The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
China's Urban Policy Leaps While U.S. Lags
China's fast-paced development is making it into a major economic power. Its emphasis on urban policy is leaving the U.S. in the dust, writes Eugenie Birch.
Unearthing Buried Waterways
Cities from San Antonio to Singapore are resuscitating waterways that once lay buried under rivers of concrete.
Taking Tuk-Tuk to Task
Tuk-tuks are mechanized rickshaws - a cheaper alternative to taxis - that can be found throughout the developing world, from Latin America to Africa to southeast Asia and India. Environmental think-tank Enviu is trying to reduce rickshaw emissions.
Denver to El Paso High-Speed Rail?
Colorado, Arizona and Texas have come together to apply for a $5m grant to research a possible high-speed rail link connecting Denver, Albuquerque, and El Paso.
More Ped Plazas On The Way
With the successful launch of the 17th St. park, San Francsico's "Pavement to Parks" project is moving to its next location, the corner of Guerrero and San Jose. Activist Gillian Gillett has been pushing for something to happen there for years.
Randal O'Toole: The Man, The Contrarian
In the wake of his appearance on Capitol Hill, The New York Times delves into what makes Randal O'Toole tick.
R.I.P. Julius Shulman
Julius Shulman, famed popularizing mid-century modern architecture through his photographs, died yesterday at the age of 98. In his honor, The Architect's Journal features some of Shulman's photographs and commentary.
Vancouver's Olympic Village Going Green, Hopefully
Vancouver is hoping to build the greenest Olympic Village yet as it prepares to host the 2010 Winter games. But there are some challenges facing the ambitious plans.
GE's Home of the Future
General Electric has released a design for a Home of the Future, which is planned to be almost completely energy-neutral. As GOOD Magazine notes, the house is almost overloaded with gadgets to get you there.
Dealing With Vacant Mansions in London
In a posh borough of London, empty homes are causing problems for officials, who are tasked with finding the owners of these vacant or abandoned mansions.
Congressmen Propose Water Trust Fund
A group of U.S. representatives has proposed the creation of a national trust fund for water infrastructure in the U.S.
Wayfinding in the City
A review of <em>The Wayfinding Handbook: Information Design for Public Places</em> by David Gibson finds it rich with great ideas for designing new systems, but lacking in ideas for fixing old ones.
BLOG POST
Sorting Out Sonia Sotomayor
<p> According to the <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/27/AR2009062702476.html?hpid=topnews">Washington Post</a>, 62% of Americans think Sonia Sotomayor should be confirmed for the U.S Supreme Court because she is “about right” ideologically. The question is, how good will she be for municipal attorneys? </p>
Soaking Up Runoff For a Greener Street
The city of Santa Monica has just unveiled its first segment of green street, one where rainwater runoff seeps into porous pavement and landscaping.
Officials Protest as Wal-Mart Encroaches on Civil War Site
Plans to build a Wal-Mart and parking lot near a historic Civil War battlefield has spurred a bi-partisan protest from Virginia's top officials.
Prayer at City Council
The ACLU and local clergy are fighting over the prayers recited at City Council meetings in San Marcos, Texas, near Austin.
CA's Top Cities for Solar
Environment California has released a study that shows significant growth in the state's solar power construction, and ranks cities by how many solar roofs they have. San Diego is tops.
Make No Big Plans
Salon's Michael Lind argues that attempts to create "comprehensive reform" of anything is a recipe for disaster.
New Eco-Town Plans Meet NIMBY Resistance
The UK government recently announced the sites of four new planned "eco-towns". But local opposition to the projects remains high.
A Bus-Powering, Rider-Paying Bike Share System
A new city bike sharing design concept not only gives people access to bikes, but also provides power for the local bus system and even pays riders to do it.
One Hundred Miles
County of Mendocino
planning NEXT
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
Montrose County
Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA)
The Pocatello Development Authority
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.
