The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Reborn Green
<em>The New York Times</em> takes a look at Greensburg, Kansas, the tornado-ravaged town that rebuilt itself to high environmental standards.
The People Under the Strip
A community of hundreds of people live beneath the glitz of the Las Vegas Strip in flood control tunnels.
Maryland Proposes All-Electronic Toll Road
A new highway linking Montgomery to Prince Georges County in Maryland will be the first in the state to exclusively use overhead tolling technology.
City Votes to Control Big Box Stores
Lynchburg, VA approved a new regulation to control big box development in their city earlier this week, despite protests that it would hurt the economy of the area.
Bike Commuting Surges in Portland, Oregon
Fueled by the city's investment in infrastructure, 6.4 percent of commuters in Portland, Oregon biked to work in 2008, an increase of nearly 60% over the previous year.
Frappuccino-Colored Streets
Would you slow for beige? Planners in San Francisco hope so, as they plan to differentiate sections of Market St. where they'd like traffic to slow down with 'frappuccino'-colored asphalt.
BLOG POST
A Middle Ground In The Bag Wars
<p> <span><span style="font-size: x-small">The San Jose City Council is considering a proposal to ban plastic bags and most paper bags in supermarkets, out of concerns about the greenhouse gases used to manufacture them and about the waste from discarded bags. But this policy might create as many environmental problems as it solves. <br /> <br /> In a city without disposable bags, shoppers who seek to buy large amounts of groceries will have to drag around an army of nondisposable containers. For drivers, this is not a big deal. Susie SUV can always find space for dozens of nondisposable bags in her truck. And because Susie’s bags can stay in her truck forever, she will always be able to make impulse purchases without difficulty. <br />
UnSprawl Case Study: Agritopia in Gilbert, Arizona
Crafted with a sort of evangelical "New Ruralism," the 166-acre Agritopia neighborhood east of Phoenix mixes gardens, pastures, orchards, restaurants, lush trails, and more with historically inspired homes designed to bring neighbors together.
When "Local" Isn't
The "go local" movement has proved so popular that it's become irresistible...for international mega-corporations.
Why We'll go to Extremes for Energy
Michael Klare believes that our transition from petroleum to sustainable energy sources will not be easy, smooth or peaceful.
Open Transit Data: New Yorkers Left Out in the Cold
Give software developers open transit data, and they'll create applications that make riding easier and more convenient, says Ben Fried. But straphangers in the nation's largest transit market, New York, are still waiting for the MTA to open up.
An Inside Look at the Decline of America's Rural Communities
Rural areas have been losing population for decades, creating what some are calling a "rural brain drain". According to this article, the hollowing out of these rural areas will have negative impacts beyond the borders of those small towns.
Icons Versus Places
Fred Kent of the Project for Public Spaces was recently entangled in a dispute with architect Frank Gehry over the impact of iconic architecture in cities. Though Gehry's work has its moments, Kent says city emphasis on icons is a mistake.
Increased Transit Use Reduced Carbon Emissions by 37 Million Tons
A new report by Environment America suggests that increased ridership in 2008 reduced global warming gases significantly, and increasing ridership by 10% more could save the equivalent of all the oil we import from the Persian Gulf.
How Cities Grow Like Brains
Interconnectedness is just as important to brains as it is to cities, according to researchers who've just released a study about the organizational similarities between cities and brains.
In Pittsburgh, The Spotlight's On
As it prepares to host world leaders for the G-20 summit, Pittsburgh is hoping to show to the world that it's no longer a dying city.
FEATURE
Let's Teach Children Planning
Planners often encounter ineffective public participation because of the fact that citizens often are not taught planning skills in school, says Michael A. Rodriguez.
A Tale of Two Niagaras
Niagara Falls, NY and Niagara Falls, Ontario are a study in contrasts -- Ontario's a success story of good governance and planning, New York's the complete opposite. Rob Gurwitt has the story.
A Museum For A Highway?
The Lincoln Highway was the first road to reach from coast to coast. A Pennsylvania group is building a museum to celebrate this stretch of asphalt. Designs for the museum have just been released.
In Defense of ACORN
The Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now has a remarkable record of grassroots anti-poverty and community development campaigns, writes David Morris.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
New Jersey Institute of Technology
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Portland
City of Laramie
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Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
