The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
How Long Will NYC's East River Ferry Need a Tug?
Hopes are high that the East River Ferry connecting Queens, Brooklyn, and Manhattan can become a viable commuting mode, while also boosting development around its landings. Although ridership is growing, some doubt if it can become self-sustaining.
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Toward More Comprehensive Understanding of Traffic Congestion
Conventional planning tends to consider traffic congestion asignificant cost and roadway expansion the preferred solution. It evaluates transport system performance based on indicators such as roadway Level of Service (LOS) and peak-period traffic
An Urban Bikeway Design Manual Geared For Today's Cities
The National Association of City Transportation Officials, representing fifteen major American cities, released the second edition of its Urban Bikeway Design Guide on Sept. 6. It includes a new chapter on bicycle boulevards.
Why Public Spaces Are Crucial for 'the Future of the Human Race'
Jay Walljasper chronicles the decline of lively public spaces in the era of "rampant traffic, proliferating privatization, heightened security...and the internet," and human kind's existential need for protecting and expanding the public realm.
Is Valley Fever America's Next Great Public Health Challenge?
William Heisel kicks of a series examining the infectious disease more common than AIDS, hepatitis, or Lyme disease. What environmental elements are contributing to its spread and what can planners and public health officials do to respond?
Transit-Oriented Gentrification
In the the first of a 2-part series on transit and gentrification, WAMU's Martin Di Caro reports on the rapidly developing (and gentrifying) Georgia Avenue corridor in Washington D.C.
Mitigation or Extortion? Getting the Most out of a Deal for LA's New Football Stadium
As the L.A. City Council prepares to consider final approval for a proposed downtown football stadium and renovated convention center, Jim Newton ponders to what extent community groups will be able to leverage the fast-tracked approvals process.
Formulating a New Metric for Walkability
Going beyond the analytical parameters of the popular Walk Score website, a new site aims to broaden the scope of analysis to include more qualitative information, such as safety and streetscape, in determining which areas are pedestrian friendly.
Richard Florida: Silicon Valley Will Soon Be Centered in San Francisco
Continuing to chronicle what he sees as an 'urban migration' from suburban office parks, Richard Florida provides the Bay Area illustration of this movement, as he sees the center of Silicon Valley heading to San Francisco from Santa Clara County.
Strengthening Recovery Has Downtown LA Booming Again
While the housing crash may have temporarily halted the dramatic growth in downtown LA's residential sector, new retail and restaurant openings continued. Now, as the housing market recovers, developers are clawing to get back to building residences.
Map Apps Move Indoors
A time when your mobile phone can help you navigate the homogenous corridors of an indoor mall as easily as the route that got you there is, seemingly, not far off, as Seoul unveils an app that can navigate the city both above and below street level.
Killing a Pedestrian Warrants Nary a Slap on the Wrist in NYC
Michael Powell looks at the penalties facing drivers that strike pedestrians and cyclists in New York City, and finds depressingly few repercussions.
How to Combat Urban Heat Islands
Cities consistently experience higher temperatures than the surrounding countryside due to the 'heat island' effect. With global warming exacerbating these effects, cities are trying to lower local contributors to urban heat.
BART Celebrates a Big Birthday, and Faces the Challenges of Middle Age
Today marks the 40th anniversary of the opening of the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system. The "first in a new generation of American rail systems" when it was built, BART now faces the challenges of declining health and keeping up with the times.
How Has 9/11 Changed America's Built Environment?
On this sombre anniversary, we bring you an article that was published last year by Kaid Benfield, looking at the legacy of 9/11 for community & the built environment.
Detailing DC's Shift to Walkable Urbanism
Walkable urban places are poised to "put a foundation under the economy as well as government tax revenues," concludes Christopher Leinberger in a new report. Better! Cities & Towns delivers some highlights from his much anticipated study.
Is New York Doing Enough to Prepare for Rising Seas and Severe Storms?
Critics contend that New York's so-called resilience strategy doesn't go far enough in protecting the city's 520-mile-long coast and low-lying areas from the threats of rising seas and ever-more-severe storm flooding, reports Mireya Navarro.
Will Portland-Style Apartments Catch On in San Francisco?
It's a mere 12 units but a huge test for apartments with no auto parking but plenty of bike parking. The 5-story, mixed-use Mission District building was unanimously approved by the Planning Commission on Sept. 6 despite neighborhood opposition.
Defying the Odds, Bakersfield Booms
California's Central Valley was one of the areas hardest hit by the Great Recession, with several of its cities still burdened by the worst unemployment rates in the country. Signs in Bakersfield, however, point to a burgeoning boom.
Power Play Imperils Preservation in Louisville
A contentious new ordinance gives Louisville's Metro Council final say in the city's landmarks decisions. Some are blaming a recent preservation victory for spurring what could be a major setback for historic preservation in Derby City.
City of Thousand Oaks
City of Wisconsin Rapids
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
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.
