The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
BLOG POST
The Coming Urban Data Revolution
<p> Historically, data sources for urban planning have remained relatively stable. Planners relied on a collection of well-known government-produced datasets to do their work, including statistics and geographic layers from federal, state and local sources. Produced by regulatory processes or occasional surveys, the strengths and limitations of these sources are well known to planners and many citizens. However all this is beginning to change. Not only has the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey introduced a bewildering variety of data products, all with margins of error, three interrelated categories of new data are growing rapidly: crowdsourced, private, and "big" data. </p>
Preservation Challenges Face Taj Mahal
Pollution is threatening the structural integrity of the Taj Mahal, prompting local officials to scramble for ways to preserve the historic site.
All-Door Boarding Considered for SF Transit
Transit officials in San Francisco are considering a plan to allow transit riders to board through all doors of buses in an attempt to cut delays.
Urban Noise Forces Birds to Change Their Tune
The amount of urban background noise is affecting the songs that birds sing to attract mates.
Minorities Transform Metro Areas, Inch Closer to Majority
Minorities comprise in 2010 more than half the population in 22 of the largest metro areas in and 98 percent population growth in large metro areas from 2000 to 2010, a recent report by The Brookings Institute shows.
William Gibson's Futuristic World Has Arrived
Author William Gibson talks to Scientific American about how "the future's arrived," and the many ways you can see the future around you.
Urban Infill a New Target for Modular Homebuilders
Urban infill housing is becoming a major part of business for large homebuilders, even those building modular homes.
City of Vernon Escapes Disincorporation
A bill to forcibly disband the tiny city of Vernon, California and incorporate it into Los Angeles County failed to pass earlier this week on concerns that it would economically weaken the county.
The Tea Party Goes Too Far in Ventura
Local Tea Party activists gather 10,000 signatures to place an initiative on the ballot to remove Ventura's new parking meters, only to discover that they're pre-empted by the California Vehicle Code.
Ebenezer Howard's "Garden City" Revisited
Nina Rappaport of UrbanOmnibus explores the history of the urban factory, examining the social, economic, and environmental benefits of the modern vertical factory industry.
China Cracking Down on Rural Migrants
As millions of rural poor move into Chinese cities, the country's legal residency system is making life difficult for the illegal rural migrants.
Inside Philadelphia's New Water Management System
This infographic explains the new green techniques that will revise the way Philadelphia catches and processes stormwater.
Renovation Coming to Long-Troubled Harlem Tenements
Neglected for decades, a group of tenement buildings in New York City are set to be renovated to provide a new source of affordable housing.
Pinpointing the City's Center
Google Maps searches include a pinpoint of what the search engine has determined are the centers of cities. One artist has built sculptures of those pinpoints in their real-life locations.
New Gas Tax Legislation Proposed For CA MPOs
Unlike a state gas tax, SB 791 calls for regional planning agencies to prepare a measure to go before voters in their jurisdiction that would place a new fee on fuel to improve mobility, called a "regional congestion reduction charge".
Trying to Tackle Mobility Issues in South Africa
New government efforts in South Africa are trying to improve mobility for those who rely on public transportation, walking and biking.
Organizers Pushing Philly High Line
Community organizers in Philadelphia are leading an effort to convert a disused elevated railway into a park.
In SF, You Are the Bike You Ride
Graphic designer Tor Weeks captures the essence of the bicycle culture in San Francisco by classifying the types of bikes by neighborhood.
Seattle's South Lake Union a Jobs Bonanza
When city leaders proposed redeveloping the South Lake Union area of Seattle, they made big promises for job growth. Just a few years in, their expectations have already been exceeded.
Minority Youth Lead Shift to Majority
Minorities are becoming the majority in the United States, and the shift is most pronounced in populations under one year of age.
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
