The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Farmland Aplenty for Growing World Population
Worried about feeding the world's growing population, especially as it increases meat consumption and farmland is impacted by climate change? No fear - improved crop technology and slowing world growth will allow farms to be converted to wildlands.
Has L.A. Solved Its Most Important Transit Conundrum?
It's one of those news items that makes you ask: "Duh, what took you so long?" Los Angeles World Airports and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority are finally working together to identify how to connect LAX with the city's transit system.
San Francisco Exposes Privately Owned Public Spaces
San Francisco's 1985 downtown plan required large new office and hotel developments to incorporate public spaces, but the city is only now updating the requirements and reinforcing the initial goal of opening up privately owned public spaces (POPOS).
Charlotte Airport Turning Trash into Treasure
Air travel is a notoriously wasteful mode. But one airport is taking huge leaps towards sustainability. Julie Rose reports on Charlotte Douglas International's comprehensive recycling and composting program.
How Big Government Guides All Development
Conservative opponents of Smart Growth often decry the role of government in establishing the regulations and investments that incentivize it. But, as Bradley Heard points out, all development rights, smart or sprawling, depend on big government.
Will Designs Placate Critics of NY Public Library Reno Plans?
Much has been written, both in favor and against, ambitious renovations planned for New York's landmark Public Library building on Fifth Avenue. Until this week, those opinions were written without the benefit of the architect's design concepts.
Toronto's Crumbling Elevated Expressway: Repair or Remove?
As the full extent of the instability of Toronto's elevated Gardiner Expressway, and the city's apparent cover-up of the information, becomes clear, the new chief planner has weighed in on what the priorities should be in addressing the problem.
The Year's Best in Big Data
The "Best of" roll continues with Emily Badger's list of the most useful tools, maps and data visualizations to make use of municipal open data over the past year.
Should Maine Spend More on its Cities?
70 percent of Maine's economic activity and 90 percent of its population growth over the last decade took place in three metro areas. So why is the state "giving money to ‘well-off’ suburbs at expense of urban areas?" Matthew Stone investigates.
How the World Bank Helped Create the World's Deadliest Road
It doesn't traverse a deep gorge or curve around a mountainside, so what makes the N2 in Bangladesh one of the world's deadliest highways? Annie Kelly explains.
Why are Americans Preferring to Stay Put?
Americans are less mobile than they were decades ago and it's unclear why. Possible explanations include the recession, habits based on family make-up, as well as telecommuting and job trends, but none of these proposed reasons can be easily proven.
Recapping a Notable Year in Landscape Architecture
Charles A. Birnbaum marks the milestones that have contributed to landscape architecture's growing stature over the past year.
Motorists Save With Efficient Parking Pricing
Contrary to many motorists' fears, San Francisco's demand-based parking pricing has reduced overall average hourly rates and ticket citations.
Los Angeles Imports 'Continental' Crosswalks
In what is either a hopeful sign of the increasing prominence of the pedestrian, or a depressing comment on existing level of pedestrian safety, the installation of a crosswalk in downtown Los Angeles this week was big news.
The Promise and Perils of Modern Disaster Communications
During and after Sandy, transportation workers had the responsibility of informing riders of changing conditions and schedules. Ray Rivera compares the different communication approaches of New Jersey Transit and the Long Island Rail Road.
Chicago for Sale
Mick Dumke dives deep on Mayor Rahm Emanuel's ambitious plans to "exchange public space and public rights for private cash." Has the city learned anything from the parking meter debacle?
For Wal-Mart, Coveted Permits Were Just a Bribe Away
An investigation by the New York Times, following up on earlier reporting, has unveiled Wal-Mart's widespread use of bribes to circumvent democratic governance and regulatory safeguards to construct controversial projects throughout Mexico.
Planning for Movement Chokes Urban Health
In his latest entry in KCET's "Laws That Shaped LA" Series, Jeremy Rosenberg looks at the impact that the Functional Classification system has had on the urban form of Los Angeles and cities throughout the country since its adoption in 1973.
New York's Next Post-Industrial Success Story?
Michael Kimmelman tours Fresh Kills landfill, once the world's largest garbage dump, and now a model for landfill reclamation and, unexpectedly, climate change mitigation.
Property Owners Try to Block Downtown L.A. Subway Construction
Fearing years of costly disruption from the construction of a key link connecting the region's rail systems, some of downtown L.A.'s largest property owners are suing the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
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)
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.
