The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Much-Needed Water in Nevada is Radioactive
Over forty years, the federal government exploded almost a thousand nuclear warheads under the Nevada desert. Radiation leeched into the aquifers, in a region with a growing population and a water crisis.
Mapping the Hard to Count
Undercounting is likely one of the biggest challenges facing the U.S. Census Bureau as it prepares to run its decennial census in April. Certain parts of the country will prove problematic when it comes time to count.
Will Retail Come Back in 2010?
Experts believe that financing for retail projects may begin flowing early next year, but are concerned that the pool of recipients may be limited, and projects may be conventional.
London Mayor Versus Aggressive Cyclists
London Mayor Boris Johnson, an avid cyclist himself, is calling on local law enforcement to crack down on the city's aggressive cyclists who he says are making it less safe to bike.
New London, Four Years After Kelo
The 2005 Supreme Court decision on Kelo v. New London was a landmark in eminent domain law, paving the way for Pfizer to develop there. Four years later, Pfizer is pulling up stakes.
Sweden Goes YIMBY
In Stockholm, Sweden, a new group calling themselves YIMBY 'Yes in My Backyard' is promoting a vision of a dense, dynamic city.
Blakely Blasts New Orleans Recovery Process
A video interview with Ed Blakely, former New Orleans recovery czar, reveals some tensions with the city, its officials, and its people that hindered the recovery process.
Time Shares Go Urban
Urban time shares get a boost as Hilton gets in on the action. A new NYC property is gaining attention and, surprisingly enough, selling units.
Highways Devastating the Amazon
The greatest threat to Brazil's Amazon Rain Forest is not just farming or logging, but the road construction that makes both possible, writes Stephanie Brault.
BLOG POST
The Future of American High Speed Rail: Regional and Slow
<p> During his dramatic presentation <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/09/04/16/a-vision-for-high-speed-rail/">last April</a>, President Barack Obama laid out a bold vision for high speed rail in America. Wielding a stylish red, white, and blue map (below) he presented the proposed corridors for new high speed trains. (Similar, if not identical, to plans long sitting on the shelf at the Federal Railway Administration.) He asked Americans to "Imagine whisking through towns at speeds over 100 miles an hour, walking only a few steps to public transportation, and ending up just blocks from your destination." In reality limited funds, our dysfunctional planning processes, and the historical lack of investment in rail will mean the U.S. will most likely end up with a diverse collection of regional rail systems that may not go that fast.
Capitol Hill: Safety Not Quite First
On the heels of the fatal bridge collapse in Minnesota, last year, lawmakers allotted just 11 percent of transportation spending to bridge repair.
Man-Made Mountain Proposed in Berlin
An architect in Berlin has proposed replacing the city's now-unused Tempelhof airport with a giant man-made mountain, dubbed The Berg.
Taxing Oil Futures to Fund Transportation? Not So Fast, Says Wall Street
Rep. Pete DeFazio's plan to close the nation's transportation funding gap with a tax on oil futures is meeting fierce opposition.
Green Jobs Outlook Not So Rosy
The New England Economic partnership warns that Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick's optimism about green jobs may be unrealistic.
FHA Feeling the Pinch
The Federal Housing Administration said today that its reserves are dwindling because of risky loans they insured and the drop in home prices.
HSR Can't Come Fast Enough
Many in Sacramento and California's Central Valley are concerned that they aren't being prioritized in the process to get high-speed rail moving.
Lucrative Congestion-Priced Parking Applied in SF
Parking by the Giants Stadium costs $1 less an hour than before the pilot program began, but on 'game days', the rate shoots up four-fold. Parking rates are not set daily but hourly by time of day, and have become quite profitable.
Bloomberg's Coney Island Dream
NYC has purchased 7 acres of Coney Island from a developer, with the hopes of breathing new life into the People's Playground.
Walkable Las Vegas?
Developers and locals in Las Vegas are pinning hopes onto the new CityCenter development to bring walkability to the desert city.
BLOG POST
Prisoners of The Village
<p> You don't know how you get there, but you're there. And you can't leave. You're a prisoner among hundreds of other prisoners, but you're the only one who knows it. Or at least you think you know it. Are you really still a prisoner if you forget you're being held against your will? Existentialism aside, what if it's your environment that's taking away your sense of individualism? <br /> <br />
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
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.
