The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Around Puget Sound, the spreading suburban fringe is changing the types of birds that live in those areas, pushing some out and attracting others. 'It's a change in who's top,' says a local biologist.

December 9 - The Seattle Times

The MTA rescue plan, with its new East & Harlem River bridge tolls and first-ever, 12-county transit payroll tax cleared a major political hurdle by winning the crucial support of NY Gov' Paterson. Winning support from mayor, outer boroughs remains.

December 9 - The New York Times

President-elect Barack Obama has announced a promise to institute a broad-ranging package of building programs, from infrastructure to schools -- the nation's largest public works program since the post-war era.

December 9 - The New York Times

How should cities incentivize developers in a down market? And should they? William Fulton reflects on the price cities will pay to get new buildings, and if it is worth it.

December 9 - Governing Magazine

Despite falling gas prices, transit ridership is still up. The amount of Vehicle Miles Traveled is also down for the 11th month in a row.

December 9 - The Washington Post

Lego released a number of new sets in 2008 that look surprisingly New Urbanist in design, including the 'Green Grocer' set, which is mixed-use with a grocery store on the ground floor and detailed streetscaping.

December 9 - Brick Journal

Landscape architect Paula Meijerink is calling on designers to rethink asphalt, and she's taking her efforts to the streets.

December 8 - The Boston Globe

Neal Peirce takes a hopeful look at President-elect Barack Obama's willingness to invest in infrastructure.

December 8 - Citiwire

The Los Angeles and Long Beach Ports’ new Clean Trucks program is the object of a legal battle pitting Teamsters, environmental and public health groups, the NAACP, and community groups demanding clean air against trucking companies and shippers.

December 8 - Los Angeles Times

With the demand for consumer goods falling, the demand for recyclable materials to manufacture them is falling too. Trash is piling up across the country, and cities are canceling their recycling programs.

December 8 - The New York Times

Buildings and public spaces were the focus of recent terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India. This op-ed wonders how the building and design professions should respond.

December 8 - Buildings

<em>National Journal Magazine</em> has asked it's team of political insiders/bloggers to give their thoughts on how the next federal transportation bill should be written.

December 8 - National Journal

The governors of the United States want transportation money, and they want it now. But the federal government should be careful about doling out billions in funding, according to Sam Staley and Adrian Moore.

December 8 - Reason

A proposal to run a light rail subway through central San Francisco passed environmental scrutiny at the federal level, green lighting the project to move forward. Now all the $1.3 billion project needs is some federal funding.

December 8 - San Francisco Chronicle

Architect David Cook looks at the sustainability craze in building and architecture and warns that calling something "green" doesn't necessarily make it so.

December 8 - Flavorwire

CNN argues that the best cities to find a job right now aren't the usual suspects. Using low unemployment rates as their guide, the network points to Bismark, ND, Casper, WY, and Logan, UT as jobhunting meccas.

December 8 - CNN

FEATURE

December 8 - Jeffrey Wood

The Washington Post reviews <em>Le Corbusier: A Life,</em> a new biography by Nicholas Fox Weber, and finds it a messy book that nonetheless makes clear his "monomaniacal, narcissistic and pugilistic temperament."

December 7 - Washington Post

BLOG POST

When President-elect Barack Obama is inaugurated on January 20, the city of Washington D.C. is likely to be the most lively, exciting and vibrant city in the world. Millions will be there. Hotels for miles around are booked full, couches across the city will be crashed upon, and many in the city are expecting the party to last for days. City officials are doing what they can to make sure the party does indeed happen.<br />

December 7 - Nate Berg

Major redevelopment projects are changing the face of Columbus, Ohio's waterfront.

December 7 - The New York Times