The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Snow Cleared for Cars, Not Bikes or Pedestrians
Streetsblog looks at snow clearing around the Northeast after the recent storm, and finds that bike paths and sidewalks get less preferential treatment.
'Mad Men' and Cities
Edward L. Glaeser uses the TV show Mad Men as a reflection on the vitality of cities as the center of idea-based industries like advertising and finance.
Epic Battle Over Hospital in Bethseda
The Wall St. Journal looks at the epic struggle between developers, planners and locals over a new hospital that would replace 1/5th of the neighborhoods homes, and the piles of paperwork that result.
Brazilian BRT Spreads Through Latin America
This article looks at the influence of the bus rapid transit system of Curitiba, Brazil, and how it is becoming a major aspect of urban design in other Latin American cities.
Northeast Shut Out From High Speed Rail Money
The Northeast corridor has effectively been shut out from receiving any federal high speed rail stimulus dollars due to tight environmental review policies.
Dismissing 'Utilitarian' Building May Hurt Ottawa
Plans to quickly rebuild the historic Lansdowne Park in Ottawa instead of spending time on a design competition have spurred hot controversy in the city. Architecture critic Christopher Hume says the fast approach is bad for the project and the city.
Tax District Approved for D.C. Metro Extension
Officials in Virginia have approved a special tax district to raise funding for the extension of the Washington D.C. Metro to Dulles International Airport.
Mock Afghan City Helps Train Civilians
For more than 1,000 U.S. civilians being sent to Afghanistan to aid the nation's political and economic recovery, training starts in a small Indiana city where the Army and National Guard have built a mock Afghan city complex.
Spend More, Get Less
Is San Francisco the worst-run big city in the country? The SF Weekly argues that despite spending more per capita than any other city, SF fails to deliver on almost everything.
Parking Requirements Over-Projected
Prof. Robert Cervero at UC Berkeley studied parking needs at transit-oriented developments in the Bay Area and Portland and found that, on average, they exceeded peak demand by 25-30%.
Recession Pulls Transit Ridership Down
Transit ridership has dipped in 2009, according to a new report from the American Public Transportation Association. The recession and high unemployment rates are being blamed.
L.A.'s Biggest Development Blunders
Los Angeles Downtown News picks the 10 Biggest Problem Projects of the Decade, including the still empty Hall of Justice and the languishing Angel's Flight.
Easements Gone Wrong
When a nonprofit conservancy dissolves, their land trusts go into limbo, calling the restrictions on development into question.
Tax on Billboards in Toronto
Amidst sweeping new regulations, the Toronto City Council has also added a new tax on billboards that could bring in millions of dollars to city coffers.
DC Abuzz With Biking Interest
An event featuring David Byrne ("Bicycle Diaries) in DC brings out hundreds to hear how to take back public streets from the domination of the auto, and green federal transportation policy as well.
Scientologists Fight For Expansion in Sandy Springs
In a close vote last week, the Sandy Springs, Georgia City Council approved a rezoning for a Church of Scientology but rejected the building expansion they were hoping for. The Church plans to sue under RLUIPA.
The Value Of Public Spaces - Spontaneous Celebration!
In this video, a seemingly spontaneous celebration of Hanukkah erupts in a normally sedate Jerusalem public space as masses of people demonstrate their dancing skills to the initial bewilderment, then delight of onlookers.
Utah Approved as Temporary Nuclear Dumping Ground
The state of Utah and the Department of Energy have come to an agreement that will allow depleted uranium storage within the state, at least temporarily. Additional reviews are needed before the state officially stores the nuclear waste permanently.
Planning Utopia
Jeff Speck and Andrés Duany talk about why they wrote their new book The Smart Growth Manual, and why 'planners aren’t going to like it.'
FEATURE
Cultural Competency: A Critical Skill Set For The 21st Century Planner
Understanding the needs of ethnic minorities is critical for contemporary working planners, says Leonardo Vasquez, AICP/PP.
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
Tyler Technologies
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
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