The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

How One City Cultivates its Bike Culture
As a case study of bike culture, in which riding bikes is a normal and respected decision, Jeremy Holmes studies the example provided by Roanoke, Virginia.
Friday Eye Candy: Social Media and the Beauty of Transit
Jenni Avins shares a collection of videos created on Instagram's new Hyperlapse app that capture the beauty of transportation from every corner of the world.

Friday Funny: A Mayor Dares to Dream of a Revitalized Waterfront
The satirical site The Onion once again checks in with the world of planning and urbanism—this time choosing Erie, Pennsylvania Mayor Joe Sinnott to present some crazy ideas about the city's waterfront.

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Green Health Tools for 'Back to School'
Nisha Botchwey and Kirsten Cook detail the articles available on the subject of green health and schools in the Summer 2014 issue of the Journal of Planning Education. (Articles mentioned in this post have Open Access through September.)
Breaking News: $5 Billion Tesla Battery 'Gigafactory' Headed to Nevada
With competition from California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas, Elon Musk, the CEO of Bay Area-based Tesla Motors, chose the Silver State to build his much sought after $5 billion battery "giga factory."
Plans for a 550-Mile 'Atlantic Coast Pipeline' Announced
A trio of natural gas providers is planning to build a 550-mile pipeline from West Virginia to North Carolina. The companies are hoping to secure approval for the project from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission by 2016.

The Fastest Growing Small Cities In America
Joel Kotkin explores the small cities that are growing the fastest in the United States, and what factors lead to this growth.
How to Make the Sharing Economy Work for Governments
Gabe Klein discusses some of the merits and challenges of forging private-public partnerships between disruptive companies and government entities.
California High Speed Rail Construction and Litigation Update
Notwithstanding a favorable court ruling freeing state bond funds, construction is delayed on the 800-mile project, reports Ralph Vartabedian of the LA Times. Jessica Calefati of the Mercury News writes on opponents' appeal to the state Supreme Court
Qualitative Study of Gentrification in Fort Collins, Colorado Neighborhood
Stanford researcher Clayton Hurd is studying the Tres Colonias, an overarching name for three neighborhoods in Fort Collins, Colorado, with dwindling numbers of Hispanic homeowners facing mounting gentrification pressures.
Elevated Cycletracks: Future Urban Staple or Glitzy Dream Project?
With London's proposed SkyCycle and Copenhagen's successful Cykelslangen, are elevated cycletracks a viable transportation solution?
A Massive List of Tools for Digital Public Engagement
Here are 50 tools for online engagement. These digital platforms can help local government consult, collaborate with, and empower citizens in planning decisions.

America's Failing Walkability
In a recent Huffington Post article, F. Kaid Benfield of the Natural Resources Defense Council breaks down some of the barriers for walkability in the United States.
Is Living in New York City a Consumption Choice?
To what degree are people's location decisions dictated by their consumer preferences? Jordan Weissmann of Slate Magazine discusses whether living in an expensive city like New York City is a consumption choice.

Painting the Streets Blue in Crested Butte, Colorado
This isn't some new take on the bright green of bike lanes all over the country—it's not even the same shade of blue worn by the Denver Broncos. It's Bud Light painting the mountain town's Elk Avenue blue for $500,000 for its #WhateverUSA promotion.
$102 Million Brings Chicago-St. Louis High Speed Rail a Step Closer
A $102 million investment by Illinois along with federal funds from the Recovery Act will pay for double-tracking and a new rail bridge to enable 109 mph service on a key section of Amtrak's Chicago to St. Louis high speed rail corridor.
Local Climate Change Response Prevailing Over Federal Action
With national action tackling climate change remaining weak, regional and local municipalities are taking substantive actions to address the oncoming severe affects of climate change.
Euro-Envy Reconsidered: Talkin' Time, Distance, and Change
Most North American urbanists turn to Europe for inspiration and direction. Some of that brilliance, Ben Brown reminds us, is due to time and distance.
Report: Fracking Doesn't Pose Danger to California Groundwater
The Bureau of Land Management will resume oil and gas leasing in California after a report by a scientific research organization established by the state legislature showed no correlation between fracking and groundwater pollution.
Hitchhiking as Transportation Solution
With 80 percent of our passenger capacity empty, Jenny O'Brien discusses the potential of hitchhiking apps as a transportation solution in a recent TEDxKC talk.
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Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Ada County Highway District
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
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.