The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
San FranYuppyland?
<p>San Francisco's rapid loss of low and middle-income residents is taking a toll on the city's social fabric.</p>
Traffic Signs Driving Us to Distraction
<p>Traffic signs on American roadways are so numerous and so distracting to drivers that they are having the opposite effect intended, writes John Staddon.</p>
Why Isn't Our Campus Downtown?
<p>Bruce Fisher laments Buffalo's decades-old decision to put their university campus outside of town, missing the lesson that "eds and meds" are central to the prosperity of a city.</p>
Pawnshops 'Inundated', But Facing Hard Times
<p>With gas and food prices climbing to unprecedented levels, many families are turning to pawnshops to cover their bills. Unfortunately, pickups are down and people aren't buying, putting smaller operations at risk of closure.</p>
Zoning Squashes Wedding Plans
<p>Heather Stewart's vision of a country wedding in a resorted country barn are thwarted by code enforcement officers at the last minute. 'We have zoning rules and building codes that always get in the way of dreams,' Reinsborough said.</p>
Hate Your Long-Distance Commute? Then Move
<p>A recent L.A. Times series suggests that we should build more Southern California freeways for long-distance commuters, and prevent additional job development in employment-heavy areas. Bill Fulton suggests a different approach.</p>
Of Cyclepaths and Psychopaths
<p>Cyclists Bill Reynolds muses on the freedom offered by the bicycle -- and the tragic tendency for cyclists to fall victim to automobiles.</p>
FEATURE
Scooting in a City Built for Cars
Rising gas prices and thickening traffic congestion make small, fuel-efficient scooters seem like a great way to get around. But on roads built mainly for speeding cars, scooting can be scary. Occasional scooter-rider Pam Diaz argues it shouldn't be.
New Cruise Ship Will Have Its Own 'Central Park'
<p>Royal Caribbean is building the world's largest cruise ship, which will be a city in its own right with seven different neighborhoods and a central public space/urban park.</p>
Learning from Arlington
<p>Columnist Roger K. Lewis reflects on Arlington's Rosslyn-Ballston corridor and what other cities can learn from their success.</p>
'My Winnipeg': City as Myth, Prison, and Home
<p>An international film festival favorite, Guy Maddin's hard-to-classify documentary "My Winnipeg" revels in and at the same time mocks the Canadian city's mythologies.</p>
U.S. House Debates Smart Growth
<p>The House Select Committee for Energy Independence and Global Warming met Thursday to discuss smart growth and its ability to reduce energy use and emissions.</p>
Houston Thinks About Changing Lifestyles to Fight Congestion
<p>This segment from <em>NPR</em> features a discussion with Houston Mayor Bill White about the city's increasing congestion, the limits of zoning, and the population's reaction to rising gas prices.</p>
Bangla-Doomed?
<p>Rising sea levels caused by global climate change are predicted to swallow the country of Bangladesh by the end of the century.</p>
St. Charles Streetcar Clangs Back to Life
<p>The streetcar returns to New Orleans' St. Charles Ave., a step forward in the long struggle to get the city's transit back on it's feet after Katrina.</p>
Cap and Play
<p>This commentary from the <em>Los Angeles Times</em> calls for creation of a central park for the city, made by putting a "cap" over a section of freeway.</p>
Optical Illusion Speed Bumps Tested in Philadelphia
<p>Optical illusions painted on the streets of Philadelphia are being tested out as a method for getting drivers to slow down.</p>
Jaime Lerner's Ideas Go Global
Metropolis Magazine talks with bus rapid transit pioneer Jaime Lerner about the gradual global spread of his successful ideas from Curitiba.
Friday Funny: Buy An SUV, Get the Illusion of Low Gas Prices
<p>Chrysler's "Let's Refuel America" campaign promises to subsidize your gas as if you were paying $2.99 a gallon if you buy one of their large vehicles. Cartoonist Ruben Bolling spoofs the thinking behind the program in this cartoon.</p>
Handicapped Spots on Residential Streets?
<p>A struggle in Newburyport, Mass., poses an interesting question- should residential neighborhoods have handicapped street parking for residents who need it?</p>
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
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