The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

An essay by Nobel laureate Wangari Maathai offers a model for sustainable development in Africa.

July 11 - Open Democracy

Yes, housing prices are sky-high, but there's no evidence of a housing bubble about to burst, writes MSN Money columnist Jim Jubak.

July 11 - MSN

The once-famed horse racing track is losing money, and may close unless drastic measures are taken.

July 10 - The Los Angeles Times

Imagining new uses for outdated railroads is creating exciting new opportunities for central cities.

July 10 - Smart City

A columnist chides Alaska's Transportation Secretary's criticism of Amtrak, saying the state has its own issues with rail service.

July 10 - Anchorage Daily News

Despite recent terrorist attacks, public transit is still an extremely safe form of travel, writes Todd Litman.

July 10 - Victoria Transport Policy Institute

Despite safety issues and questions about future profits, climate change is causing western governments to take a fresh look at nuclear power.

July 10 - The Economist

As California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger weighs in on the Tejon Ranch conservation plan, one must keep in mind all that this historic land mass brings to the environment.

July 9 - The Los Angeles Times

Gaylord Nelson, a Senator from Wisconsin, who was responsible for starting Earth Day in 1970, died on July 3rd.

July 9 - The Los Angeles Times

A UCLA study examines terrorist attacks on rail and subway systems with the hope of designing less vulnerable facilities.

July 9 - UCLA International Institute

New energy-efficient housing developments are being built all over the state.

July 9 - The Boston Globe

KB Home agrees to pay a $3.2 million settlement for poor lending practices.

July 9 - The Los Angeles Times

Fort Lauderdale accidentally built a sidewalk on private property, and has been leasing the property every since.

July 8 - Sun-Sentinel

NAACP, Institute report lists Detroit's top challenges, links them to fighting sprawl.

July 8 - Michigan Land Use Institute

Four years after the energy blackouts, Californians are actively seeking alternative energy methods that won't disrupt the environment.

July 8 - USA Today

BLOG POST

From this month's issue of <em>Wired</em>, I give you <a href="http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/13.07/start.html?pg=5">this roundup</a> of interesting uses for Google's wicked cool mapping application. Salient bits:<br /> <br /> <blockquote>It's Google's world, we just live in it. In the few months since its release, the search engine's latest info-appliance - satellite photos searchable by address - has spawned dozens of inspired spinoffs. Here's a look at some of the ways the hive mind is bending <a href="http://maps.google.com">maps.google.com</a>

July 8 - Anonymous

Public transit systems remain one of the easiest targets for terrorists.

July 8 - The Los Angeles Times

BLOG POST

Where have I been? I have no idea.<br /> <br /> Take this with a grain of salt, for what it's worth, etc., but the consultancy Jupiter Research now <a href="http://www.jupitermedia.com/corporate/releases/05.07.06-newjupresearch.html">says</a> that municipal WiFi programs ain't worth the money. Excerpt from the release:<br /> <br /> <blockquote>"Because the benefits of municipal wireless networks are inherently difficult to measure, and because it is too early to look at outcomes, examining breakeven thresholds provides the best reference point for decision-makers," stated Jay Horwitz, Senior Analyst at JupiterResearch. The report estimates that the average cost of building and maintaining a municipal wireless network is $150,000 per square mile over five years. According to the report, roughly 50% of current initiatives will fail to breakeven even if the benefit of the initiative is assumed to be $25 per user per month.</blockquote>

July 8 - Anonymous

David C. Bloom argues that affordable housing needs cannot be met with increased density.

July 8 - The Seattle Post-Intelligencer

The National Environmental Policy Act is facing challenges from business interests. Proposed changes would exempt many oil projects from NEPA review.

July 8 - The Los Angeles Times