The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

<p>Traffic signs on American roadways are so numerous and so distracting to drivers that they are having the opposite effect intended, writes John Staddon.</p>

June 23 - Atlantic Monthly

<p>Bruce Fisher laments Buffalo's decades-old decision to put their university campus outside of town, missing the lesson that "eds and meds" are central to the prosperity of a city.</p>

June 23 - ArtVoice

<p>With gas and food prices climbing to unprecedented levels, many families are turning to pawnshops to cover their bills. Unfortunately, pickups are down and people aren't buying, putting smaller operations at risk of closure.</p>

June 23 - The News & Observer

<p>Heather Stewart's vision of a country wedding in a resorted country barn are thwarted by code enforcement officers at the last minute. 'We have zoning rules and building codes that always get in the way of dreams,' Reinsborough said.</p>

June 23 - Portland Press Herald

<p>A recent L.A. Times series suggests that we should build more Southern California freeways for long-distance commuters, and prevent additional job development in employment-heavy areas. Bill Fulton suggests a different approach.</p>

June 23 - California Planning & Development Report

FEATURE

Rising gas prices and thickening traffic congestion make small, fuel-efficient scooters seem like a great way to get around. But on roads built mainly for speeding cars, scooting can be scary. Occasional scooter-rider Pam Diaz argues it shouldn't be.

June 23 - Pam Diaz

<p>Cyclists Bill Reynolds muses on the freedom offered by the bicycle -- and the tragic tendency for cyclists to fall victim to automobiles.</p>

June 23 - The Walrus

<p>Royal Caribbean is building the world's largest cruise ship, which will be a city in its own right with seven different neighborhoods and a central public space/urban park.</p>

June 22 - Gizmodo

<p>Columnist Roger K. Lewis reflects on Arlington's Rosslyn-Ballston corridor and what other cities can learn from their success.</p>

June 22 - The Washington Post

<p>An international film festival favorite, Guy Maddin's hard-to-classify documentary "My Winnipeg" revels in and at the same time mocks the Canadian city's mythologies.</p>

June 22 - The Globe & Mail

<p>The House Select Committee for Energy Independence and Global Warming met Thursday to discuss smart growth and its ability to reduce energy use and emissions.</p>

June 22 - Grist

<p>This segment from <em>NPR</em> features a discussion with Houston Mayor Bill White about the city's increasing congestion, the limits of zoning, and the population's reaction to rising gas prices.</p>

June 22 - NPR

<p>Rising sea levels caused by global climate change are predicted to swallow the country of Bangladesh by the end of the century.</p>

June 21 - Belfast Telegraph

<p>The streetcar returns to New Orleans' St. Charles Ave., a step forward in the long struggle to get the city's transit back on it's feet after Katrina.</p>

June 21 - The Associated Press

<p>This commentary from the <em>Los Angeles Times</em> calls for creation of a central park for the city, made by putting a "cap" over a section of freeway.</p>

June 21 - The Los Angeles Times

<p>Optical illusions painted on the streets of Philadelphia are being tested out as a method for getting drivers to slow down.</p>

June 21 - Telegraph

Metropolis Magazine talks with bus rapid transit pioneer Jaime Lerner about the gradual global spread of his successful ideas from Curitiba.

June 21 - Metropolis Magazine

<p>Chrysler's "Let's Refuel America" campaign promises to subsidize your gas as if you were paying $2.99 a gallon if you buy one of their large vehicles. Cartoonist Ruben Bolling spoofs the thinking behind the program in this cartoon.</p>

June 20 - Salon.com

<p>A struggle in Newburyport, Mass., poses an interesting question- should residential neighborhoods have handicapped street parking for residents who need it?</p>

June 20 - The Daily News of Newburyport

<p>Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue has surprised many in the state by reversing his position and pledging full support for commuter rail in metropolitan Atlanta.</p>

June 20 - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution