The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Hanging Out at the Virtual Mall
Mall operator Westfield Group says it is developing a completely virtual "mall" shopping space, and is seeking retailers to rent spaces.
High-Speed Rail Will Mean 150,000 New Jobs
A new report from the U.S. Conference of Mayors says that the added connectivity from high-speed rail will create 150,000 new jobs and $19 billion in new businesses by 2035.
How Cities Can Take Advantange of Their Data
Public data can be more than information for cities. Some have even used it to help generate revenue.
The San Francisco of Fill-in-the-Blank
San Francisco is often upheld as a model for other global cities, with places such as Brighton, Port-au-Prince, and Geneva being compared to the city by the bay.
FEATURE
Road Diets: Making Streets Slim Down Is Good For Pedestrians, Businesses And Even Traffic
Cities are greatly in need of slimming down their roads, says architect Michael Bohn. A recent project in Long Beach, California shows how curb extensions and street furniture can have a huge impact on the economics of downtowns.
Roadblocks Hinder Infrastructure in Russia's Olympic Host City
The relatively tropical seaside resort of Sochi, Russia will play host to the 2014 Winter Olympics. But building the infrastructure to support those games has become a major challenge for officials.
BLOG POST
Valuing The Precious Hours Of Our Lives
<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small">Time is a limited and valuable resource. As much as possible, people should spend the precious hours of their lives in the most satisfying and productive possible ways. This has important implications for transportation planning, since most people spend a significant amount of time in transport, and travel time savings are often the greatest projected benefits of transport projects such as roadway and transit service improvements.</span> </p>
Four Cool World Cup Stadia and Their Uncertain Futures
The 2010 World Cup in South Africa has caused the creation or redesign of ten stadia. <em>The Architect's Newspaper</em> offers this list of four of the most interesting stadia and what future these expensive buildings may have.
Mayor Daley, a Retrospective
Mayor Daley's successes in downtown Chicago have attracted attention worldwide, but what about the rest of the city? Greg Hinz and Steven R. Strahler say Daley has fixed downtown but not the city's neighborhoods.
Transit Aid: The Operating Vs. Capital Dilemma
Transit advocates are used to battling the 'road lobby', but this article reports on a clash between small and mid-sized transit agencies (who want more flexibility) against the larger ones, as well as the main transit lobbying organization, APTA.
Privatize the Ocean?
With the devastating spill of oil in the Gulf, this post from <em>The National Review</em> suggests taking control over off-shore drilling out of the hands of government and putting it into the hands of private interests.
The Promise of the Big Dig Unfulfilled
Causeway Street, formed by the Big Dig in Boston, is in the plans as a vibrant new center of streetlife. With the Big Dig construction long over, planners say now is the time.
50mph Speed Limit Would Cut CO2 By 30%, Says New Study
Reducing the speed limit to 50 mph, say researchers, would create the tipping point where taking transit or modes other than driving will become more attractive and therefore save CO2 emissions.
BLOG POST
In Memoriam: William Mitchell
<div>I learned with great sadness about the loss of William Mitchell, 65, this past friday after a long battle with cancer. Bill was the chair of my Ph.D. committee, a mentor and a friend.</div><div><p> </p>
We're All to Blame for Gulf Disaster
William Rivers Pitt says it's all too easy to blame BP or the politicians who deregulated the oil industry. Ultimately, he says, all of us are to blame for the Gulf oil disaster and the damage wrought by fossil fuels.
Transit Oriented Development in Los Angeles a Tricky Issue
A debate is simmering in Los Angeles between transit planners, developers, urban planners, and community activists about the future of transit-oriented development.
The Skyscraper Debate
The jury is out on skyscrapers- are they responsible density, or terrible energy hogs? As Indian cities like Mumbai and Delhi grow, architect Aditi Nargundkar Pathak says the time to consider skyscrapers is now.
Landscaping Opportunity at The New Bay Bridge
John King is encouraged by the nascent plans for a "fantastical" new landscape at the eastern end of the Bay Bridge. The Bay Area has a chance to create something as "lasting and bold" as the high line in New York or Chicago's millennium park.
BLOG POST
Beyond the Trail
<p> A recent Planetizen interview on the <a href="/node/44392" target="_blank">relationship between park space and active living</a> got me thinking about what spaces inspire physical activity and what spaces discourage it. </p> <p> In my old apartment complex, the indoor fitness centers were jammed while the nearby riverside walking trails were desolate, despite nearly perfect year-round weather. Why? The trails were perceived as unsafe because they were completely isolated from view. </p>
A Blight Fighter in Ohio
Judge Raymond Pianka of Cleveland’s Housing Court has taken a hard line on landowners that let their homes fall into disrepair, blighting suffering neighborhoods. But a higher court may be clipping Pianka's wings.
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
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.
