The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

The rise of smart mobile technology is increasing the demand for digital interactivity in public spaces. Marketers and artists are obliging.

September 5 - Advertising Age

English Prime Minister Gordon Brown is confident that the 2012 Summer Olympics will bring a big economic benefit to London. But with costs rising beyond expectations, some are skeptical of the PM's prediction.

September 5 - Reuters

2010 will bring with it a series of huge international events -- the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, the World Cup in South Africa and the World Expo in Shanghai. Though seen as major opportunities for their hosts, these events can also be dangerous.

September 5 - Next American City

Dan Phillips' company Phoenix Commotion builds homes from discarded materials for low-income individuals in Huntsville, Alabama.

September 5 - The New York Times

As environmental conditions erode sand along the tourist-heavy beaches in Cancun, some hotel owners are taking drastic -- and illegal -- measures to rebuild their beaches.

September 5 - The New York Times

The Honolulu City Council is considering a bill that will make it illegal to bring "odors that unreasonably disturb others" onto the bus.

September 4 - Honolulu Advertiser

A new 50,000 seat amphitheater is being planned for construction in Tel Aviv's new urban park, which was built on top of a garbage dump.

September 4 - Haaretz

Speaking to members of the Brookings Institution, Vice President Joe Biden acknowledged that there have been problems with implementing the stimulus package funds at the local level.

September 4 - Streetsblog

Chris Carlsson at Streetsblog looks back at how people have used San Francisco's public space, from the hippie uprising of the 1960s to streetclosures and farmer's markets today.

September 4 - Streetsblog SF

The question of whether graffiti is art or vandalism is facing a vote in Bristol, U.K., the hometown of famed graffiti artist Banksy.

September 4 - City Mayors

A California judge rules that the California High Speed Rail Authority's environmental impact report was inadequate. Plaintiffs celebrate ruling as a victory, but the Authority doesn't see it as a setback.

September 4 - Streetsblog Los Angeles

A new street greening project in North Portland that seeks to reduce stormwater runoff is fueling a debate between the area's young, eco-conscious businesses owners and older owners who are worried about interruption from the project.

September 4 - The Oregonian

New world cities are emerging, and the "first truly urban century" will be shaped by the way increasing wealth is handled in places like Mumbai, Bangalore, Shanghai, Beijing, Sao Paulo and Dubai.

September 4 - Forbes

Atlanta's Beltline project is one of the most ambitious transportation plans the city has seen in decades, but the downturn in the economy could wreak havoc on its progress.

September 4 - The Signal

Water saver or environmental hazard? Questions are compounding about artificial turf as more homeowners ditch their grass for fake lawns. Contradicting city policies muddy the issue in the arid Southwest.

September 4 - Miller-McCune

Policies that encourage density as a way to reduce carbon emissions won't be able to play a significant role in reducing carbon emissions in time to counteract global warming, according to a new report from the National Academy of Sciences.

September 3 - Technology Review

Consumer preference surveys indicate that total U.S. demand for large-lot, exurban housing will not increase, while demand for small-lot and attached housing in accessible, multi-modal locations will double during the next two decades.

September 3 - Victoria Transport Policy Institute

A new documentary tracks the meltdown of Wall Street and its impact on housing throughout the country. <em>The New York Times</em> offers this review.

September 3 - The New York Times

Alex Marshall points out the fallacy of creating transportation policy based solely on figures like miles traveled per hour, average commuting times, and cost per passenger. Quality of the time spent commuting is rarely taken into account.

September 3 - Governing Magazine

Director of the White House Office of Urban Affairs Adolfo Carrion, Jr. visited Kansas City on Tuesday to visit the site of the city's new "Green Impact Zone". The inner-city Zone will be a laboratory for energy-saving techniques.

September 3 - Kansas City Star