The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Underground

Beijing's One Million Underground Urban Dwellers

The October issue of Land Lines reveals the remarkable story of how an estimated one million people came to live in subterranean apartments in Beijing.

October 13 - Land Lines

The fronts of three double-decker buses in London

Can the Bus Be Sexy?

Transit agencies are increasingly turning to branding and advertising to improve their images. But can conservative bureaucracies embrace what it means to be "cool"? More importantly, can they attract riders?

October 12 - InTransition Magazine

How to Solve the Looming Water Crisis

David Sedlak, author of "Water 4.0: The Past, Present, and Future of the World's Most Vital Resource," explains how the deepening obsolescence of our water infrastructure is reaching crisis status.

October 12 - Vox

palms

Trees In Urban Design: Are You Planting a Liability or Growing an Asset?

Trees are a vital element of urban design, one that must considered at every stage of planning, design and development.

October 12 - Congress for the New Urbanism

Urban Amenity: Pick Up UPS Packages at the Dry Cleaner or Pharmacy

Tired of coming home and seeing the "We Missed You" slip hanging from the door of your apartment building rather than receiving the package you had ordered online? UPS has an app for that.

October 12 - The Wall Street Journal


Winnipeg

Creative Placemaking: Preserve, Repair, Intensify

Many cities have long been investing in art and culture, marrying it to placemaking, and generating extraordinary local transformations. Hazel Borys offers up a little inspiration from an art opening this week, and a few pointers for urbanists.

October 12 - PlaceShakers

How the Federal Government Can Support Innovation Districts

A new report by Bruce Katz of Brookings Institute discusses the federal government’s role in spurring and aiding the innovation districts found in many cities across the country today.

October 11 - Brookings Institution


Study Rates Car 'Infotainment Systems' for Levels of Distraction

A study conducted by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety assessed the mental demands required of six hands-free, in-vehicle systems dialing phones and changing radio stations.

October 11 - Chicago Tribune

Star Apartments Offer Starchitect Treatment for L.A.'s Skid Row Homeless

The new 100-unit, $40-million Star Apartments opened in Skid Row earlier this week is part of Los Angeles County’s Housing for Health initiative to house 10,000 of the most vulnerable homeless people.

October 11 - Los Angeles Times

Study: 'Leaky Pipeline' Diminishes the Role of Women in Architecture

Although more women are studying architecture, equal footing is quickly lost as they progress through their careers according to a new study by the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture.

October 11 - Architizer

De Blasio Announces $130 Million Park Equity Plan

In response to criticisms of the large investments in "big ticket" parks in wealthy neighborhoods during the Bloomberg Administration, New York City announced a park equity plan this week.

October 11 - New York Times

The Best Sentences of the Week

By no means authoritative or comprehensive, here's a collection of noteworthy phrases, paragraphs, commentaries, observations, and more from the recent week in the planning and urbanism discussion.

October 10 - Planetizen

Google maps screengrab of the United States

Mapping Lifestyle, Age, Income, and Population Density by ZIP Code

Esri offers a new product called Tapestry Segmentation, which overlays geography with U.S. Census and marketing data.

October 10 - The Wall Street Journal

California Refineries Prepare to Receive Cheaper Crude-by-Rail

The surge in oil production has not benefited California, but that's about to change. Shale oil from North Dakota and other states costs $15 less than imported oil. After transportation costs, California refineries would save $3 per barrel.

October 10 - The Wall Street Journal

Strong Ridership for Tucson Modern Streetcar's First Months

Early reviews and returns on Tucson's Modern Streetcar appear positive, according to an article for Arizona Public Media.

October 10 - Arizona Public Radio

Latest American Community Survey: Continued Growth for (Some) Cities

According to the latest figures from the U.S. Census 2013 American Community Survey (ACS), Americans continue to move into cities en masse over suburbs, but certain cities are attracting larger crowds than others.

October 10 - USA Today

Millennials in Government

A new report on millennials working in the federal government was released earlier this week by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, detailing the trends associated with this young generation of employees.

October 10 - The Washington Post

2014 APA California Conference in the Happiest Place on Earth

This year’s California American Planning Association conference convened at Disneyland and covered some innovative environmental, active transportation, and park plans and programs, including Disney’s own green practices, writes planner Clement Lau.

October 10 - UrbDeZine

Profile in Success: Keith Parker, General Manager and CEO of MARTA

A profile piece for Governing focuses on the work of Keith Parker, who since 2012 has been leading the ninth-largest transportation agency in the country: Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA).

October 10 - Governing

Friday Eye Candy: 2014's Best Architectural Photography

The 2014 Arcaid Images Architectural Photography Awards were presented at the World Architecture Festival in Singapore recently.

October 10 - Dezeen

Post News
Senior Planner

City of Thousand Oaks

Community Development Director

City of Wisconsin Rapids

Professor of Urban Planning

Harvard University Graduate School of Design

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.

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.