The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

If you think your city is doing all it can to make its public spaces pleasant for all residents, think again. From “pig’s ears” to the "Camden Bench", Frank Swain explores the "secret tricks" cities use to make spaces uncomfortable and unattractive.

December 4 - BBC

A pilot project to extend the operating hours of Boston's subway system until 3 a.m. on weekends is being celebrated by riders, businesses leaders and public officials as a crucial element in maintaining a vibrant and attractive city.

December 4 - The Boston Globe

There are some cities that give you everything you need and others that make you work for it. This article profiles efforts to build a startup community in Tallahassee through the eyes of the city's growing network of entrepreneurs.

December 4 - This Big City

Scott Doyon reviews the book "13 Ways to Kill Your Community", by Alberta Legislative Assembly member Doug Griffiths and journalist Kelly Clemmer. In it, the authors reveal some of the "curiously recurring behaviors" that harm cities of all sizes.

December 4 - PlaceShakers

Leave it up to Austin to show Texas how to reduce its auto-oriented infrastructure. A project to replace on-street parking and traffic lanes with dedicated bus and bike lanes is the result of a partnership between bike and transit planners.

December 4 - People for Bikes

If it was good enough for Alan Simpson and Erskine Bowles, the Republican and Democrat authors of President Obama's deficit commission bearing their names, the phased, 15-cent fuel tax increase should be adopted, says Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.).

December 4 - The Hill's Transportation Blog

BD is out with its annual list of the architecture firms most admired by their colleagues. A number of large commercial practices joined avant-garde firms in the top 10.

December 4 - BD Online

With the train's black box showing that the speeding commuter train entered a 30 M.P.H curve at 82 M.P.H, causing the derailment, attention has turned toward the engineer. CNN reports that the engineer admits to "nodding off" before the crash.

December 4 - The New York Times - N.Y. / Region

Self-driving cars may still be several years away, but federal officials are already looking to restrict the ability of drivers to operate their cars to improve road safety. They're pushing for the adoption of new technologies to reduce human error.

December 3 - Los Angeles Times

A study conducted by the Project for Public Spaces finds that New York's new CitiBike stations are a locus for more than just cycling. They provide wayfinding and street seating, serve as gathering places, and encourage random social interactions.

December 3 - PPS Placemaking Blog

Population loss has been a fact of life for many of the United States' rural towns for decades. But if the experiences of rural towns across Minnesota are any indication, manufacturing, farming, and technology may generate a widespread rural revival.

December 3 - Star Tribune

U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Steven Rhodes ruled today that the city of Detroit is eligible for bankruptcy protection, allowing the city to proceed with the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history. Public employee unions are expected to appeal.

December 3 - Detroit Free Press

California's inequality is usually described in geographic terms that distinguishes between the state's affluent coastal areas and impoverished inland areas. When considering the cost of living, a statewide poverty crisis comes into focus.

December 3 - The Economist

The University of Massachusetts at Lowell has spent $600 million on construction projects over the past six years alone. But as the university grows, local leaders are asking for payments in lieu of taxes to offset the demand on municipal services.

December 3 - The Boston Globe

Creating a culture of transit in Los Angeles will require more than just expanding the area's train and bus infrastructure. New riders will have to overcome the psychological barriers that prevent many people from ditching their cars.

December 3 - KCET

Rowan Moore looks at the multiple layers that are conspiring to make a maturing Miami the "new Most Exciting City in America". Diverse cultural offerings and branded architecture are attracting international investors.

December 3 - The Guardian

Is there a correlation between running red lights and more violent crime like robberies and homicide? Gabe Klein, Chicago's distinguished outgoing transportation commissioner, thinks so. It's been dubbed "the broken windows effect."

December 3 - Streetsblog

An innovative alliance of urban school districts is working to lower the cost of eco-friendly supplies and source more sustainable food. Their efforts could provide a template for other schools and large institutions.

December 3 - The New York Times

BLOG POST

As the housing market recovers, are we back to the McMansion-binges of the 2000s? Or, are we growing just a little bit smarter?

December 2 - Shane Phillips

A frank discussion about growth and development at a recent Vancouver forum revealed the extensive common ground shared developers and neighborhood activists, and promising techniques for bridging their traditional divide.

December 2 - The Vancouver Sun