The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Richard Blackwell examines the foundations of Canada's housing "affordability crisis," in which prices have doubled over the last decade due to low rates and easy mortgage terms.

January 2 - The Globe and Mail

Homicides are decreasing nationwide, but a federal study reveals that the rate has decreased about 17% in cities and increased by the same rate in suburbs. Two WSJ reporters look behind the numbers for the causes with a focus on Atlanta's suburbs.

January 2 - Wall Street Journal

The mass shooting at Newton, Connecticut brought gun control, violence in TV and video games, and mental health care to the forefront of a national debate. As talk turns to school design, architects consider the tradeoffs of fortress-like schools.

January 2 - Architectural Record

As they reflect on a year of exciting advances in urbanism, and look forward to the next, the writers at The Atlantic Cities discuss the most loathed trends they hope will die in 2013.

January 2 - The Atlantic Cities

The proposal is simple. Instead of investing billions of dollars more on elaborate infrastructure or trust a corrupted police force, the concept is to nudge this complex system at two targeted points in the city, argues Mitchell Sutika Sipus.

January 2 - Humanitarian Space

BLOG POST

There are various ways to define transport efficiency which can lead to very different conclusions as to what transport policies and projects are best overall. Conventional planning tends to evaluate transport system performance based on mobility, which assumes that faster travel is always better. A new planning paradigm evaluates transport system performance based on accessibility (people's ability to access services and activities) which leads to very different definitions of efficiency and very different conclusions about how to improve transport systems.

January 1 - Todd Litman

One of the America's most unhealthy, auto-centric cities has seen the light - the handlebar headlight that is - with a push to improve its bicycling infrastructure as a means of economic development.

January 1 - The New York Times

Commentator D.J. Waldie laments the stunning health hazards for L.A.'s pedestrians, and proposes five solutions to make the city safer for those on foot.

January 1 - KCET

While Washington bickers over partisan issues, mayors in the rest of the country are showing strong leadership and innovation. Newsweek has compiled a list of the top cities pushing education reform, public safety, quality of life, and job creation.

January 1 - The Daily Beast

Several potential replacements for Lisa Jackson are said to be under consideration. One thing that person can count on is a very thorough, if not grueling, confirmation process. Unless the Senate changes the filibuster rules, 60 votes will be needed.

January 1 - The Hill's Energy & Environment Blog

Delhi’s unpleasant pollution predicament, and its ensuing health consequences, are causing environmentalists, doctors and local officials to grow increasingly alarmed.

January 1 - The New York Times

Please be careful if you're out walking late tonight and tomorrow: January 1st is the deadliest day of the year for pedestrians. The outlook for drivers isn't much better, writes Sarah Kliff.

December 31 - The Washington Post

BLOG POST

We've known for decades the better ways to do things, for greater urban health, sustainability, resiliency, vibrancy and economic success. So this year, let's resolve to have the will and skill to get past the short-term politics, the rhetoric, the market momentum, and the financial self-interest that has kept our better solutions from being realized.

December 31 - Brent Toderian

Mark Belko traces downtown Pittsburgh's rejuvenation since bottoming out three decades ago. The area's recent comeback, marked by a surging office market and residential renaissance, has some claiming that Downtown is better than ever.

December 31 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

One road, two counties, 19 cites - that's what and who is involved in a far-reaching plan to redesign El Camino Real, the first paved road in California, from Daly City in northern San Mateo County to San Jose in the heart of Santa Clara County.

December 31 - San Francisco Examiner

Bicyclists are hard to come by in South Africa. Two authors have gone in search of the reasons why a country with "so much poverty, often unwalkable commuter distances, and poor public transportation," lacks a larger bike culture.

December 31 - Los Angeles Times

Ever wonder why New York City drops an 11,875 pound ball on New Year's Eve? Onerous regulations, an indefatigable newspaper publisher, and New York's second tallest building fill Conor Friedersdorf's history of the Times Square ball drop.

December 31 - The Atlantic Cities

BLOG POST

From guerrilla wayfinding to future-tising, these are my top five, perhaps lesser known, highlights of a banner year for Tactical Urbanism.

December 30 - Mike Lydon

The opening of a half-mile trail along the Los Angeles River, after a decade of funding and construction snags, marks the latest step in the city's effort to reclaim its forsaken river as a public resource.

December 30 - Los Angeles Times

Finding the right price for carbon is no easy task. It needs to be high enough to encourage industries to reduce their emissions, but not too high so as to cause them to move out-of-state or make them uncompetitive with non-California competitors.

December 30 - The New York Times - Business Day - Energy & Environment