The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Is MSP really "Greater"? A brief look at the Human Ecology of Minnesota's Twin Cities reveals tremendous upside along with numerous challenges

January 14 - Thriving Cities Blog

A case is made that Gov. Rick Snyder's handling of the lead-tainted water in Flint, Michigan is analogous to former President George W. Bush's bungling of the crisis resulting after Hurricane Katrina touched-down on the Gulf coast in August 2005.

January 14 - MSNBC

The real estate market has been transformed in cites that added bus rapid transit in the past decade, according to a new study presented this week at the Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting.

January 14 - Streetsblog USA

Can the tiny house fetish evolve to address real sustainability and affordable housing challenges? Ben Brown says yes.

January 14 - PlaceShakers

FEATURE

Pennsylvania finds proof that Passive House standards can be built at affordable housing prices, after the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency incorporated Passive House benchmarks into its Low Income Housing Tax Credit application.

January 13 - David Salamon

BLOG POST

The suburbs most likely to prosper are those with wealth and/or walkability.

January 13 - Michael Lewyn

The awarding of the Pritzker Prize to the 48-year-old Alejandro Aravena sends a strong signal about the architecture world's focus on social responsibility.

January 13 - Curbed

There might not be a drawing board to go back to after an agreement that would have removed four dams along the Klamath River died in Congress.

January 13 - Los Angeles Times

Proposed zoning changes would allow residents to build "as-of-right" in Staten Island's "natural" districts.

January 13 - silive.com

The D.C. Zoning Commission will be the first to consider staff recommendations for adjustments to District's inclusionary zoning policy.

January 13 - Greater Greater Washington

A new study presented at the Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting builds a strong case that parking causes driving.

January 13 - CityLab

Citing the drastically reduced costs of a bus line, the city of Providence is hoping to replace its proposed streetcar line with the Providence Enhanced Bus Circulator. The new proposal requires federal funding to display a similar flexibility.

January 13 - Providence Journal

Zipcar is a newcomer in Tampa Bay, but the efforts to expand its business in the next few years will provide a case study in how less dense cities can expand alternative transportation options.

January 13 - Tampa Bay Times

Internet access and digital skills unlock the Internet of Things (IoT). Applications such as telecommuting, virtual meetings, app-enabled public transport, smart cars, and smart logistics can curb emissions and create sustainable growth.

January 13 - Cities of the Future

BLOG POST

Water has been an integral part of the designed landscape for centuries, but is it time to reevaluate its relevance?

January 12 - Mark Hough

Though the governor's office remains staunchly opposed to new taxes, the Wisconsin State Legislature is searching for politically viable ways to fund transportation infrastructure improvements at the local level.

January 12 - Urban Milwaukee

The practice of self-bonding, or allowing coal companies a "pass" on setting aside funding for mine clean up, is coming back to haunt some states as the coal industry struggles.

January 12 - Wyoming Public Radio

Michigan's mandatory motorcycle helmet law was repealed in April 2012. It only took a week for Dr. Carlos Rodriguez to notice an increase in patients not wearing a motorcycle helmet in his trauma unit in Grand Rapids, so he launched a study.

January 12 - Huffpost Healthy Living

Some residents of Tuscaloosa, Alabama believe the University of Alabama football team's success on the field has directly contributed to the region's growth.

January 12 - Forbes

A bike advocate tells the story of the how the state department of transportation convinced local officials to remove a popular bike lane in Portland.

January 12 - Bike Portland