The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
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.
Bikers vs. Environmentalists
Planners in Montgomery County, MD are nixing a proposed bike path because of its nearness to 'ecologically sensitive parkland'. Bicycle proponents think this argument doesn't hold water. Says one,'they're already running a big highway through there.'
Canada's Missing Historic Preservation Program
Despite a large amount of historic amenities, Canada has no countrywide programs for preserving the nation's built heritage. Many say one is long overdue.
Congressperson Asks Americans To Drive Slower
One of Congress' newest members sees it fitting that Americans should drive slower to save fuel - an appropriate sacrifice for a war she sees partly waged for oil. Her first bill, HR 6458, lowers speed limits to 60/65 mph (urban/rural areas).
Cleaning Up Denver With Haircuts
In an effort to help clean up the city when the Democratic National Convention comes to town, a local salon in Denver has offered free haircuts to the city's homeless.
Group Says Public Drinking Ban Violates Public Space
Calling it a violation of public spaces, a new report from a civil liberties group in the UK has criticized the banning of public drinking in more than 600 places in England and Wales.
Huge Solar Power Plants Proposed in California
Solar power will get a big boost from two facilities planned for California, which will together be capable of generating 800 megawatts of power.
Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission
City of Mt Shasta
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)
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.
