The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
BART Wants to Revisit Recent Labor Agreement
For those who though the Bay Area's transit labor woes were settled when an agreement was signed last month: think again. BART's board of directors has ordered managers to reopen negotiations after they realized a key concession had been overlooked.
How to Turn $10 billion into $300 Billion: Create an Infrastructure Bank
It's certainly not a new idea - what's new is the current bipartisan Senate bill, cutely abbreviated as the BRIDGE Act, seeded with $10 billion of federal funds that would attract funds from the private sector to be loaned to worthy projects.
New Pinterest Headquarters Favors Flexibility Over Tradition
The social media company Pinterest has a new home, in a converted 45,000-square-foot warehouse in San Francisco.
Ten Trends Guiding the Real Estate Market
At last week's fall meeting in Chicago, experts with the Urban Land Institute peered into their crystal ball to predict the trends that will guide the recovery of the real estate market over the next year.
Attacks Shut Down American Power Grid ... In Massive War Game
Matthew L. Wald reports on the massive cyber war game called GridEx II that simulated a coordinated assault on America's power grid this week.
Toronto Bails Out its Bike Share System
Apparently Toronto's dysfunctional mayor hasn't stopped the rest of the city's government from functioning. With the city's bike share program facing insolvency, the city council voted to provide the Bixi-operated system with an infusion of cash.
Could "Impact Bonds" Target Places Rather Than People?
Localities are experimenting with social impact bonds (SIBs) to fund America's social service infrastructure. John Roman asks if such an instrument could be used to help transform blighted areas.
Batkid Saves San Francisco
Thousands of people helped transform San Francisco into Gotham City on Friday on order to fulfill a young cancer patient's wish. Miles Scott experienced a day he'll never forget and those following from afar were treated to a heartwarming story.
Friday Funny: Flex Your Way to a Free Subway Ride
As Russia prepares to welcome to world to the 2014 Winter Olympics, subway riders in Moscow are being treated to a free trip. The only caveat: You'll need to complete 30 squats to earn your ticket.
An Argument for Eliminating Traffic Lights
For far different reasons, uncontrolled intersections are proliferating in Northern Europe and Southeast Asia. But how can they be safe? Matthew Yglesias uses a video of such an intersection in Siem Reap, Cambodia to prove their functionality.
New Study Calls Into Question Chicago's Extensive Use of TIFs
Chicago is America's undisputed leader in using tax increment financing (TIF) to spur economic development. But what is the city getting in exchange for its efforts to fight blight? A new paper says: Not much.
Do London's Cyclists Deserve Blame for Spate of Recent Deaths?
Tragic collisions have claimed the lives of five London cyclists over the last nine days. Though the causes for the collisions have yet to be determined, Mayor Boris Johnson has suggested the deaths resulted from cyclists' "risky" decisions.
Record U.S. Oil Production, but How Long Will it Last?
A milestone was reached last month in oil imports: For the first time in 18 years, the U.S. produced more oil than it imported thanks to fracking and reduced consumption. But according to a new IEA report, shale oil growth will peak within a decade.
Visualizing the Earth's Vanishing Forests
A new study appearing in the journal Science details the devastating loss of 1.5 million million square kilometers of forest across the globe between 2000 and 2012 and presents a stunning visualization of the data using high-resolution maps.
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The Google Barge and the Future of Mobile Retail
The Google Barge is fascinating not for what it is but what it could herald: a future where our retail stores come to us rather than us to them.
How the Ford Fiasco Jeopardizes Toronto’s Financial Future
Taking office on a promise of fiscal responsibility, scandal-plagued mayor Rob Ford threatens Toronto’s reputation and future prosperity. Adam Giambrone shares insights from some of Toronto’s business leaders and financial experts.
New Neighborhood Sets Extraordinary Bar for Sustainability
Sure, reusing an existing building is probably the most sustainable method of construction, but a new neighborhood on Bainbridge Island, Washington sets an enviable standard for environmental responsibility in every aspect of its design.
The U.S. City with the Highest Median Rent is....
If you guessed the Big Apple, you'd be wrong. It's the City by the Bay with a median rent of $1,463; New York City had the fifth highest at $1,187. San Jose, Boston, and Washington, D.C. were ranked second, third, and fourth respectively.
Explaining Traffic Waves - the Likely Cause for Your Congested Commute
For many drivers, the only experience more aggravating than being stuck in traffic is not being able to figure out why there's a jam in the first place. An explanation of the phenomenon called "Traffic Waves" may help ease the aggravation.
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JPER’s Top Cited Articles: The Debate over Communicative Planning
JPER has existed since the early 1980s but 4 of the top 5 articles date from the mid-1990s to the early 2000s and focus on the theory behind collaboration and communication in planning.
City of Mt Shasta
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
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.
