The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

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<p>It&#39;s often said that in America, urban development issues are decided at the local level. In general the rule of thumb is accurate, explaining a country home to cities as different in form as Houston, Texas and San Francisco, California. The notable exception to the rule is the country&#39;s interstate highway system, build with extensive involvement of the federal government. However, under closer inspection we can find a number of areas where federal funding and policies has a strong impact on urban development. A survey of what the leading presidential candidates are saying about urban policy suggests what priorities our next president may have.</p>

December 9 - Robert Goodspeed

The new slogan for bicyclists and pedestrians across America is gaining attention, as well as weight, from a number of municipalities.

December 9 - New Urban News

<p>The first new residents of the Clublands subdivision were promised a neighborhood. Instead they live among half-finished homes, unpaved roads, and darkened street lights as the community's developer wrestles with bankruptcy.</p>

December 9 - The Chicago Tribune

<p>Subways are proliferating across the globe as metro status symbols and attracting new forms of urban investment.</p>

December 9 - Business Week

<p>The actor-turned-developer announced plans to build 150 environmentally-friendly homes for low-income families in New Orleans's Lower Ninth Ward.</p>

December 9 - CNN

<p>Author Alex Marshall calls for the reconstruction of New York City's formerly omnipresent streetcar lines, starting with a Midtown Manhattan loop between 34th and 42nd Streets.</p>

December 8 - Streetsblog

<p>A $40 million gift from a wealthy alumna helped Wells College transform the small town of Aurora, New York into a postcard perfect setting. But while enrollment is up, residents say the change hasn't been good for them.</p>

December 8 - The New York Times

<p>In response to the outcry over a proposed chemical factory, the City of Xiamen has published an environmental impact report and is seeking public input on the project -- something rarely seen in China.</p>

December 8 - The Washington Post

<p>No longer science fiction, autonomous vehicles have the potential to reshape the transportation landscape. But are drivers ready to let go of the wheel?</p>

December 8 - The New York Times

<p>A storefront museum dedicated to the history and development of Reston, Virginia -- one of the nation's first planned new towns -- is set for a major expansion.</p>

December 8 - The Washington Post

<p>The voiceover artist famous for reminding passengers to 'mind the gap' on the London Underground was fired after posting a series of subway announcement spoofs on her website.</p>

December 7 - Jaunted

BLOG POST

<p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Last week I attended the <a href="http://www.nrel.gov/analysis/news.html">NREL Energy Analysis Forum</a>, where leading North American energy analysts discussed current thinking concerning greenhouse gas emission reduction strategies, much of which involves emission cap and trade programs (as summarized in the report by Resources for the Future, &quot;<a href="http://www.rff.org/rff/News/Releases/2007Releases/July2007ClimateChangeBillsinCongress.cfm">Key Congressional Climate Change Legislation Compared</a>&quot;). Similarly, a recent report, &quot;<a href="http://www.mckinsey.com/clientservice/ccsi/greenhousegas.asp">Reducing U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions: How Much At What Cost</a>&quot; evaluates emission reduction strategies according to their cost effectiveness.

December 7 - Todd Litman

<p>With more low-income households settling outside of urban centers, planners are faced with the challenge of getting affordable housing built in traditionally upscale suburban communities where zoning has all but forbid low-cost homes.</p>

December 7 - The Economist

<p>Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels wants city employees to ride the bus to work, and he's proposing giving them free transit passes to make it easier for workers to make the switch.</p>

December 7 - Seattle Post Intelligencer

<p>The disappearance of gay bars in the Boston area signals a change in the city's character and the vibrancy of it's public space. In this piece, Robert David Sullivan argues the change is bad for everyone in the city, gay and straight.</p>

December 7 - The Boston Globe

<p>After a string of pedestrian fatalities, Montgomery County, Maryland, is pushing a broad plan to improve pedestrian safety.</p>

December 7 - The Washington Post

<p>Tasked with making Los Angeles more pedestrian-friendly, a planner decides to give up his car.</p>

December 7 - Los Angeles Daily News

<p>Planners in Tacoma, Washington have approved a new ordinance that allows small-scale microwineries to be legally operated out of the home.</p>

December 7 - The News Tribune

<p>To stem the loss of farmland to development, the Chinese government is raising taxes on non-farmed arable land by 500%.</p>

December 7 - China Daily

<p>Created as a celebration of American individualism and consumerism, suburbs will need to reinvent themselves to successfully lead an interdependent world, according to this article from <em>Newsday</em>.</p>

December 7 - Newsday