The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Based on five criteria, the Sierra Club has evaluated “the 50 best and worst transportation projects” in the nation, shining light on apparent fiascoes in the making, as well as progressive achievements.

December 14 - D.C. Streesblog

Ohio has been one of the hardest hit states by the recent wave of foreclosures, with filings continuing to rise. Susie Cagle looks at the variety of state and local policies and programs arming communities with new tools to fight blight.

December 14 - Grist

The Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space opened Saturday on Avenue C near 10th Street. It's a tribute to the East Village's history of activism from the 1988 Tompkins Square Park riots to recent conflicts over community gardens, squats, and bicycle use.

December 14 - The New York Times

New York's Municipal Arts Society has released a list of 17 historic buildings it believes are threatened by the Bloomberg administration's plans to re-zone a significant portion of the area surrounding Grand Central Terminal.

December 13 - The New York Observer

Modern medicine is prolonging our lives while our lifestyles are shortening it - that paradox is the main finding of the 2012 America's Health Rankings that ranked Vermont as the nation's healthiest state with Louisiana and Mississippi tied for last.

December 13 - USA Today

Within three decades, there will no longer be a majority racial or ethnic group in the Unites States according to new Census Bureau projections released this week. Among the other findings: the country is growing slower than expected.

December 13 - The New York Times

Following Boston's visionary lead, this week Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter formally created the city's Office of New Urban Mechanics, "a civic innovation tool for urban transformation.”

December 13 - Government Technology

Small and large cities throughout the United States are outgrowing their suburban counterparts for the first time in years. An even bigger surprise: small cities seem to be outpacing suburbs and large metros alike according to new analysis.

December 13 - Smart Growth America

Henry Grabar celebrates the recent decision by UEFA, European soccer's governing body, to hold their 2020 tournament in cities across the continent, rather than in one or two countries as has been the tradition.

December 13 - The Atlantic Cities

Two southern CA toll roads are so severely underperforming that the state treasurer is investigating whether the bondholders can be paid their interest. The San Joaquin Hills toll road's bonds are rated at junk status. Widening I-5 & 405 didn't help.

December 13 - Los Angeles Times

Boston has seen an increase of new construction over the past few years, mostly concentrated along the waterfront and its "Innovation District." The Architect's Newspaper has compiled a list of the most high-profile developments in the city.

December 13 - The Architect's Newspaper

Ronda Kaysen reports on the growing trend in transforming brownfield sites in disadvantaged communities into health centers, "in essence taking a potential source of health problems for a community and turning it into a place for health care."

December 13 - The New York Times

Anthony Paletta reviews the recent glut of art volumes devoted to communist architecture in the former Eastern bloc, and includes stunning photos of "sublime sci-fi" Soviet architecture largely unseen in the West.

December 12 - The Awl

By a narrow vote, Detroit's City Council has given approval for the city to sell 140 acres of vacant land to financial services business owner John Hantz for the creation of an urban agriculture project. Some are calling the deal a "land grab."

December 12 - The Detroit News

A dearth of high quality retail spaces in India's largest cities and the growing attraction of large foreign retailers to the country have analysts predicting a boom in commercial development.

December 12 - The New York Times

With two major transit lines in the pipeline, and several billion dollars of road, bridge, and transit repair and replacement projects planned for the future, Connecticut officials are counting on transit-oriented development to help raise revenue.

December 12 - The Hartford Courant

The Colorado River is struggling to provide enough water for 25 million people, which could lead to water shortages and water wars in the areas that rely on its bounty. Officials are looking to find a long-term solution, reports Felicity Barringer.

December 12 - The New York Times

With cycling rates increasing across America, it's probably a safe bet that you know and care for a bicyclist who would be ecstatic to receive one of Fast Company's "safe, stylish, and fun" gift ideas this holiday season.

December 12 - Fast Company Co.Exist

The front page photo, "Doomed" on the New York Post on Dec. 4 of pushed subway rider, Ki Suk Han attempting to lift himself from the tracks as a train approaches has captivated many - yet a proposal to prevent it from repeating it is doomed as well.

December 12 - Capital New York

In the increasing competition between cities, regions, and states for the highly desirable jobs and industries driving economic growth in these difficult times, community health has become a key ingredient in attracting employers.

December 12 - Governing