Infrastructure
Controversial $3 Billion Queens Redevelopment Plan Clears Hurdle
It's known as the Iron Triangle, though some call the sewerless 13-block collection of auto junkyards just east of Shea Stadium an eyesore and disgrace. A controversial application of eminent domain is at the heart of the $3 billion makeover plan.
A New Face for Phoenix
Downtown Phoenix prepares for a facelift with a new form-based code and downtown master plan.
Chicago Alleys Go Permeable
As part of a plan to utilize the city's rainwater and recycle it back to lake Michigan, Chicago has been renovating its 13,00 alleys to become permeable surfaces, where rainwater can soak back into the ground. 40 alleys have been redone so far.
Eight Options on Table for Seattle's Alaskan Way Viaduct
State, county, and city officials revealed eight new options for dealing with Seattle's Alaskan Way Viaduct, a damaged double-decker inner city freeway.
U.S. Infrastructure Crumbling
The Economist reviews the state of America's crumbling civil infrastructure. With water, transit, bridge, and road systems failing, experts call for increased investment and careful planning.
Delaware Wind Power Farm Gains Viability Through Major Investor
A Delaware energy company has agreed to buy power from a proposed offshore wind power farm that could now be built by 2012. The agreement gives more clout to the proposed power farm, which has been debated in the state for years.
Too Much Power
High water levels are straining hydroelectric power generators in Oregon, where too much energy is being created.
People Mover
This article from Next American City looks at escalators -- the expensive, energy-intensive, and often under-used transportation mode.
Can Planning Happen More Quickly?
Members of the British Parliament attempt to speed up the process for planning major projects. But some advocates and observers fear the public's voice will be muted.
Gas Pipelines Through Neighborhoods Are A Difficult Proposition
Fort Worth, Texas officials try to tackle the thorny issue of gas pipelines snaking through residential neighborhoods.
Freeway Expansion Leads to Increased Traffic
A year after a new freeway was completed in Southern California, traffic data shows increased use. Officials plan to widen the freeway to handle the increased load.
Despite Streetcar Skeleton, Chicago Leans Towards BRT
Transit officials in Chicago are calling on the city to rebuild its historic streetcar system. Rails still exist on many streets, but city officials are leaning away from streetcars and towards bus rapid transit.
New Orleans Streets Updated
This story from NPR looks at a new bike lane in New Orleans, and other efforts the city is taking to update its street infrastructure.
How Development Makes Flooding Worse
This article from The Christian Science Monitor looks at how development, farm practices, and population growth have increased the risk of flooding.
Levees in Danger as Midwest Flooding Continues
Flood waters along the Mississippi River continue to rise, leaving many Midwest towns deep under water. The Army Corps of Engineers has just identified 27 levees that may not be high enough to handle the rising waters.
Florida Planner Takes Skills to Iraq
Daniel Reed, former Planning Director of Daytona Beach, is now the primary planner of Sadr City, 12 miles north of Baghdad.
Snow Forces City To Conserve
An avalanche decimates an Alaskan city's energy infrastructure, leading residents to craft creative ways to conserve energy and lower their utility bills.
China Using 10 Times More Cement Than Anyone Else
The Oil Drum charts recent figures released by the U.S. Geological Survey, which show a stunning growth in cement use (and therefore, presumably, building activity) in China as compared to world usage.
Tiny Monaco Using Stilts to Expand
The second-smallest country in the world (after the Vatican) has plans to expand its territory by building more land on stilts in an idea inspired by oil rigs.
Infrastructure Deficit Called a 'Quiet Collapse of Prosperity'
Big city mayors testifying before a Senate committee are asking for more federal infrastructure investments, but admitted that even the $1.6 trillion estimated by the American Society of Engineers wouldn't be enough.
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
