The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Fixing Potholes with a Flick of a Joystick
A newly-designed truck known as the "Pothole Killer" can fix a pothole with the flick of a wrist (VIDEO).
Light Rail Extension in L.A. Moves Ahead, But Controversy Remains
Expansion of Los Angeles' light rail system is moving ahead, as a new leg heads west. Though funding is secure, controversy still surrounds the route and its design.
Suburban Growth Is From Country, Not Abandoned Cities
Wendell Cox argues that the growth of the suburbs is not attributable to flight from cities, but to residents of small towns and the countryside moving to denser living.
Honolulu Light Rail Plans 'Raising' Concerns
Concerns over views and infrastructure blight have some in Honolulu opposing the city's plans to build its planned light rail with portions of elevated track.
Vertical Farming Innovator Discusses the Future of Food
<em>Miller-McCune</em> talks with vertical farming innovator Dickson Despommier about why his idea is the future of food for cities and how it can go from blueprint to reality.
Regulations, But Growing Demand for Taco Trucks
Taco trucks are coming under fire in a lot of cities, as officials try to figure out how to handle the nomadic restaurants. As the Hispanic population grows, so does the popularity of the trucks.
Goodbye Broad Ways, Hello Streetscaping
New York City has released a new manual for street designs, representing over two years of work from the Department of Transportation.
Will it be a Small World After All?
In his new book 'Why Your World is About to Get a Whole Lot Smaller' economist Jeff Rubin describes how 'peak oil' will reverse globalization, revitalize cities and reinvigorate Canada's manufacturing base.
Combining Infrastructures
A team of French designers are the winners of Metropolis’s 2009 Next Generation competition with their design for a combined electrical-transmission tower and landfill.
Peak Water: Tapping Out the Ogallala Aquifer
This piece from <em>Scientific American</em> looks at the jurisdictional challenge of conserving water in the cross-state Ogallala Aquifer, one of the world's largest sources of freshwater and the backbone of the nation's farm economy.
Why Are Cities Growing?
With globalization meaning goods can be shipped cheaply anywhere, and the internet means you can work anywhere, why are cities growing like crazy? Prof. Edward L. Glaeser of Harvard says that proximity breeds innovation.
George Will Slams LaHood
George Will, fresh from denouncing denim as 'the infantile uniform of a nation', is disturbed to find that Ray LaHood has bought the Obama administration's beliefs in regards to mass transit, bicycling, and 'transformation'.
Ignoring Cars in Toronto
The City of Toronto prioritizes pedestrians, cyclists and transit over cars. Some in the city are concerned that the city is ignoring a car congestion problem that is only growing.
White Roofs Can Be Wrong Roofs
White roofs have gained cachet as a solution to the urban heat island effect. But in places where there are more cold days than hot, a white roof that reflects warming sunlight might not make the best sense, according to this piece.
BLOG POST
When Spillover Parking Isn't So Bad
<p class="MsoNormal"> One justification for municipal minimum parking requirements is the danger of “spillover parking”: the fear that if Big Brother does not force businesses to build huge parking lots, that business’s customers will “spill over” into neighboring businesses or residential neighborhoods, thus reducing the parking available to the latter group.<span> </span>For example, if Wal-Mart doesn’t build a thousand parking spaces, maybe Wal-Mart’s customers will park at Mom’n’Pop Groceries down the street, thus reducing the parking available to Mom’n’Pop customers. </p>
From Cheap Cars to Cheap Housing
The Indian discount automaker Tata is now venturing into home production, building 1,000 apartments near Mumbai with prices starting at $7,800.
Finding the Hidden Logic of a Place
Metropolis Magazine interviews David Gibson about his new book, <em>The Wayfinding Handbook: Information Design for Public Places.</em>
Retailers Fled? Think Local, Experts Say
Real estate brokers are looking towards local and atypical businesses to fill empty retail space left behind by shrinking and bankrupt national chains like Starbucks and CompUSA.
Melting Glaciers Cause Land to Rise in Alaska
Sea levels are declining near Juneau, Alaska, as a result of melting glaciers. Though it may seem a good sign in the face of climate change, the expanding earth is causing some major environmental concerns.
A Community Vision for Boise
Residents in the greater Boise area are teaming up for a community visioning process they hope will help guide future physical and economic development in the region. It's been tried before, but organizers argue this time will be different.
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
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.
