The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

<p>Plans to extend Melbourne, Australia's already-extensive freeway system are short-sighted and illustrate the lack of true planning vision in the city, according to this column from <em>The Age</em>.</p>

August 21 - The Age

<p>Los Angeles is one of the most parks-deficient cities on the West coast. How planners address this shortage will shape the future of the city, writes Christopher Hawthorne.</p>

August 21 - The Los Angeles Times

<p>Drive-in movie theaters are satisfying a need for public spaces that also allow some privacy.</p>

August 21 - The Globe and Mail

<p>This article from <em>The New York Times</em> discusses the history of the city's famed walkability, and talks to some of the people who take New York City walking to the extreme.</p>

August 21 - The New York Times

<p>The pending Senate Energy Bill will support a "new generation" nuclear power plants. But they will be no different from the last generation, which have been a "lethal failure" according to Harvey Wasserman.</p>

August 21 - Common Dreams

<p>Plans to construct a trans-Texas highway corridor have theorists speculating that this transportation infrastructure is the first step in a secret plan to create a North American union between the U.S., Mexico, and Canada.</p>

August 21 - The Houston Chronicle

<p>Many American cities are looking to new ways of handling their homeless populations, including programs that provide assistance in renting permanent housing rather than pouring money into temporary shelters.</p>

August 21 - The Christian Science Monitor

<p>Facing residential opposition, city officials in suburban Minneapolis are having trouble getting sidewalks built in many neighborhoods. The residents argue that sidewalks are not needed in the suburbs.</p>

August 21 - Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune

<p>Columnist Neil Peirce writes on the need to address the road infrastructure crisis illustrated by the I-35W bridge collapse. Rather than boosting the federal gas tax, he advocates a 'Big New Tax' based on 'weight per wheel' of new vehicles.</p>

August 21 - Newport News, Va., Daily Press

<p>A new report looks at how reducing the amount of driving can create sizable economic benefits for cities.</p>

August 21 - The Oregonian

<p>A flood of developments are rejuvenating downtown Jackson, Mississippi.</p>

August 21 - Architectural Record

<p>Great Britain has emerged as the center for the new ‘carbon market’ industry that will play a key role in providing the funds necessary to produce clean energy and fight global warming.</p>

August 20 - AP via San Mateo Daily Journal

<p>Four unincorporated communities in Atlanta have become new cities...and outsourced neary all government services to private corporations.</p>

August 20 - The Los Angeles Times

<p>Planners intended Ciudad Guayana to be the "Pittsburgh of the tropics". Today, the city has lost its former prosperity and is grappling with a array of urban epidemics.</p>

August 20 - The New York Times

BLOG POST

<font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Like many others, I tuned into the CNN/YouTube debate a few weeks ago. As a firm believer in citizen involvement, to the point of recently writing a book* full of case studies of public process in action, I found CNN’s broadcast of real people with real questions in real time to be utterly fascinating. The public taking hold of technology, influencing candidates with their frank questions, and getting answers that sounded less scripted and on message—it was a sight to see. YouTubers’ questions of the nine Democratic candidates were succinct and to the point. And no, I did not hear the other 3,000 submitted questions, but the ones that aired on live TV were brilliant. Anderson Cooper even quipped that it might be the end of newscasters.</font></font>

August 20 - Barbara Faga

<p>Responding to an internet ad, architect Danny Forster won the chance to host the Discovery Channel's 'Build It Bigger' series.</p>

August 20 - USA Today

<p>Traffic sensors on Germany's Autobahn enable researchers to predict traffic jams a day in advance -- with surprising accuracy.</p>

August 20 - Der Spiegel

<p>The city of Minneapolis wants plans for the collapsed Interstate 35W to include the possible future implementation of space for light rail and bus rapid transit. The state department of transportation, however, has a differing vision.</p>

August 20 - Pioneer Press

<p>A recently-compiled list commends the world's "fastest" cities -- those that are moving forward and benefitting their citizens and businesses along the way.</p>

August 20 - Fast Company

<p>The Army Corps of Engineers is testing the pumps on an isolated section of a canal in New Orleans to see if water can be pumped from the canal to nearby Lake Pontchartrain faster -- a development that could minimize flooding during future hurricanes.</p>

August 20 - New Scientist