural sites operated by the United States all across the world. This piece from Domus looks at the geographical and geopolitical implications of this network.

June 22, 2011 - domus

The History and the Flaws of the Cul-de-Sac

This episode of 99% Invisible looks into the history of the cul-de-sac, and why its design flaws overpower its benefits.

June 21, 2011 - 99% Invisible

A Reality Check for Driverless Cars

For autonomous vehicles to roam the freeway, infrastructure and the law will need to accelerate and catch up with innovation, experts say.

June 21, 2011 - The Infrastructurist

Planning for Pedestrians in Chicago

Hit-and-run accidents in Chicago are double the national average. That's just one factor as the city develops its first ever comprehensive pedestrian plan.

June 21, 2011 - The Chicago Tribune

Regularizing Informal Settlement in Latin America

June 20, 2011 - Gregory K. Ingram

More Extensive Bus Service to Serve Seattleites

In Washington state, King County Council will vote on a measure to adopt a new algorithm for transit service policy.

June 20, 2011 - Seattle Post-Intelligencer

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.

Senior Planner

planning NEXT

Home and Land Services Coordinator

Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners

Associate/Senior Planner

Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development

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.