The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Is Hosting the Olympics Justified?
As London prepares for its 2012 Games, already over budget, new studies are being released indicating that no specific benefits come to cities hosting major sporting events.
Modernism, Architecture and Segregation
Essayist and photographer Aisha Sloan revisits the Los Angeles neighborhood of her childhood to examine Modernist architecture and its correlation to segregation.
Carpoolers Lose Free Ride On All Bay Area Bridges
In Jan., the Bay Area Toll Authority approved a new toll schedule that charges carpoolers $2.50, half the regular toll, effective July 1 to cross the seven state owned Bay Area bridges. On May 28, the Golden Gate Dist. approved a $3 carpool rate.
Seeking Quality Not Quantity for Toronto's Bike Network
The head of Toronto's Cycling Committee is calling on the city to shift its focus from the quantity of bike lanes it creates to the quality of connections their planned infrastructure will create in the city's existing bike network.
Beijing to Build 21 New Rail Lines by 2020
Officials in Beijing are planning to build 21 more rail and subways lines by the year 2020.
Moon Base Could Be Built By 2020
Japan has announced plans to build a base on the moon by 2020. The base would be built and used by robots.
The Offering of the Modern World Expo
As host of the World Expo, Shanghai is opening its doors to the world. But with most of the Expo's visitors hailing from within China, it's much more of an international marketing effort for non-Chinese countries directed at the emerging super power.
When Buses (May) Replace Rail: Princeton's Dinky Line
It's the nation's shortest commuter route, less than 3 miles with no intermediary stops. The train is composed of two electrified cars, with presidential history in its 145 years. If Princeton University has its way, it will soon be replaced by a bus
States Forced to Close Parks
Facing tight budgets, many states are closing or limiting access to their parks and natural resources.
Amid a Slow Recovery, Frustration Grows in Haiti
Frustration and anger are rampant in Port-au-Prince, where recovery from the earthquake that thrashed the city in January has been slow and, by some local accounts, corrupt.
A Rural Future Beyond Agriculture
Development in rural America has long been a confounding problem. Increasing outmigration highlights the importance of finding new methods for economic development beyond agriculture.
BLOG POST
Finding Information about Planning: What Do Faculty Do?
<span style="color: black"><span style="font-size: small"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman">Planning students are often told to find good information. How to do that is becoming both simpler, due to various search engines and databases, and more complex, given the amount of information available.
Shrinking and Aging Population Poses Problems for Germany
Emigration is up and the birth rate is dropping in Germany, where people are starting to worry about what a shrinking and aging population will mean for the country's future.
BLOG POST
Sustainable Transport and Livable Community Planning
<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small">My career is based, to a large degree, on my master’s thesis, which was a comprehensive evaluation of the full costs of various forms of transport. This provides a framework for determining optimal pricing, calculating the benefits of mode shifting and <a href="http://www.vtpi.org/tdm">demand management</a> strategies, and for comprehensive analysis of policy and planning decisions.
The Uncomfortable Relationship Between Race and Public Transit in L.A.
As part of his series about walking across Los Angeles, writer Ryan Bradley delves into the complicated and controversial relationship between race and transit in the city.
The Growing Problem of Suburban Poverty
Suburban areas are becoming hotbeds for rising poverty. Though migration has a role, much of the transition from middle class to welfare has been caused by the housing crisis and recession.
BLOG POST
Johannesburg's Auto-Orientation and the Persecution of the Pedestrian Majority
<p> You really need to almost get hit by a car to feel like a true Johannesburg pedestrian. That's the way it goes here. A huge, sprawling greater metropolitan area of about 10 million people covering more than 600 square miles, the city is built for the car. And if you're not in one, good luck.
Revamped Coney Island Opens
A new amusement and entertainment section has opened at New York City's Coney Island. Long suffering from disrepair and neglect, the new development marks a turnaround. But some locals still object.
No U.S. Cities in Top 25 Best Cities of the World
London-based consulting company Mercer released their yearly rankings of the 25 most liveable cities, and no American cities make the grade. Vienna is number one, and Vancouver takes fourth.
FRA Grants Electrification Waiver For Commuter Rail Line - A First
The Federal Railroad Administration does not allow for the mixing of train types for safety reasons, which proved a key obstacle for Caltrain's plan for electrification. As a pilot project,they are allowing the line to utilize electric multiple units
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.
