The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

<p>South Africa has been tapped to host the 2010 World Cup, and though th event is three years away, preparations are already underway -- and progressing at a strenuous pace to try to stay on schedule.</p>

April 26 - The New York Times

FEATURE

Libertarian biases and assumptions keep Reason Magazine authors stuck in traffic.

April 26 - Michael Dudley

<p>Two new developments may finally bring an end to a long streak of bad luck for a site in downtown Chicago, where projects just couldn't seem to get finished. The city changed its development strategy and is hoping the new projects revive the site.</p>

April 26 - The New York Times

<p>Certain bus lines in Israel have an informal but strict practice of gender segregation, forcing women to sit in the back of the bus. Many women have protested this separation system, which is mainly enforced by riders in orthodox neighborhoods.</p>

April 26 - BBC

<p>The power company says the controversial Klamath River hydroelectric dams are a source of clean energy that does not contribute to carbon emissions. Environmentalists and fisherman believe the dams have damaged the river and threatened livelihoods.</p>

April 25 - The New York Times

<p>New York City mayor Michael R. Bloomberg unveils ambitious sustainability plans.</p>

April 25 - The New York Times

<p>High daytime noise levels in urban areas have caused birds to sing at night to avoid the competition. This goes against the previous thought that streetlights were confusing birds into thinking it was day.</p>

April 25 - BBC

<p>As California tries to meet its goal of 20% renewable energy use by 2010, it faces the challenge of transporting all that renewable energy without negatively affecting the state's other natural resources.</p>

April 25 - The Christian Science Monitor

BLOG POST

The countless issues and debates about the nature of city-building need powerful voices within the broader public.

April 25 - Brent Toderian

<p>Oil money has fueled an urban development boom in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum, prompting some to call it the "African Dubai". But with the continuing and deadly conflict in Darfur, many countries are hesitant to invest in Sudan.</p>

April 25 - BBC

<p>The American Institute of Architects has released its list of the Top 10 Green Buildings in the U.S.</p>

April 25 - Environmental News Network

<p>The Government Accountability Office has revealed major fraud and abuse of transit subsidies for federal employees -- many of whom are selling their transit vouchers on eBay, pocketing the money, and then driving to work.</p>

April 25 - The Washington Post

<p>Children are integral to the urban environment, yet we have shrunk the places where they can play, grow and thrive. Creating natural environments where children are free to imagine and play without instruction and structure is critical to our future.</p>

April 25 - The Financial Times, London

<p>As suburbanites who moved to the City of Atlanta to avoid crushing traffic congestion are ironically realizing, over-stressed in-town roads are buckling under the pressure of exponentially increasing usage. But help may not be on the way.</p>

April 25 - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

<p>Like many of their American counterparts, Canadian municipalities aren't waiting for their federal government to act on environmental issues, and are taking some bold initiatives of their own to reduce resource consumption and pollution.</p>

April 25 - The Vancouver Sun

BLOG POST

<p>The new <a href="http://www.pritzkerprize.com/164/pritzker2005/sanfranciscofederalbuilding.htm">San Francisco Federal Building</a>, designed by <a href="http://www.morphosis.net/">Morphosis</a> starchitect <a href="http://www.greatbuildings.com/architects/Thom_Mayne_-_Morphosis.html">Thom Mayne</a>, opened earlier this year. It&#39;s visible from the windows of our kitchen at work, so I see it at least five times a day, every time I make myself a decaf double americano. And I <em>knew</em> it looked familiar. Today I finally figured it out. </p><p>The building:</p><p><img src="/files/u10403/14mayn_CA1_650.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="375" /> </p><p>And what must have been the inspiration: </p><p><img src="/files/u10403/crawler_copy1.jpg" alt="" width="475" height="219" /> </p><p>(Oh, come on. It&#39;s the Sandcrawler from <em>Star Wars</em>. The nerds got it.) </p>

April 24 - Anonymous

<p>Munitions, toxic chemicals, and even radioactive wasts at current and former military sites in California pose a serious environmental risk. The extent and scale is unknown as sites predate environmental standards.</p>

April 24 - The Sacramento Bee

BLOG POST

<p>I&#39;ve been spending a lot of time over the past couple of years examining the planning literature on sustainable development. Sustainable development, as a concept, remains vague. For those interested, take a look at my recent article in the journal <a href="http://www.emeraldinsight.com/Insight/viewContentItem.do?contentType=Article&amp;contentId=1562561">Property Management</a>.</p>

April 24 - Samuel Staley

<p>Reason publishes three short "Frequently Asked Questions" documents on road-building financing tools like public-private partnerships, leasing toll roads, and high-occupancy toll (HOT) lanes.</p>

April 24 - Reason

<p>A group of suburban mayors in the Cleveland area have proposed combining many of their cities' services to create a regional government structure they say will improve the area's economy and community planning.</p>

April 24 - The Plain Dealer