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Greetings from Manila

Greetings from Manila where I'm attending the Asian Development Bank's Transport Forum 2012. It is an exciting and important event: the types of transport planning investments that the bank supports now can have huge impacts on the nature of future.

November 7 - Todd Litman

Sandy Provides Opportunity for NYC to Lead on Climate Adaptation

As an increasing percentage of the world's population, and economic assets, confront the threats of climate change, the aftermath of Sandy provides an opportunity for New York to set a global example for building stronger, smarter cities.

November 7 - New York Daily News

Push for Progressive Planning in the UK

A collective of practitioners, students, academics and activists have drafted a manifesto aimed at examining the current state of planning in the United Kingdom, and the scope for radical, alternative approaches, reports Cristiana Strava.

November 7 - POLIS

Building Small is the Next Big Thing

A recent study documents the shift from large-scale units of production to smaller mass-produced units that can be dispersed across many locations. This shift promises to change a host of industries, from transportation to power generation.

November 7 - Science Daily

Were Sandy's Winds Strong Enough to Propel Green Ballot Measures?

With the aftermath of Sandy fresh on voters' minds, and the debate about the causes and effects of climate change seemingly reinvigorated, Grist examines whether those forces translated into support for green initiatives across the country.

November 7 - Grist


President Obama

Proposals for Obama's Second Term

No sooner had the ink dried on the Times' "Obama's Night" headline, than planning advocates began offering suggestions for what the President should focus on in his second term. With an enduring split in Congress it's unclear what is achievable.

November 7 - The Atlantic Cities

What Happens When You Build It, But They Never Come?

Forty-five miles southwest of the Twin Cities sits the exurb of New Prague, a town with state-of-the-art infrastructure but crushing debt. It’s an example of what happens when the “Ponzi scheme” underlying sprawl development comes crumbling down.

November 7 - Star Tribune


Toronto: Pay Attention to the Pedestrians

The intersection of Yonge and Harbour is just one example of the dangerous conditions that confront Toronto’s pedestrians daily. Are the police to blame for the city’s lack of pedestrian safety?

November 7 - The Star

A Dorm for All Students Opens in Chicago

La Casa is a first of its kind dorm building in Chicago, offering affordable housing for up to 100 students attending any of the colleges in the area. It is not only a living arrangement, but also a hub of support services, writes Michael Winerip.

November 7 - The New York Times

Is Driving Still an American 'Rite of Passage'?

Economist Joe Cortright doesn't seem to think so. According to his findings, Americans are driving less, with Millennials leading the way, and this unprecedented trend is here to stay.

November 7 - D.C. Streetsblog

Boot Camp for Mayors: 20 Ideas to Fix America's Cities

As America's cities grow and expand, there's great opportunities--but there are also significant challenges. Twenty innovative metros are vying for $9 in grant money to address their city's greatest needs.

November 7 - ICIC

Footprint on sand at beach

Is it Time to Let New Jersey's Beaches Go Natural?

For decades, New Jersey's coastal communities have been the beneficiaries of artificial beach nourishment, at great expense. After Sandy washed away hundreds of million of dollars of sand, some are suggesting it's time for a strategic retreat.

November 6 - The New York Times

Pittsburgh Neighborhood Unveils the 'Mother of All Vision Plans'

Unveiled at an event held last week at the University of Pittsburgh, "Oakland 2025: A vision for sustainable living and mobility" is the culmination of a process that involved a laundry list of institutional, community, and governmental partners.

November 6 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Center For Brain Health, Las Vegas, NV, by Frank Gehry

Architecture on the Brain

Emily Badger examines the intersection of neuroscience and architecture, an emerging area of study that promises to produce environments that support and enhance our brain function.

November 6 - Pacific Standard

Tracking the Transportation Initiatives to be Decided Today

While the federal government balks at increasing money for transportation projects, local officials across America are turning to their constituents to get the go ahead for significant transportation investment. What projects are at stake today?

November 6 - the transport politic

Free Parking 'Drives' Solo Commuting, Study Says

California Watch, a project of the nonprofit Center for Investigative Reporting, evaluated the 2009-11 American Community Survey and determined that CA's 'drive-alone' rate to work was 73%. Joanna Lin points the finger at free parking as chief cause.

November 6 - San Francisco Chronicle

Replacing Billboards with Trees...Sort Of

Artist Stephen Glassman and a team of engineers and planners have developed a plan for transforming L.A.'s ubiquitous billboards into floating, globally connected urban forests. All that's needed for the first prototype are a few generous strangers.

November 6 - Curbed LA

Tackling Climate Change Through Density

Increasing mileage standards will do little to measurably reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In order to seriously tackle climate change we need to ditch the cars, and the development patterns they encourage, and move to walkable places.

November 6 - Salon

NYC's Subways Are Up and Running Again - How'd They Do It?

It's taken a Herculean effort to get New York's subway system up and running again after Sandy; but it's one that's progressed far below the streets of the city and out of view of most. Morgan Clendaniel examines what MTA employees have been up to.

November 6 - Fast Company Co.Exist

Luring Millennials through Great Neighborhoods

Millennials have been clustering in urban hotspots, and millions of others will be settling down over the next decade. William Fulton advises less attractive cities and suburbs on how to avoid a brain drain.

November 6 - Governing

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