The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
High Tech Approach To Decongesting Midtown Manhattan
Using remote sensing, GPS technology and other high-tech strategies, city traffic planners aim to clear Midtown's infamous traffic problems - from Queens. The $1.6 million investment will tackle a problem costing the city about $13 billion a year.
Graffiti Tags Up Cities Nationwide
Graffiti has cropped up this year in metropolitan areas like Los Angles to smaller communities like Florence, Alabama. The rise in graffiti has prompted a debate that it may reflect that anxiety and alienation are growing from the recession.
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Borders’ Demise Could Open New Chapter In Urban Retail
<span style="font-family: Arial; color: black">To its minimal credit, Borders Books & Music always had a a few shelves where the works of Jacobs, Mumford, Kunstler, Whyte, Florida, and others resided. </span> <p class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: Arial; color: black">But, judging by the financial and aesthetic bankruptcies of, respectively, Borders and many American cities, it seems that copies of Life and Death (or anything else) weren't exactly flying out the door. If the public's understanding of urban economies even began to rival its fascination for gossip, self-help, and vampires, Borders never would have arisen in the first place.
Bridge Planned Between Egypt and Saudi Arabia
A proposed 20-mile bridge would span the Red Sea to connect Egypt and Saudi Arabia -- connecting Arab states and reducing reliance on land passage through Israel.
Downtown Minneapolis Unprepared for Influx of Children
The amount of children under five has jumped in downtown Minneapolis, which is posing problems for the city and its school system.
Giant Marilyn Monroe Statue 'Not an Upgrade'
A new 26-foot statue of Marilyn Monroe -- recreating a famous film scene in which wind blows up the star's skirt -- has been unveiled in Chicago. Tourists seem to like it, but others argue it's too kitschy.
Demographic Change Creates New Types of Regional Metropolises
Though population growth rates have slowed in cities and suburbs, their increasing interconnectedness has created sets of diverse metropolitan areas, according to the Brookings Institution's Alan Berube.
Band of States Struggle Through Drought
From Florida to Arizona, 14 states are in the midst of a major drought. The effects have been far-reaching and devastating to both the environment and economy.
Making 'Carmageddon' a Weekend Habit
"Carmageddon" was a bust, yet for mass transit advocates it was an opportunity to build momentum toward a trend of more car-less days, the Los Angeles Times reports.
California Cities Sue Over Laws That Kill Redevelopment
Cities have filed a lawsuit with the California State Supreme Court over recently passed laws that eliminate funding for the state's redevelopment agencies.
The City Manager, Post-Bell
The small southern California town of Bell became notorious for corruption when the exploits of its city manager were revealed in a newspaper investigation. The crime highlights the power of the city manager and how those powers can be misused.
Neighborhood Sustainability the Focus of New Code Ideas in Seattle
A set of recommendations for changes to land-use regulations in Seattle is being highlighted by Mayor Mike McGinn as a way to both create sustainable neighborhoods and jobs. One of the authors of the recommendations explains.
D.C.'s Milestone Black Majority Lost
The first major American city to have a black majority, Washington D.C.'s demographics have shifted again.
Inside California's Foreclosures
California's San Joaquin Valley has become a hotbed of foreclosed homes. But beyond mere statistics, these homes are real places, and a new series of photographs documents them as scenes of surrender and abandonment.
Bringing History into the Present in Google Maps
A new website uses Google Maps and your photographs to overlay images of the past on current locations.
A More Entertaining Transit Hub
In an effort to improve the visitor experience and boost business, operators of a busy transit hub in Boston are bringing in performers and various activities to entertain people waiting and convince others to linger longer.
Redesign Near Train Station to Create New Gateway in Philadelphia
Plans are emerging to revamp the public space surrounding Philadelphia's 30th Street train station to create a more vibrant way to enter the city.
Designing the Built Environment With Information Technology
A new project at the National Building Museum is collecting information to better understand the built environment. <em>Next American City</em> talks with the program's curator, Susan Piedmont-Palladino.
Film Looks at History of Demolished St. Louis Housing Project
A new documentary film delves into the complicated history, life and demolition of the Pruitt-Igoe housing project in St. Louis.
Mapping Location Information from Flickr and Twitter
Programmer and designer Eric Fischer has created a series of images that map the location of geo-coded images on Flickr and places where people are using Twitter.
Yukon Government
Caltrans
New Jersey Institute of Technology
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Norman, Oklahoma
City of Portland
City of Laramie
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
