The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Detroit can come back using the model of European countries that downsized and densified, restructured their industries and created incubators for innovation, say Bruce Katz and Jennifer Bradley of Brookings.

January 15 - The New Republic

Caitlin Flanagan, writing in The Atlantic magazine, believes that the "edible schoolyard" movement is a waste of time that would be better spent having kids learn from books.

January 15 - Atlantic Magazine

In a world increasing concerned with reducing global warming, people and nations are embracing trains as an alternative to cars and planes because of their reduced carbon footprint. However, cost and time remain critical factors for travelers.

January 15 - CNN - Eco Solutions

By utilizing rental data Netflix makes freely available, the New York Times has published a Google Maps mashup illustrating the most popular rental titles in each zip code.

January 15 - New York Times

Officials in Hawaii have unveiled a strategic plan for removing garbage and debris from the ocean near the Hawaiian Archipelago.

January 15 - The Honolulu Advertiser

In its bid to host the World Cup in either 2018 or 2022, the United States has narrowed its list of possible host cities down to 18. Notably missing are San Francisco and Chicago.

January 14 - Marketwatch

CNN reports that a lack of building codes and the construction of vulnerable informal settlements may have contributed to the high death toll in Haiti's earthquake.

January 14 - CNN

A new study out in JAPA this week details the fire codes, zoning codes, subdivision regulations, etc., that prevent manufactured housing from being built.

January 14 - Journal Of The American Planning Association

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said yesterday that he would rescind a 2005 rule from the Bush administration that cost-effectiveness trump all other factors when approving transit projects.

January 14 - Streetsblog

This article from <em>Government Technology</em> looks at the idea of municipal Wi-Fi Internet access and why it has struggled to take off.

January 14 - Government Technology

NYC's Dept. of Education has committed to building 70 new playgrounds in the five boroughs.

January 14 - Crain's

The National Trust for Historic Preservation takes a look at the most significant buildings saved or restored in 2009, and the 'most crushing losses.'

January 14 - National Trust For Historic Preservation

While many of his supporters have criticized President Obama for not acting far or fast enough on their respective causes, Daniel J. Weiss argues that the President's environmental achievements in his first year were significant.

January 14 - Center for American Progress

Winter brings snowy conditions to roads in many cities, and many react with snow-melting salt solutions. But the physical and environmental damage of salt is leading some to look for other means of fighting the freeze.

January 14 - NRDC

Vancouver is preparing to take the global stage when it hosts the Winter Olympic next month. With all the sports-related pomp, the city's unique approach to sustainability will also fall under the spotlight.

January 14 - Los Angeles Times

FEATURE

Updated for Fall 2010, Planetizen's picks for the best news and observations about urban planning, design and development available on Twitter. Check out the new section of high-speed rail links, and visit our sister site www.hsrnews.com.

January 13 - Nate Berg

The state of California has adopted the nation's first green building codes, including a provision that allows local jurisdictions to keep or approve even stricter environmental building rules.

January 13 - San Francisco Chronicle

McMansions are often thought to be a U.S.-only problem, but Australians have the largest homes in the world, with houses in the state of New South Wales averaging 262.9 square meters (around 2800 sq. ft.).

January 13 - The Courier Mail

As incredible as it sounds, it's true. CA Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's scheme is to convert the sales tax on gas to an excise tax partly to circumvent a June court ruling that he had illegally diverted public transit funds to balance the state budget

January 13 - The Sacramento Bee

BLOG POST

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small">I’m going to riff off a recent Interchange Blog post by Michael Lewyn on the </span><a href="/node/42323"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; color: #800080; font-size: small">relationship between mobility and accessibility</span></a><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small">. Given the positive comments from the planning community to Michael’s post, a little engagement may be necessary for both clarity as well as fully understanding the implications of reading too much into the accessibility versus mobility debate. </span> </p>

January 13 - Samuel Staley