The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
PA Turnpike Lease Saga Coming To A Head
The mother of all toll road leases appears to come to a head next month, and though the chances of the near $13 billion lease of the the 537-mile Pennsylvania Turnpike to Citigroup-Abertis team are most uncertain, the PA saga is worthy of study.
California High Speed Rail Proposal Heading to Ballot
Rapidly approaching a ballot deadline, CA Gov. Schwarzenegger caved in his pledge to veto any bills sent to him prior to receiving a budget by signing a bill that modernizes the 2002 high speed rail bond. Prop 1A will now appear on the Nov. ballot.
Public Sculpture is Getting Better
After an experimental phase of earthworks and video installations, public art is on the rise. And, a New York Times art critic reports, the quality is looking up.
Dramatic Dining on Broadway's New Esplanade
Cafe seating overlooking New York's Broadway traffic is popular in spite of safety concerns.
BLOG POST
Planetizen's 2008-2009 Student Bloggers
<p> A couple months ago, we posted an announcement seeking student bloggers for the 2008-2009 school year. We received a pile of great applications, but two new students stood out. Each week, they will bring you reports from their master's programs at the University of Pennsylvania and the Massachussetts Institute of Technology. </p> <p> <img src="/files/u20704/Tamika.jpg" width="179" height="183" align="left" /><img src="/files/u20704/JBArg.jpg" width="167" height="183" /> </p> <p> <em>Tamika Camille Gauvin Jeffrey Barg<br /> </em> </p>
California's New Smart Growth Law Isn't So New
Bill Fulton says that California's new smart growth and climate change law doesn't really contain any new ideas, and it's unlikely to make a huge difference in California's growth patterns all by itself.
Something New Inside Failed Big Boxes
When big boxes go under, they leave big holes. Communities across America are coming up with some creative ways to reuse the huge spaces left behind when big box retailers move out.
Last Call for Bar Cars
Chicago's Metro is closing down its rolling taverns- not for reasons of temperance, but because they need the room for the growing number of rail commuters.
The Zero-Waste Park
Eric Lombardi, a waste-management guru, has drawn up a fanciful plan for an "eco-cycle, zero waste park" which reimagines the dump as a composting, recycling, and educating facility.
Fighting Blight, Cities Become Realtors
Boston, Minneapolis and San Diego are flipping houses in an effort to prevent neighborhood blight- a strategy that appears to be working.
BLOG POST
Public-Private Partnerships at the Crossroads
<p> This year, the future of public-private partnerships is expected to receive heightened attention amid speculations that Congress may attempt to assert oversight over public-private partnerships and place conditions on private toll road concession agreements as part of next year's transportation program reauthorization. Some interest groups, notably the trucking industry and public employe labor unions, are expected to vigorously support efforts to regulate PPPs at the federal level. Meanwhile, PPP proponents believe that the case for greater private sector involvement in infrastructure funding has never been stronger. They want to see this involvement mature free of congressional oversight or federal regulatory controls.
Beijing Sees Brighter Future Than Athens
As the Olympics leave town, Beijing appears to be in a much better position to benefit from the games than previous Summer Olympic host Athens.
Urban Farms Flourish in Oakland
In industrial West Oakland, backyard farming is flourishing, with more than 80 farms sprouting up with organic produce and a local bent.
BLOG POST
Master's Planning: How to Pick an Industry That’s Growing, Not Shrinking
<p> Just after 2008 began, I realized my profession of choice was dying. </p> <p> I’d spent the previous seven years at <a href="http://www.philadelphiaweekly.com" target="_blank"><em>Philadelphia Weekly</em></a>, a fairly typical alternative newspaper: you know, magazine-style lefty bent, where-to-go-and-what-to-do listings, porn ads in the back. The usual. </p>
Retooling the Exurbs for Global Warming
Scientists at the University of Michigan are studying ways to replant exurbs in order to capture more atmosphere-warming carbon dioxide.
Redefining Poverty
New York City is changing the way poverty in the city is defined, while the Federal government is considering a bill to do the same. Planetizen Assistant Editor Nate Berg reports in The Christian Science Monitor.
Treechitecture
Civic amenities, public spaces, and even housing could one day be formed by living trees. Researchers are looking into this new idea.
Extreme Commuting: A 23-Mile Run
Gas prices are driving a select few die-hards to trade in their cars for running shoes.
Lance Armstrong is #1 in Austin
Champion cyclist Lance Armstrong tops a list of heavy water users in a city trying hard to conserve while meeting rising demand during a drought and steady or rapid population growth.
Beijing's Temporary Clean Air Policies May Stick
With some of the its cleanest air in decades, Beijing is warming up to some of the pollution-cutting regulations officials have enacted during the Olympics. Some may become permanent.
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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.
