Infrastructure
Congestion Control Demanded for New 12-Lane Bridge
The mayors of Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington have come to an agreement about the size of a new bridge that will connect the two cities -- but on the condition that a bistate commission be set up to control congestion through tolling.
Don't Fear the VMT Fee
The Christian Science Monitor editorializes in support of the VMT fee replacing the gas tax just as the latest federal transportation financing commission report recommends, as Oregon Governor Kulongoski hopes to do, and as some will do in Europe.
Shovels Are In Motion, Says Obama
The President and V.P. addressed the Department of Transportation today, stating that the new investment in infrastructure "will create or save 150,000 jobs by the end of next year, most of them in the private sector."
In Ancient City, Conservationists Can't Help Sprawl's Effects
Ninevah, one of the world's most endangered heritage sites, is deteriorating due to recent development and urban sprawl, say officials.
Raise The Gas Tax AND Switch To VMT Fee, Says Commission
The National Surface Transportation Infrastructure Financing Commission advises Congress that the U.S. is in an infrastructure crisis, and that they must raise the gas excise tax by ten cents now and begin the switch to a VMT fee.
Better Transportation Needs Better Cities
A new design competition is seeking solutions to L.A.'s transportation problems. But the real solution may not have anything to do with transportation at all.
Sprawl A Major But Ignored Factor in Infrastructure Costs
The federal stimulus package has made infrastructure into a hot topic among states. But, as Mary Newsom writes, states are not addressing the land use patterns that drive up the costs and bring down the efficiency of infrastructure.
New York City to Reclaim Broadway For Pedestrians
Mayor Bloomberg and Janette Sadik-Khan have unveiled plans to turn a large segment of midtown into a pedestrian-only thoroughfare. The bold move is being applauded by livable street advocates across the United States.
Water Woes Hurting California's Farming Towns
California's Central Valley is one of the top agricultural sites in the world, but with low rainfall and cut-off irrigation supplies, farming towns and their citizens may face at least one tough year ahead.
Infrastructural Evolution
In this piece from Metropolis, Andrew Blum looks at how America's infrastructural philosophy is evolving from "repair" to "renew".
Water: Think Globally, Act Locally
The world is facing a water crisis, and existing development and management practices are only making it worse. This interview with water expert Peter Gleick looks at what's being done wrong and how it can be done right.
Was the WPA Shovel-Ready?
William Menking compares the WPA with the current stimulus package and finds many parallels, including an emphasis on shovel-ready projects and a lack of trust in the federal government to plan large-scale infrastructure.
Obama Eyes Infrastructure Bank
In a recent interview with newspaper columnists, President Barack Obama spent some time discussing the idea of a national infrastructure bank and the chances of one taking shape.
Stimulating The Economy- and Greenhouse Gases
In this NPR interview, Michael Replogle, Environmental Defense Fund's transportation director, points to a 12-lane highway that will be built with stimulus funds that he says exacerbates our dependence on foreign oil and global warming.
$8 Billion for High Speed Rail? How Did That Happen?
What were the inside politics that allowed for the largest investment in high speed rail in the U.S? Politico reports on the Obama-Emanuel workings of the rail investment in the stimulus package - and no, it wasn't based on the LA to Las Vegas route.
Infrastructure Needs to Get Smarter
The Wall St. Journal reviews the latest in smart technology for infrastructure, from vehicle infrastructure integration to smart utility meters.
Embracing Free Bicycle Infrastructure
Building bicycle infrastructure is expensive. Finding it is free. This piece from Citiwire implores cities to rethink quiet streets as "bicycle boulevards".
Aging Canada to Strain Transit, Infrastructure
A new report warns that an aging Canadian population will drive up infrastructure costs in public transit, water management, and roads and sidewalks.
Troubling Wall
The border between the U.S. and Mexico is being built into 700 miles of wall in Texas. Architect Lance Hosey looks at the environmental, ecological and sociological problems it creates.
A 'D' for America's Infrastructure
That's the grade given by the American Society of Civil Engineers, in their 2009 Report Card on America's Infrastructure. This editorial argues argues that stimulus funding won't be enough to fix it.
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
