The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Capital may be tough to find these days, but the developers of a major downtown mixed-use project in Boston's Downtown Crossing district have received financing.

October 3 - Boston Globe

Going beyond traditional approaches to public art, Washington's transit authority has launched a program that provides the city with art that expresses Seattle's "core identity."

October 3 - Seattle Post-Intelligencer

The University of Notre Dame at Indiana is projecting a savings of $100k in heating and cooling by putting its computer servers into their cactus conservatory, in a technique known as 'waste heat recovery.'

October 3 - WorldChanging

Whether through community gardening or high-tech "vertical farms" interest is growing in urban agriculture.

October 3 - AlterNet

The Senate has passed a bill that will allocate $2.5 billion for Amtrak annually, with money going to operation, repairs, and new safety measures.

October 2 - The Wall Street Journal

Two years after the program's authorization, 500 cottages intended for residents displaces after Katrina have still not been built. Meanwhile, they have cropped up in Mississippi, which faced less damage overall.

October 2 - The Times-Picayune

Greenhouse gas emissions in Fairbanks, Alaska are significantly higher than the national average, according to one report.

October 2 - Anchorage Daily News

The implementation of WiMAX technology has been touted as the bridge to the digital divide. And while some less developed countries have taken advantage of its cost-effectiveness, U.S. companies seem more interested in the bottom line.

October 2 - Next American City

Midway Airport may become the first U.S. airport to be privatized if the 99-year lease for $2.52 billion is approved by the City Council and F.A.A., following in the footsteps of privatizing the Chicago Skyway toll road in 2005.

October 2 - The New York Times

Midtown New York is some of the densest property in the U.S., but in between the skyscrapers you can find a number of small, hidden oases from the busy streets.

October 2 - The New York Times

As their numbers increase, students from homeless families face a slew of new challenges to their education. Some families, this article reports, don’t even know that they still have a right to an education after losing their home.

October 2 - NPR

Colorado Department of Transportation has launched a pilot program that uses technology that detects wildlife in order to help drivers avoid hitting them.

October 2 - Chicago Tribune

For the fourth time, the unincorporated area of East Los Angeles is making efforts to become a city. This article examines its colorful history and what East L.A. hopes to accomplish in gaining cityhood.

October 2 - Newsweek

According to one study, cities are often wrongly blamed for 75 to 80% of greenhouse gas emissions; the figure is closer to 40%.

October 2 - Terra Daily

FEATURE

Cars dominate cities, especially in America. But as many cities in other countries have found, removing cars can turn busy streets into lively public places. Now the U.S. is starting to catch on.

October 2 - Nate Berg

The credit crisis has caused soaring interest rates on municipal bonds, causing cities to look for other ways to fund projects. Nevertheless, numerous projects have been put on hold or face cancellation.

October 1 - The New York Times

Yesterday, Gov. Schwarzenegger signed SB 375, California's anti-sprawl bill. Bill Fulton explains that it is both stronger and weaker than advertised.

October 1 - California Planning & Development Report

BLOG POST

<p class="MsoNormal">What do planners do? Last month I highlighted the findingsof several surveys of planners aiming to identify core skills for theworkplace. They highlight the importance of skills in communication,information analysis and synthesis, political savvy, and basic workplacecompetencies and attitudes. In all these surveys, however, the ability to writewell is at or near the top. </p>

October 1 - Ann Forsyth

Norway's carbon emissions have increased 15% since imposing a carbon tax in 1991, unlike neighbor's Sweden and Denmark where emissions decreased with their carbon taxes. Unlike the oil industry which became carbon-lean, Norway's drivers didn't change

October 1 - The Wall Street Journal

A small businessman on Martha's Vineyard is attempting to build affordable housing for his workers on the island, but neighbors aren't pleased. 'I don't want to feel like I'm in the city,' says one.

October 1 - Boston Globe