The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

A two-year negotiating process has culminated with a set of 15 voluntary standards to make for more responsible fracking to safeguard the environment in Appalachia. Some environmental groups are skeptical, and not all energy companies are on board.

March 24 - National Public Radio

Chicagoans sure take their urban agriculture seriously. While the city focuses on converting vacant land to farms in some of the city's struggling neighborhoods, entrepreneurs are doing the same indoors.

March 24 - Huff Post: Chicago Impact

Data from the Federal Railroad Administration shows that rail is competing well (and mostly winning) against air to claim market share in eight major city-pairs, many outside of the traditionally strong Northeast Corridor.

March 23 - Better Institutions

One of the nation's most-watched and complex gas tax bills made significant progress in the House of Delegates. It retained one of its most significant parts, indexing the tax (and transit fares) to inflation, overcoming opposition by Republicans.

March 23 - The Baltimore Sun

If you paid attention to the visions unveiled a year ago by the teams competing to develop a master plan for the area around L.A.'s Union Station, you might expect to see a development-focused final product. Apparently, you'd be wrong.

March 23 - Curbed LA

Pollution is a growing problem throughout China - one that even tight-lipped public officials have been forced to acknowledge. But conflicting government interests - between state-run polluters and concerned policy-makers - are holding back fixes.

March 23 - The New York Times

NBC News looks at the plight of the Simons family in West Hartford, Connecticut, to examine the growth of suburban poverty in the United States.

March 23 - NBCnews.com

Warning: you can't unsee the images gathered as part of BuzzFeed's "26 Things You'll See on Public Transportation", a candid reminder that when is comes to public transit, some things are better left in private.

March 22 - BuzzFeed

New analysis of census data has found that a quarter of the condos in some areas of downtown Vancouver are empty or occupied by non-residents, leading analysts to raise concerns about the role of investors in the city's housing market.

March 22 - The Globe and Mail

Architecture website Architizer has announced the 87 winners of its new A+ Award. Selected via jury and 150,000 votes, the awards honor buildings in 52 categories. If for no other reason, just check it out for the stunning images.

March 22 - Architizer

The March Madness bug has bitten the staff of Streetsblog. Based on nominations submitted by readers, the website has organized a Parking Madness tournament to determine the "ugliest parking scar draining the life from [an American] downtown."

March 22 - DC.Streetsblog

What will it take to greatly reduce oil consumption and greenhouse gas emissions from passenger vehicles? Efficiency, alternative fuels, and strong governmental policies reports the National Research Council. And it will be highly unlikely.

March 22 - The Daily Climate

After passing a trial run with few problems this week, Denver's 12.1-mile West Rail Line is set to open to the public next month.

March 22 - The Denver Post

A growing "sand scandal" in Shenzhen may just be the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the quality of concrete used in constructing China's skyscrapers. The construction of what was to have become the country's tallest building has been halted.

March 22 - Wired UK

The rapid recovery of the housing market has caught America's home builders off guard with record low levels of inventory. The return of "bubblelike price jumps" and bidding wars are causing problems for buyers and sellers alike.

March 22 - The New York Times

A new study from the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation ranks America's healthiest counties. Environment, rather than access to care, is seen as the key element in determining health outcomes.

March 22 - USA Today

Air pollution is second only to smoking as a cause of premature death in Britain. So why haven't the country's leaders taken action to address the problem?

March 22 - The Guardian

As the Indiana Senate begins to consider whether to allow residents to vote on a tax referendum to expand mass transit in Central Indiana, Tea Party-aligned groups are trying to derail the legislation.

March 21 - IndyStar.com

The absence of redevelopment over the past 50 years has allowed Cuba to become "one of the world’s most significant but overlooked troves of Art Deco architecture." With many buildings in a state of disrepair, some are trying to raise awareness.

March 21 - The New York Times

A new study out of the Netherlands finds that contrary to their intended function of encouraging a mode shift to transit, and away from autos, such facilities might actually increase car use, to the detriment of alternatives.

March 21 - The Atlantic Cities