The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

The city of Detroit is considering a plan to close nearly half of its public schools and greatly increase its class sizes.

January 18 - The Detroit News

Rome has instituted a new tax on tourists aimed at building a fund to restore its crumbling infrastructure. But some worry it will drive tourists away.

January 18 - Der Spiegel

The City of New Orleans is about to undertake a massive reconstruction effort that will reshape and rebuild its entire school system.

January 18 - Metropolis

The city of Pittsburgh is making progress on its first comprehensive plan. <em>Next American City</em> talks with Director of City Planning Noor Ismail about its process and potential impact.

January 18 - Next American City

Sprawl is seen as an unfortunate reality in Toronto, and one that some fear it's too late to unwrite.

January 18 - The Toronto Star

British Prime Minister David Cameron wants to build a Silicon Valley-like "tech city" at the site of the 2012 Summer Olympics. But some question whether his plan can work.

January 18 - Wired UK

As the world's population urbanizes, rural areas are being abandoned. But they don't have to sit empty and unused, according to this piece from <em>GOOD</em>.

January 18 - Good

BLOG POST

<p style="margin-top: 6pt" class="MsoNormal">I spent last week at the <a href="http://www.adb.org/">Asian Development Bank</a> (ADB) headquarters in Manila, in the Philippines, where we are starting on an exciting but humbling project: developing a more comprehensive framework for transport project evaluation. Among other factors, this project will develop better methods for incorporating <a href="http://www.vtpi.org/equity.pdf">social equity</a> impacts into transport planning. This is important in any community, and particularly in developing countries where many people are extremely poor. What transport policies and planning practices respond to their needs?</p>

January 17 - Todd Litman

BLOG POST

<p><span><span style="font-size: small"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'">The internet has great potential as a means of professional marketing for many soon-to-be and recent graduates. Not everyone in planning, however, uses it well. The following tips aim to help you realize its potential and avoid its pitfalls.</span></span></span><span><span style="font-size: small; font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span> </p>

January 17 - Ann Forsyth

An art gallery in New York City currently has an installation called Park Here, which is an indoor parkspace made up of fake grass, trees and sunlight.

January 17 - The New York Times

Hybrid technology for marine transportation is a growing industry, as startup business in New Brunswick, Canada attests.

January 17 - New Brunswick Business Journal

A new 20-km metro line has just been completed in Delhi, India.

January 17 - Railway Gazette International

The Language of Towns & Cities: A Visual Dictionary, by Dhiru A. Thadani is a doorstopper of a book. Philip Langdon looks at this giant guide to New Urbanist ideas.

January 17 - New Urban Network

FEATURE

January 17 - George Haugh

Quiet cars are spreading to subways and trains across the country. But what about conversation cars, for people who WANT to talk? Alex Marshall says cars for socializing would be great for creating community.

January 17 - The New Daily News

Columnist Jon Hilkevitch writes that a new public-opinion poll on mass-transit issues found that the Chicagoans care deeply about them. Though the candidates haven't taken sides yet, it could be a deciding factor.

January 17 - The Chicago Tribune

The New York Times reports that retailers more used to selling aspirin and greeting cards are now offering more elaborate grocery options.

January 17 - The New York Times

Part of a new proposal to cut billions from the federal budget includes eliminating the historic preservation programs Save America's Treasures and Preserve America.

January 17 - Governing Magazine

DOT Secretary Ray LaHood responds to a Washington Post editorial that condemned not only the California High Speed Rail project, but President Obama's vision for a national high-speed rail network.

January 17 - The Washington Post

A second Pew Center report on transportation and climate change has been released. It places most emphasis on vehicle technology and fuel, less on transit and smart growth. However, urban planners should note that pricing policies are stressed.

January 17 - Pew Center on Global Climate Change