The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Employer-Based Trip Reduction Rule Adopted By California Air District
Air pollution rules recently passed in California seek to change the way workers get to their jobs. While solo commuters won't be forced out of their cars, businesses must choose from a selection of strategies aimed to do just that.
Denver Nudging Locals Towards Electric Cars
This piece from <em>Grist</em> looks at electric-vehicle infrastructure in Denver, which may be a model for other cities looking to encourage the purchase and use of electric vehicles.
Mapping Municipal Discrimination
GIS maps are being used to identify where communities need services -- and whether some communities are victims of municipal discrimination.
North Carolina Requests $5 Billion for High Speed Rail
North Carolina is throwing its hat into the high-speed rail funding ring, requesting $5 billion of the $8 billion in stimulus funds the federal government has pledged to high-speed rail projects. Environmental reviews are almost complete.
Ridership Rising on Canada Line
The new Canada Line rail service that links downtown Vancouver to the airport has seen steadily increasing ridership since its opening in August.
Fighting Drought in California
Three years into a statewide drought, California officials have taken drastic steps to reduce water use in cities and farms. <em>60 Minutes</em> looks at the drought and efforts to combat the water shortage.
Biggest Infrastructure News of the Decade
In the first of two installments, <em>The Infrastructurist</em> counts down the top ten infrastructure stories from the past decade.
Architect Tops List of Hardest-Hit Jobs
Architects and carpenters are among this list of the nine jobs hit hardest by the recession in 2009.
Metro Portland's Internal Growth Dilemma
The three counties in the Portland Metropolitan area are at odds about what parts of the region should and should not be protected by urban growth boundaries.
Closed Auto Dealerships Find New Life
Closed car dealerships across the country are finding new life as yoga studios, classrooms, and day care centers.
The Economic Stimulus of Immigration Reform
Some say the nation's illegal immigrants are a missed opportunity that could help hurting regions to recover.
Air Quality Rules May Hinder Densification
New air quality guidelines aimed at reducing the carbon footprint of new housing developments may turn out to hinder the approval of dense projects in California.
A Glut Of Oil Refinery Capacity
Americans are driving less. Moreover, alternative fuels, be they electricity or biofuels, will become more common while efficiency of conventional vehicles increases. This article looks at the effect of the VMT reduction, et.al. on oil refineries.
Treasure Island A Future Atlantis?
The City of San Francisco recently inked a deal to purchase the man-made Treasure Island sitting in its bay. But some wonder if an island threatened by rising sea levels was really such a smart buy.
Four Years Later, 664 Miles of Rail in China
A new high speed rail line has just opened in China, making a 664-mile connection between the cities of Guangzhou and Wuhan. The new line was constructed in four years.
Digital Billboards Leaking Light Into Homes
The glow of digital billboards around Los Angeles is irritating residents, and after a recent court ruling putting a moratorium on new ones, locals are pressuring the city council to remove existing billboards as well.
FEATURE
Creating Car-Reduced and Car-Free Pedestrian Habitats
It will take a long time for the US to embrace pedestrians, bicycling, and electric carts as substitutes for cars in our communities. And yet an inevitable change is coming that will significantly increase environmental quality, and restore real community and economic viability. Changing legislation, master planning, and the development of car-reduced and car-free communities will move us forward, writes Greg Ramsey.
As Timber Prices Fall, Development Looms
Timber land across the Pacific Northwest is changing ownership from timber companies to land trusts. And with timber prices flatlining, development looks more and more enticing.
Last Census Estimate For Decade Shows Major Migration Slowdown
The Census Bureau released its last estimates before the official 2010 count begins. They have a bearing on the Congressional reapportionment - good news for Texas, while 'less bad than expected' for the Northeast and Midwest, thanks to a recession.
Disconnected from Society? Gated Communities: Their Lifestyle versus Urban Governance
Peer Smets (VU University Amsterdam) investigates the socio-cultural impacts of specific patterns of urban segregation (gated communities) on local urban politics and urban governance.
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
