The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Inside L.A.'s High-Tech Traffic Control System

<em>Streetfilms</em> goes behind the scenes at Los Angeles' Automated Traffic Surveillance and Control office, which monitors and actively controls L.A.'s signalized intersections.

April 21 - Streetsblog

The Urban Impact of Bicyclists

As urban cycling increases, cities like Seattle are finding that they need to change the way they think about users of the road.

April 21 - The Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Buildings Going Green, On Top At Least

This piece from <em>National Geographic</em> looks at how green roofs are sweeping across the tops of buildings all over the world.

April 21 - National Geographic

Transportation and Housing Linking Up at Federal Level

The silos are breaking down in the federal government as the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Transportation are embarking on a shared plan to increase interdepartmental collaboration.

April 21 - Citiwire

Nude Dude Ranch Forgets to Get Permits

Lotto winner Tim Clements followed his dream of opening a clothing-optional dude ranch in Brookings, Florida. One problem: he forgot to get any permits.

April 20 - St. Petersburg Times


The New Survivalist Utopians

Locals in Sandpoint, Idaho are banding together to join the Transition movement, which started in the U.K. and is geared towards creating new, ecologically-planned communities to survive peak oil and climate change.

April 20 - The New York Times

Small Airports Becoming No-Fly Zones

Until recently, small regional airports were seen as the wave of the future. But the ailing economy and a variety of other factors are hitting the industry hard, causing closures across the country.

April 20 - Governing Magazine


Amenities Key to Walking, Fitness

People who live within walking distance of amenities like stores, transit stops, and parks are twice as likely to be fit as those who don't, according to a new study conducted by researchers at San Diego State University.

April 20 - Gant Daily

Peak Oil Supply Or Peak Oil Consumption?

'Peak oil' refers to a belief that growing oil demand will outstrip finite oil supplies. Peak U.S. oil consumption is premised on the belief that 2007 marked the peak, population increase notwithstanding, due to efficiency, biofuels and batteries.

April 20 - The Wall Street Journal

Small Casino Town Preparing For Big Leagues

With new rules that are going to push it closer to Las Vegas-style gambling, the small Colorado casino town of Blackhawk is getting ready to handle the new crowds as it becomes more of a draw.

April 20 - The New York Times

New York's Unprecedented Park

Preconceptions and lofty goals surround New York's soon-to-open High Line park. But the unprecedented inner city rail line conversion leaves much up in the air, according to this piece from <em>The Architect's Newspaper</em>.

April 20 - The Architect's Newspaper

A Monorail for the Senate?

No, it's not some stimulus package boondoggle- it turns out there truly was an underground monorail carrying public servants from the Senate Office Building to the Capitol Building. It opened in 1912 and lasted until 1961.

April 20 - Paleo-Future

From Condo to Affordable Housing

Officials in New York are pushing a plan to reuse foreclosed or abandoned condo projects as affordable housing.

April 20 - City Hall News

BLOG POST

Streets Are For People, Not (Just) Cars

 At a company presentation about environmental impact the other week a colleague included a historic photograph of Scollay Square in Boston.  You are pardoned if, even after visiting or living in that city, this doesn’t sound familiar because all prominent characteristics of the area were summarily obliterated in the mid-twentieth century to make way for a potpourri of brutalist-style administrative buildings and renamed Government Center.  Urban redevelopment arguments aside, the photograph reveals a particularly interesting detail about the function and use of streets virtually erased from our minds over the last century.  <p> <img src="/files/u20603/Scollay.jpg" width="432" height="336" align="bottom" name="graphics1" />  </p>

April 20 - Ian Sacs

Why Did Burnham's Chicago Plan Work?

A thoughtful look at what made Daniel Burnham's plan for the City of Chicago so successful.

April 20 - Urbanophile

If you are sure to lose your weight, apply Yoga Health Guide Secrets.

This shows you why an elliptical trainer workout and treadmill weight loss can be the best ways to burn body fat to shed unwanted pounds.

April 20 - weight loss program

U.S. Shuns World's Fair-like Expositions

A 1999 law forbids the State Department from funding pavilions at international expositions. Fred Bernstein argues that the law is misguided, and should be changed before the next year's World's Fair in Shanghai.

April 19 - The Architect's Newspaper

The Smell of the City

Among the installations at the Ecological Urbanism exhibit at Harvard's Graduate School of Design is a collection of smells from 200 Mexico City neighborhoods.

April 19 - The Boston Globe

Turning Luxury Condos Into Affordable Housing

Housing advocates and policymakers in Brooklyn are working with developers to take half-finished luxury condos (stalled out by the economic crisis) and transform them into affordable housing.

April 19 - City Hall

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An annual review of books related to planning.

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A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.

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.