The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
London's Not-So-Super Cycle Highways
<em>This Big City</em> takes a ride on one of London's new bicycle Superhighways, and finds some room for improvement.
Google Creates Affordable Housing Fund
Google has invested $86 million in a Low-Income Housing Tax Credit fund to create 480 affordable rental housing units for low income families.
Honolulu Law Would Reduce Construction Waste
Legislation working its way through the Honolulu City Council could require construction companies doing work in the Hawaiian city to recycle or reuse as much as 60% of construction materials.
Heavy Rail to Link Denver and Airport
Work has begun on a long-sought rail line linking downtown Denver to the city's international airport.
Finalists Chosen in Redesign Bid for Decommissioned Airport
Six finalists have been chosen in a bid to redesign Berlin's decommissioned Tempelhof Airport. The airport is currently open as a park, but the city wants a more formal redesign.
Tolling Heads to Georgia Interstate
A toll lane is coming to a Georgia interstate highway -- a first for the state.
BLOG POST
The Search for Scientific Validation: When Our Feelings Are Just Not Good Enough
<!--StartFragment--><p style="margin-bottom: 14pt; line-height: 16pt" class="MsoNormal">Planners are taught to be analytical thinkers who use quantitative data, but also qualitative research. Remember the Myers Briggs personality test? It assesses an individual’s personality based on four preferences: A focus on the outer world (extraversion) or inner world (introversion); basic information (sensing) or interpretation and meaning (intuition); making decision based on logic (thinking) or people and special circumstances (feeling); dealing with the outside world with clear decisions (judging) or staying open to new information and options (perceiving).<span> </span>As planners, we are constantly in conflict with these preferences as we straddle the world of technician and analyst.
The Straw That Breaks The Infrastructure's Back
Using five examples, this piece from <em>The New York Times</em> looks at how small problems can lead to huge issues in America's aging infrastructure.
The Empire State Building's New Neighbor
A controversial new skyscraper seen as a challenge to the historical skyline dominance of the Empire State Building has been approved in New York City.
The Economics of China's Mega Traffic Jam
The recent 11-day traffic jam in China was no fluke. As <em>The Economist</em> explains, the crushing congestion is little more than a real-world example of imbalances in supply and demand.
Fewer Cars in Bus-Only Lanes Creates Faster Headways
Enforcing no-car rules on dedicated bus lanes has been proven to increase bus efficiency in a bus rapid transit system in Indonesia.
Bike Lanes Make Streets Safer for Pedestrians
A new study from the New York City Department of Transportation shows that streets with painted bike lanes are 40% less dangerous for pedestrians, among other findings.
FEATURE
Post-Katrina New Orleans: Focusing on What Could Be
Patrick L. Phillips, CEO of the Urban Land Institute, reflects on the state of rebuilding efforts in New Orleans on the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. He sees an impressive level of planning, momentum and cooperation among stakeholders.
Smart Meters Facing Resistance
Some California residents complained that their energy bills spiked after smart meters were installed, while others are concerned about the antennas. Can these fears hinder the growth of smart meters in the state?
An Apartment to Fit A Family? Forget It
Architect Roger K. Lewis writes in The Washington Post that it is nearly impossible for a family with school-age children to find a suitable apartment in the city, even if that is the way they'd prefer to live.
Californian Official Fights Proposed Death Row Project
Bids are open for a new Death Row facility in California, but local lawmakers opposed to the project say that companies shouldn't even waste their time bidding on a project that won't be built.
Will Atlanta Grow No More?
Citing three examples of growing pains in Metro Atlanta, this piece wonders whether the region is incapable of efficiently growing any further.
Recreating European-Style Cafe Life in America
In Portland, patterns of urban use are emerging that are similar to the European-style neighborhood bar as a community gathering place.
Best Apps for Building and Construction
Houston Neal from Software Advice picks the best apps for construction, from carpentry and electrical calculators to design tools like REVIT and Google SketchUp.
The Legacy of L.A.'s Former Planning Director
Gail Goldberg recently left the helm of the City of Los Angeles' City Planning Department. <em>AIA Los Angeles</em> takes a look back at her four-year tenure and the positive impacts she made.
City of Thousand Oaks
City of Wisconsin Rapids
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA)
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.
