The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Beatles Crosswalk Gains Historic Protection
The crosswalk pictured on the cover of the Beatles' album Abbey Road has been designated a historic place in London.
Ohio and Wisconsin's HSR Loss is California's Gain
By refusing federal stimulus funds for high speed rail projects in their states, incoming Republican governors in Midwest gifted California over $600 million in new funding for the state's planned 800-mile network, says the Fresno Bee.
D.C. Juggles Overhead Wires and Historic Views
Washington D.C. is planning to build a citywide streetcar network, but the overhead wires required for those plans would affect the city's historic views.
Bogota's TransMilenio Turns 10
Bogota's integrated mass transit system has been operation for a decade and continues to grow, but faces challenges for the coming years, from the constant growth in ridership to irregularities in construction contracts.
Big Boxes Going Urban
Big box retailers are continuing to target urban markets, and finding new ways to squeeze their large sizes into dense urban settings.
Gov 2.0 Grows
Gov 2.0 is on the rise, and an increasing amount of cities and groups are getting behind efforts to improve the way cities function by better processing their data.
BLOG POST
Development Versus Growth
<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small">Healthy children grow bigger, but once people reach maturity at about age 20 continued physical growth is harmful - it makes us fat. It is certainly possible to develop our skills, strength and knowledge, but most adults should not pursue growth as an end in itself. This also applies to communities.</span> </p>
How Cities Can Survive Rising Temperatures
Temperatures are warming all over the planet. The new book "Climatopolis" looks at what cities can do to survive.
Cairo 2050 Plan Makes Big Shifts in City
The Egyptian government is undertaking a broad plan to reimagine Cairo. The plan would redistribute the city's people and shuffle its industries to the outskirts of town. Some there see the plan as too much of a change.
The Head of New York's Streets Revolution
<em>Grist</em>'s Sarah Goodyear talks with New York City Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan about her work in the city -- and what other cities can learn from it.
Inside China's Ghost Towns
This post from <em>Business Insider</em> collects satellite imagery and pictures of ghost towns in China.
FEATURE
The Place Making Dividend
Edward T. MacMahon of ULI explains why cities and towns with unique character have an economic advantage over the sameness of chain stores and malls, and why people should fight to preserve and create a sense of place.
Futuristic Ideas for Smarter Cities
This piece from the <em>Guardian</em> lists a handful of ideas that could shape the future of cities and city design.
Israel's Urban Outlier
Capitalism and bourgeois values built the city of Tel Aviv, which stands today as an outlier in Israel, according to this article.
Status Quo Sprawl Lives On in Fresno
The approval of a massive shopping center in Fresno, California, highlights the city's inability to move beyond its sprawl-centric tendencies, according to this piece from <em>The Fresno Bee</em>.
A Decade of Population Shifts in the U.S.
The first piece of data from the 2010 U.S. Census has been released, showing state-by-state population information. <em>The Urbanophile</em> offers three maps that document how the country has changed since the last Census in 2000.
Shrinking Cities Means Shuttered Churches
The Archdiocese of Detroit is working with city planners and local demographers as they develop their plans for Catholic parish closures.
Big Signs May Top Downtown Seattle Buildings
Seattle is considering a new policy that will allow companies to place large signs atop buildings downtown. It's part of an effort to lure companies downtown, but many locals are outraged.
U.S. Demand For Gasoline Has Peaked
As improbable as it sounds, the U.S. hit 'peak gas demand' in 2006 at 9 million barrels per day. By 2030, experts predict it will be 20% lower. The decline is attributed to driving less, more efficient vehicles, and the addition of ethanol to gas.
A Planned Community for Artists
Artists are flocking to a town in Turkey that promises "authentic village life." The architect behind the plan says that the project has attracted creatives who "miss natural and pure human relations."
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
