The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Imagining An Alternative to the Parking Lot
Eran Ben-Joseph pens an opinion piece in <em>The New York Times</em> calling for the transformation of the parking lot to capture its true value as a public space.
House Transportation Extension Pulled As Deadline Nears
Late yesterday House Republicans withdrew plans to hold a vote on a proposed 90-day transportation bill extension, dragging Congress closer towards gridlock as the March 31st deadline nears, reports Todd Zwillich.
Is the Electric Car Running Out of Juice?
Despite a number of factors conspiring to make electric cars more attractive than ever, John Broder believes the technology is experiencing a potential crisis.
How to Disappear Completely - In the Middle of a City
Kelly Chan shares some delightful photos of Chinese artist Liu Bolin's efforts to make himself completely invisible in different urban settings.
Tracking the Good and Bad News on California High-Speed Rail
Dan Walters reported over the weekend that recent efforts to appease various constituencies nervous about CA's HSR plans have paid off with the project likely to get the green light from the Legislature soon. But don't book your tickets just yet.
Why are City Dwellers Mean?
Will Doig probes the reasons why people in cities are less likely than people in rural areas to intervene to help a stranger or confront wrongdoing.
Designing Solutions for Urban Noise
Emily Badger, examines the efforts of researchers and engineers to design quieter cities, which will be necessary to overcome barriers to city living.
Does Improved Walkability Reduce Crime?
Adam Davies writes about the results of an experimental policing project in the Netherlands that seems to demonstrate that improvements to the pedestrian environment have reduced crime in Rotterdam.
Previewing London's Layered Approach to the Olympics
With only four months to go until the opening ceremony, Gwen Webber checks in on the progress of London's Olympic preparations, and the wider redevelopment effort that the games have sparked.
Europe's Largest Civil Engineering Project
London kicks-off the beginning of a massive new rail line linking the city's western suburbs, including Heathrow Airport, through the city, and into the eastern suburbs in Essex.
Walking New York
Jed Lipinski profiles Matt Green, an intrepid pedestrian whose goal is to traverse every street in every borough in New York City on foot.
Chronicling Seattle's Booming Downtown
Jon Talton reports on the recent upswing in development in downtown Seattle, as new jobs and residents signal a quick rebound from the Great Recession.
New York City's 'Most Acrimonious Land-use Battle'
<em>The New York Times</em> architecture critic weighs in on New York University’s proposed 2.5 million square foot expansion of its Greenwich Village campus.
U.S. Moves Toward Energy Independence
You'd never know it from the hype on rising gas prices, but the U.S. is moving toward that elusive goal of oil independence due to the convergence of two factors: falling oil consumption and increasing domestic production over the last half-decade.
Did the Built Environment Contribute to the Trayvon Martin Tragedy?
In an opinion piece for <em>Better! Cities & Towns</em>, Robert Steuteville argues that the Sanford, Florida, case is partly about what happens to a gated development when residents find themselves on the same side of the gate as people they fear.
Recolonizing the Lower Ninth Ward
Nathaniel Rich reports on a different kind of urban regeneration that has taken place in New Orleans' Lower Ninth Ward where the "cartoonish pace of vegetation growth" conceals an ecology of wild animals, tires, and occasionally humans.
Social Media's Challenge to Planning
Michael M. Grynbaum reports on NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg's dubious relationship with social media, and his unease with its tendency to shift the public discourse away from long-term thinking.
Mapping the Top Job Markets
Richard Florida ranks the U.S. cities with the highest job growth in 2011 and finds some surprises, based on an analysis of the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics by Aaron Renn.
Laying a Brick Foundation for Success in Rwanda
Benita Hussain describes an innovative architecture project serving Rwandan women in their quest to rebuild the country.
Do's and Don'ts for Planning in a Web 2.0 Environment
Is your city looking to engage residents online? The latest generation of tools just might be your savior. Or your demise.
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.
