The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Seattle to Eliminate Downtown Ride Free Area
A recent "political compromise" forces Metro to phase out the City's highly popular free bus service that serves over 10 million riders per year.
Berlin Wall Site Now a Hot Neighborhood
The Berlin Wall was constructed 50 years ago by Communist East Germany. Parts of the wall remain as a remembrance, but much of the area has been transformed into hip neighborhoods and parks.
Amman May Nix Bus Rapid Transit
The Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) may no longer be pursuing a bus rapid transit (BRT) system because of opposition from within government circles.
Community Development Corporations Step In Where Business Fear to Tread
With hundreds of billions of dollars in short-term commercial real estate loans underwater, it's safe to say commercial real estate is in trouble. But can community development corporations confront the lending shortfall?
Seattle Plays a Zero-Sum Emissions Game
Aspiring to become carbon-neutral by 2050, the Emerald City commits to an ambitious plan that relies on a 10% purchase of carbon offsets.
A $1.5-Billion Forward Pass by L.A. City Council
Unanimous approval of the five-year outline to build a 72,000-seat football stadium in Downtown L.A. goes to show that the City Council is all game for a politically radioactive project.
Political Hurdle For VMT Fees Proves Too High For The Netherlands And Oregon
Two years ago a Dutch city embarked on a trial for distance-based pricing that placed a meter on the dashboard showing the price of the trip. The plan was scratched due to an election. In OR, VMT fee legislation for electric vehicles has stalled.
Businesses Claims That Bike Lanes Ruin Business
In downtown Vancouver, where bike lanes have replaced parking spots on some strips, shop owners have complained that they are bad for business. A new study disproves the theory - kinda.
Sun Setting on Ontario's Solar Power Push?
Despite incentives from the provincial government and claims that they have created 20,000 jobs in green energy, Ontario's solar power industry is grinding to a halt because of delays in approvals from the provincial utility.
Philadelphia Tries to Crack Down on Youth Mobs
In the face of recent violence committed by roaming groups of teenagers, officials in Philadelphia are imposing stricter curfews for youth.
All-Natural Cities
In this post from <em>NRDC Swithcboard</em>, Kaid Benfield argues that environmentalists need to care about cities, as urban areas can't be separated form "nature".
Goats Clearing Brush and Luring Crowds in L.A.
Goats being used to clear brush on a hillside in downtown Los Angeles are a cost-effective and environmentally-friendly way to deal with overgrowth -- and they're attracting fans.
Modeling The Urban System of Portland
A new program is being implemented in Portland, Oregon, to try to quantify and model the behavior of the city.
Experts Say Detroit's Transit Disagreements Can Be Resolved
Despite a lack of cooperation on regional transit issues, Detroit area transportation agencies can find a way to fix the region's broken system, according to a panel of officials and experts.
Mica To Obama: No Compromise On Transportation Bill
The WSJ report indicates that the debate that led to the FAA ticket tax suspension was just a prelude as to what to expect on Sept. 30 when the federal gas tax expires.
Section 8 Renters Encounter Resistance
Lancaster, California has experienced a surge of Section 8 renters, and they are facing discrimination from residents and city officials, Jennifer Medina reports for The New York Times.
Two Decades, Major Shifts
From growing minority populations to growth in the South and West, The United States has undergone major shifts in the last 20 years, according to this analysis from <em>USA Today</em>.
FEATURE
Universal Principles for Creating a Sustainable City
Freiburg, Germany has become a stunning model of sustainability, thanks in part to Wulf Daseking, the city's Head of Urban Planning since 1984. Sven Eberlein vists Daseking in Freiberg for this interview.
Cities, Riots and Facial Recognition Technology
As riots engulf London, the role of technology in cities and crime-fighting comes into the spotlight. Some wonder whether this could usher in the age of facial recognition in cities.
The Small Town Impact of Post Office Closures
The U.S. Postal Services is considering a plan to close more than 3,600 of its 32,000 post offices. This piece from <em>New Urban News</em> looks at the impact of those closures on the small towns likely to be affected.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)
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Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
