The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

<p>The safety benefits of modern roundabouts are beyond question, according to both New York State DOT and FHWA, so why is it so hard to convince a skeptical public? N.Y officials are undeterred as they pursue their 'modern' roundabout program.</p>

January 29 - Associated Press via San Francisco Chronicle

<p>Due to various economic conditions, the costs of infrastructure projects nationwide have spiked.</p>

January 29 - The New York Times

<p>Toll hikes are on the horizon in many states. This article outlines some of the new rates affecting drivers.</p>

January 29 - USA Today

<p>On-board shoving and online ranting point to increasing narcissism and incivility in the public realm.</p>

January 29 - The Guardian

<p>Crossroads, a 125-bed homeless facility, incorporates green building concepts to better serve its clients. Many homeless people have respiratory-related health problems and a green building will be healthier for them.</p>

January 29 - The New York Times

<p>After the federal government pulled its recommendation for funding a rail extension that would connect the Washington D.C.-area to Dulles International Airport, private investors are looking to get in the ring and save the plan.</p>

January 28 - The Washington Post

<p>City officials in Los Angeles are planning to announce a proposal to revitalize the city's historic theater district in downtown's Broadway corridor, likely replacing the working class retail that has occupied the area for years.</p>

January 28 - The Los Angeles Times

<p>This video from <em>Streetfilms</em> shows and explains the workings of Bogota, Colombia's bus rapid transit system -- one of the world's most highly regarded systems.</p>

January 28 - Streetsblog

<p>Troubled by allegations of fraud by a former CEO, and weighted down by trillions of dollars in possibly worthless mortgage-backed securities, Fannie Mae may also be the victim of a federal agenda of privatization, writes Scott Thill.</p>

January 28 - AlterNet

<p>Many rural prisons have become a mainstay for the economies of the small communities where they are located, and closing them can prove devastating to the local economy, creating long-term problems far beyond the loss of prison jobs.</p>

January 28 - The New York Times

<p>San Francisco's Sixth Street has been decidedly run-down for years. But redevelopment efforts -- including the likely seizure of a vacant and historic hotel building -- may be changing the face of the street for the better.</p>

January 28 - The San Francisco Chronicle

<p>Members of the Dena'ina Athabascan tribe, completely surrounded by metropolitan Anchorage, struggle to preserve their language and culture.</p>

January 28 - The Christian Science Monitor

<p>A private developer has proposed the world's longest highway tunnel, running more than 16 miles under the Long Island Sound in New York.</p>

January 28 - Associated Press

<p>Housing is a hot commodity in New Orleans, but many homes still sit vacant. Getting people into these vacant homes is proving to be a major challenge for the city.</p>

January 28 - The New York Times

<p>Despite County and municipal comprehensive plans that advocate for higher density new development in targeted growth areas, neighbors have strongly opposed the creation of a zoning amendment that would allow a development of 3,000 homes on 300 acres.</p>

January 28 - Lancaster (PA) Sunday News

BLOG POST

As technology becomes more an integral part of planning and public outreach around planning, the need for a “creative touch” becomes increasingly important. While technology can increase the quality and quantity of public input, it can also diminish the quality of human interaction and creativeness. As we look for technologies that engage citizens, we also need to find ways to utilize art materials, maps and other visuals, and encourage storytelling.<br />

January 27 - Ken Snyder

<p>Momentum is growing for 24 hour transit in Edmonton, Alberta - an idea backed by students, business officials, and the Transit Riders' Union of Edmonton. City officials say it's inevitable, but is at least a couple years away.</p>

January 27 - The Edmonton Sun

<p>In this piece from <em>Reason</em> Samuel Staley argues that the housing crisis can't be fully blamed for the economic recession.</p>

January 27 - Reason

<p>Officials in Edmonton are considering a ban on any new drive through windows at fast food restaurants in an effort to curb emissions from idling cars.</p>

January 27 - The Edmonton Sun

<p>Quite a few Ohio suburbs are planning to resurrect their old downtowns -- or build new ones from scratch -- to create human-scaled urban focal points.</p>

January 27 - The Columbus Dispatch