The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority (CTRMA) is about to test run a system where drivers can pay their toll using only their iPhone, Blackberry, or MS Windows Mobile-enabled phone.

February 4 - TOLLROADSnews

Other cities have opened up tall buildings to the public; Pittsburgh envisions doing the same with US Steel, which has a 1-acre flat roof.

February 4 - PopCity Magazine

Witold Rybczynski takes a look at architecture that has fared poorly with time.

February 4 - Slate.com

In a new report looking at how cities in the American West can fight global warming, the authors conclude that the best strategy is to focus on economic and energy efficiency through smart growth.

February 4 - Lincoln Institute of Land Policy blog

The City of Portland is considering its 2030 Bike Plan today. Some question whether the $613 million price tag is worthwhile.

February 4 - The Oregonian

<em>GOOD</em> takes a look at five of the nation's biggest public transit systems and compares their ridership, average speeds, and average miles per trip.

February 4 - Good

As a preventive measure to avoid future NIMBYism, an Air Force base in Arizona has effectively blocked the spread of residential development close to its borders.

February 4 - The Arizona Republic

The <em>Guardian</em> asks prominent thinkers what sort of city London will be in 20 years.

February 4 - Guardian

<em>The Infrastructurist</em>'s Melissa Lafsky is on <em>Fox Business</em> to discuss the prospect of high speed rail in America -- both in terms of transportation and jobs.

February 4 - Fox Business

Allison Arieff takes a look at some of the ways GIS and other data-visualization technologies can help to address urban problems.

February 4 - NYTimes: Opinionator Blog

Instead of building its signature single family homes in dense New York neighborhoods, Habitat is expanding its model to include LEED-certified apartment buildings.

February 4 - New York Times

FEATURE

Housing affordability is too often seen as the way to stabilize and revitalize weak markets. Neighborhood planning consultants Charles Buki and Elizabeth Humphrey Schilling argue that interventions in weak markets must encourage investment by improving market confidence.

February 4 - Charles Buki

Haiti's official seismologist predicted the earthquake, and says the capital is in a high-risk zone for future quakes. With funds coming in to rebuild, the decision is pressing.

February 3 - Spiegel International

2010 may become a tipping-point for bike-share programs with new pilots popping up in Denver, Boston and Minneapolis.

February 3 - Marketplace Radio

<em>Transport Politic</em> takes a detailed look at the transportation projects suggested by the Federal Transit Administration's recently released Annual Report on Funding Recommendations.

February 3 - Transport Politic

This post from <em>GOOD</em> looks at how a street can become a bicycle corridor.

February 3 - Good

The Obama Administration has made a variety of pledges to focus on urban areas and metropolitan regions as it lays out policy for the country. But how realistic is the Obama urban vision?

February 3 - Citiwire

Two years ago, Steve Patterson suffered a stroke. As he goes through the process of recovery, he sees some lessons for struggling cities.

February 3 - Urban Review STL

BLOG POST

<p> Most attempts to regulate suburban development have focused on containing the growth of suburban housing. But such regulation, by restricting the supply of buildable land, risks incresing housing prices. And from a more libertarian perspective, an individual&#39;s interest in choosing to &quot;drive to qualify&quot; may seem quite appealing. Attempts to regulate commercial suburban development do not involve the same sentimental considerations as limits on residential development, but do risk increasing prices for commercial land, thus increasing prices for everything else. </p>

February 3 - Michael Lewyn

This post from <em>The Nature Conservancy</em> examines the impact of urbanization on nature and finds that our rising food needs will be one of the most important implications.

February 3 - The Nature Conservancy