The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Downtown Dallas Has 'Turned a Corner'
A new interest in urbanism and public transit is attracting businesses to downtown. One proponent says, 'I can't remember a time since the early 1980s that we had a bigger year for downtown Dallas.'
Can Winnipeg Become a Real City?
Its present form taken only 36 years ago with the amalgamation of 12 municipalities, Winnipeg has still to evolve an "urban culture", argues Nick Ternette.
Landmark Smart Growth Bill Close to Passing in CA
CA's landmark smart growth bill, SB 375, is close to passing. It aims to reduce global warming by requiring regions to devise "sustainable community strategies".
Controversial Plan To Tackle Bike 'Bumping' On Trains
Should a packed commuter train remove seats to make room for cyclists or charge to bring bikes on board during peak hours? The Caltrain line between San Francisco and Silicon Valley, the first to accommodate cyclists, is wrestling with this issue.
Five Cities Fighting Abandonment
This article from <em>Developer</em> looks at five cities that are dealing creatively with their foreclosure and abandonment problems.
States Need to Focus to Tackle Poverty
In an effort to tackle poverty, 15 states have set up commissions to explore the issues. Neal Peirce says they need to focus foremost on getting more money into the hands of the impoverished and reducing the burden of taxes on them.
Ambitious Civic Project Planned by Terrorist's Brother
Osama bin Laden's brother has announced plans to build the world's longest suspension bridge, connecting Africa and Arabia, and building two state-of-the-art cities at each end -- a project that is expected to cost upwards of $200 billion.
Friday Funny: Mayor Urges Ugly Women to Move to Town
Facing what he sees as an extreme gender imbalance, the mayor of an Australian town has urged ugly women to move into town, assuring them they'll be able to find a man.
Mayor Shuts Down Little Girls' Produce Stand
Katie and Sabrina Lewis of Clayton, CA have inadvertently gotten tied up in a political mess of zoning and commercial uses by selling produce from their family garden at a stand in front of their house.
Windmills for NYC?
In order to reduce New York City's dependence on natural gas, Mayor Bloomberg is proposing an offshore wind farm and skyscraper-mounted turbines.
Eminent Domain: People Don't Like It
Monmouth County residents give their opinion on eminent domain, illustrating the growing concern and awareness of the general public of this tool.
The New Face of The Mile-High City
Denver is in the spotlight as the Democrats roll into town, and while there might not be enough limousines for the crowds (see link below), Denver is looking good with lots of new investments in transit and real estate.
From Mansion to Condo
According to the New York Times, more than half of recent home sales in Los Angeles are condos, as density around transit, particularly downtown, becomes de rigeur.
Don't Rebuild -- Reinvent America's Infrastructure
The deplorable state of America's infrastructure may represent a one-time opportunity: not to replace what once made sense but does no longer, but to embark on a bold program to create a more environmentally sustainable nation, writes Sara Robinson.
To Succeed, BRTs Need 'AYFs'
"Attractive young females" may be the bellwether of success on new public transit systems, according to a transit consultant who was in the Twin Cities to advise about a planned bus rapid transit line.
Fighting Bike Lanes and Emissions in San Francisco
One vocal San Francisco man has halted progress on the city's expansive bicycle master plan, claiming that the more space allotted to bicycles, the more traffic congestion -- and greenhouse gas emissions -- there will be.
Windmills Planned for New York Skyscrapers and Bridges
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has announced plans to install windmills on some of the city's skyscrapers and bridges.
Bridge Building Goes Beyond Transport
This article from the <em>BBC</em> looks at the new face of bridge development and argues that crossing rivers is no longer the main reason they're built.
Camelina: A Better Biofuel?
An overlooked native plant has a lot going for it as a biofuel, and wouldn't take away from food production.
Downtown Plaza Recovers from the 70s
New London, Connecticut, like many victims of the 1970s, was saddled with a harsh, ineffective public plaza at the heart of its downtown. Planners are working to return the plaza to its historic form.
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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.
