The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Hawaii's Hot for Renewable Energy
The state's energy administrator says that "renewable energy will be a driver of Hawaii's economy at least for the next decade."
Learning From the Schwarzenegger Era
This op-ed writer does not look kindly at the 7-year legacy of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. As Gov. Jerry Brown addresses the $28 billion budget deficit left by his predecessor, Joe Mathews considers Schwarzenegger's legacy.
"Architectural Sizzle" in India
With the outsourcing business booming, Indian companies are building sexy new office towers with the goal of attracting the hottest software developers and consultants.
What Will Chicago Be Like, Post-Daley?
Blair Kamin reflects on the soon-to-be-ex-mayor Richard Daley's legacy, his "passion to build," and how Chicago might be shaped without his influence.
Builders Balk At New Energy Requirements
A handful of residential code revisions went into effect in Ohio on January 1st, including an energy conservation code with stricter standards on insulation that is causing an uproar among homebuilders.
Big Homebuilders Not Yet Embracing Green Standards
With few exceptions, America's largest homebuilders are slower than companies in other fields to act on environmental concerns, according to a survey conducted by Calvert Asset Management Company.
New Report Says Roads Don’t Pay For Themselves
A new report from the U.S. Public Interest Research Group PIRG's report estimates that road construction has cost the American public $600 billion since the highway system began.
Untangling the Knots of Planning Ethics
Daniel Nairn reviews Robert Kirkman's new book, The Ethics of Metropolitan Growth.
Recycling Carpet Could Save Millions of Barrels of Oil
Four billion pounds of old carpet get dumped every year in the United States, and five pounds of oil goes into producing a single pound of nylon. New recycling methods could save all that oil by producing new nylon from old with little energy cost.
A Perfect Storm For Bad Roads
Winter storms have combined with bad road engineering, geography, funding shortfalls and inequities in Sonoma County, California. drivers and cyclists can expect an unusually rough ride this year and more to come.
Improving Your Neighborhood in the New Year
Sarah Goodyear at Grist gives seven ideas for New Year's resolutions you might consider for improving your community, including planting something, going for a walk, and getting to know your neighbors.
The Definitive Guide to New Transit in 2011
Yonah Freemark over at the Transport Politic presents an exhaustive catalog of openings and construction of new transit in the U.S., from the Wickford Junction Commuter Rail Extension in Rhode Island to Phase 1A of the Expo Line in Los Angeles.
El Paso Hopes to Revive Business Corridors
The city of El Paso is hoping a new plan will breathe life back into formerly booming streets sucked dry after a freeway replaced them as the main entrance to town.
80 Million People a Year Added to the World
National Geographic tackles the controversial issue of population growth, and the sustainability of a growing population. Should we worry about maxing out the planet? Not necessarily, according to Nat. Geo.
Inside Detroit's Abandoned Iconic Buildings
This slideshow from <em>The Guardian</em> looks inside some of Detroit's historic and decaying buildings.
How Vancouver's Waterfront Went Public
This piece from <em>The Globe and Mail</em> takes a look at the history of Vancouver's waterfront, and how it gradually became public land.
The Evolution of Bollards
After 9/11, lower Manhattan became a tangle of makeshift roadblocks and security measures. Architect Rob Rogers was tasked with redesigning the bollards to be more pleasing to the eye while still serving as secure barriers to entry.
China Shoots Upward
Out of the 15 tallest buildings in the world, ten are in China.
Innovative Redesigns for the Simple Traffic Light
The common traffic light isn't normally thought of as a problem. But what if you were colorblind? That's just one aspect of these eight proposals for a rethinking of the traffic light, gathered by WebUrbanist.
Pagination
City of Clovis
City of Moorpark
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
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.