The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Open Street, Closed Street

<em>Next American City</em> talks with urban designer Mike Lydon about opening streets to people and closing streets to cars in this second of a two-part conversation.

November 4 - Next American City

Chinese "Car-Swallowing" Bus Actually First Proposed in 1969 for NYC

Remember that cutting-edge bus that straddles traffic built by the Chinese earlier this year? Dakota Smith at Curbed LA found an LA architect that proposed the entire idea back in 1969.

November 3 - Curbed LA

Corbu-o-Lantern

For Halloween, a group of designers from Steven Holl turned their favorite architects into jack-o-lanterns.

November 3 - The New York Observer

Economist Says Only The Ignorant Want High-Speed Rail

High Speed Rail, regardless of how glamorous it appears to be, is nothing but a waste of money in the U.S., claims Robert Samuelson. If states want HSR, let them build it themselves without federal subsidy, he concludes as there is no national gain.

November 3 - Newsweek

NYC Launches Major Traffic Safety Campaign

The new initiative from the city's Department of Transportation and Police Department will target speeding and failure-to-yield violations, including rogue cyclists.

November 3 - Streetsblog


How Do You Say 'Sustainable Growth' in Mandarin?

A new report sheds major doubt on some of the emerging Chinese cities' abilities to grow in a sustainable manner.

November 3 - Reuters

The Missed Aerotropolis

Aerotropolises are cities that develop around airports into vibrant centers of business and residences. The Boston area had a chance to make one, but the city and state missed out, according to this column.

November 3 - The Boston Globe


Turning A Brutal Regime into a Tourist Attraction

Officials in Cambodia are hoping to capitalize on tourists' interest in the killing fields of the Khmer Rouge regime with a proposed theme park.

November 3 - The Atlantic

Economic Powerhouse to Emerge in the Arctic

As result of climate change, dwindling resources and shifting demographics, a new economic powerhouse is likely to emerge in the arctic by mid-century, according to the new book "The World in 2050".

November 3 - Seed

Reusing Golf Courses and Abandoned Land in Venezuela

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is urging for golf courses to be expropriated for other uses, and calling on citizens to make use of abandoned land.

November 3 - Bloomberg

Gentrification Through Transit Stations

New transit stations can have major gentrifying impacts on neighborhoods -- from median income to car ownership rates, according to a recent study.

November 3 - Next American City

Forget Cities - It's Regions and Neighborhoods That Matter

When it comes to economics, statistics, demographics, development, and our daily actions, city lines don't count for much - neighborhoods and regions are where things happen, says Kaid Benfield.

November 2 - Sustainable Cities Collective

Elections May Determine Future of High Speed Rail

Eric Jaffe highlights projects across the country that could be impacted by today's gubernatorial contests.

November 2 - The Infrastructurist

First Mountaintop Mining Permit Expected To Be Revoked

A major mountaintop mining permit is likely to be rejected after an environmental review found "unacceptable" impacts on water quality and wildlife. This would be the first major rebuke to the mining practice, and could foreshadow its end.

November 2 - Nature

Sponsoring Seattle

Leaders in Seattle are considering a plan to offer naming rights to various parks and civic amenities.

November 2 - The Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Electric Taxis Coming to Bay Area

A new company is bringing battery switch stations to the San Francisco-San Jose corridor, laying the groundwork for an electric vehicle taxi fleet.

November 2 - Inhabitat

Urbanism As a Process

As populations shift to cities, the concept of urbanism begins to take on more relevance across the planet. In a recent book, author Jeb Brugmann explores what urbanism means as a trend and a process.

November 2 - Policy Innovations

Recovering the Real Estate Market By Shifting Development Patterns

The real estate market will only recover once developers start building the types of neighborhoods and places people are demanding, according to Patrick C. Doherty and Christopher B. Leinberger.

November 2 - Washington Monthly

BLOG POST

Help Me Help You Help Us! Planning Volunteers Wanted for Hoboken (Transport/Parking)

<p> We&#39;re doing a lot of fun, progressive stuff in Hoboken, NJ, and what we do here helps our industry push the envelope for the whole country.  But limited budgets and ever-critical politics make it incredibly difficult to keep the momentum on current and new projects with our limited staff.  Last year we created a new Department of Transportation and Parking, but we have been strapped from hiring on requisite professionals to manage all projects because, well, we don&#39;t have the money.  If you are a planning/engineering student seeking real-world experience to counterbalance academic theory, or if you are currently employed but looking for an outlet to independently exercise your creativity, I need your help in Hoboken, no matter where you live. </p>

November 2 - Ian Sacs

Bicycle Activists Become Major Political Players

A one-time fringe bicycle activist group in the Pacific Northwest has turned into a major player in mainstream politics.

November 2 - The Seattle Times

Post News
Senior Planner

City of Thousand Oaks

Community Development Director

City of Wisconsin Rapids

Professor of Urban Planning

Harvard University Graduate School of Design

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.

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.