The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Although driverless vehicles are being touted for their potential to reduce congestion and fuel consumption, among other benefits, Casey B. Mulligan argues they'll actually induce the reverse.

April 26 - The New York Times

According to Mark Funkhouser, former mayor of Kansas City, there may be no better measure of a city's livability than whether parents want to raise children there. He explains why everyone benefits when sidewalks are filled with baby strollers.

April 26 - Governing

An exhibit that's just opened at NYC's Center for Architecture examines the brief history of a housing type that incorporated elements of suburban housing at higher densities. Can low-rise high-density houding provide a model for affordable infill?

April 26 - Architizer

They're a global icon of the City by the Bay and one of San Francisco's premier tourist attractions. Operating at a loss, the city's cable cars are also draining resources from more essential forms of public transit, writes Joe Eskenazi.

April 25 - SF Weekly

As Congress debates immigration reform, Richard Florida explains why more liberal policies could be a boon for America's cities by examining the connection between foreign-born populations and economic outcomes.

April 25 - The Atlantic Cities

Near Field Communication (NFC) technology is making it possible for transit riders to get updated schedule information simply by waving their phones at "smart tags." Are digital displays doomed?

April 25 - Fast Company Co.Exist

Despite better news all around for the quality of the air in America's urban environs, there is still much work to be done, especially for those making the American Lung Association's annual survey of the country's most polluted cities.

April 25 - CNN Money

StreetsPAC, a new political action committee launched this week, seeks to mobilize New York City residents, and back candidates, who support bike and pedestrian infrastructure.

April 25 - The Wall Street Journal

Conservation areas can provide a variety of benefits to localities, including improving public health, raising property values, and sustaining ecosystems. Proactive conservation strategies are the best way to ensure those benefits accrue.

April 25 - APA Sustaining Places Blog

According to a new study by the National Bureau of Economic Research, historical biases lead to minority homebuyers paying an average of 3.5 percent more for their homes than whites, reports Matt Bevilacqua.

April 25 - Next City

On Chicago's South Side, Jackson Park once inspired million of visitors to the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition, including a young Frank Lloyd Wright. After years of neglect, Robert Karr Jr. wants to revitalize the park along a Japanese theme.

April 25 - Crain's Chicago Business

Vivian Doumpa looks at three examples of bottom-up urban interventions completed in Greece, which show that a font of citizen spirit and ingenuity can help overcome the most draconian austerity measures.

April 25 - Pop-Up City

A new report from the Congressional Budget Office concludes that drastic reductions in transportation spending and/or increases in the federal gas tax will be needed unless another multi-billion dollar bailout is provided for the Highway Trust Fund.

April 25 - Governing

Mark Hertsgaard examines the effort undertaken by BP to cover up the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill. The focus of his story is the company's use of Corexit, a dangerous 'dispersant' that sickened many and helped conceal the true extent of the spill.

April 24 - The Daily Beast

How did childhood visions of future cities differ for kids growing up in the 1980s when compared to the 1960s or today? Matt Novak shares a short film from 1983 that captures the prescient urban visions of students.

April 24 - Smithsonian

In case you need yet another reason to traverse the Atlantic Ocean, the Times has published several articles on the pleasures of walking through Europe.

April 24 - The New York Times

A speculative master plan for Chicago's West Loop would add a new layer to downtown's complex multi-level weaving of street strata and infrastructure with a highway cap park.

April 24 - The Architect's Newspaper

A session at the recent APA National Conference in Chicago gathered together the heads of the major built-environment professional organizations to discuss their unique and shared challenges. One subject was on each head's mind: Water.

April 24 - ASLA The Dirt

California's cap-and-trade program is barely five months old, and already it's expanding its horizons. Officials announced last week that the program is merging with one operated in the Canadian province of Quebec.

April 24 - The Los Angeles Times

According to Arianna McBride, the recipe for good community design must effectively balance community wisdom with expert knowledge. She shares three ways that planners can facilitate the type of participation that leads to great places.

April 24 - Citizens' Institute on Rural Design