The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Celebrating the Subway
The NY Times has created a loving photo essay depicting the long and storied history of the New York Subway.
BLOG POST
Hoboken Begins 'Twenty is Plenty' Driving Speed Campaign
<span style="widows: 2; text-transform: none; text-indent: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font: medium 'Times New Roman'; white-space: normal; orphans: 2; letter-spacing: normal; word-spacing: 0px; color: #000000" class="Apple-style-span"> <div style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10px"> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in"> This week, Hoboken is announcing its version of a highly successful awareness campaign practiced throughout Europe and, more directly translatable, the UK. In the UK, the <a href="http://www.20splentyforus.org.uk/">campaign</a> is called “20's Plenty for Us”, and in cities that adopt this policy, a 20mph speed limit area is established and signs are posted requiring drivers to obey the lower speed limit.
Can A City Be Designed for Scientific Innovation?
A new study looks at the best cities in the world for science, using publication rates in as the basis. The researchers
Neighbors Ask City to Sell Park
In Knoxville, Tennessee, a neighborhood association has asked the city to sell off one of its parks. The reason? They have a surfeit of park space and want to focus their attention on another park nearby.
Long Way Down for Dubai's Residential Market
With property values now half their boom-time peaks and a flood of additional supply on the way, the emirate’s residential market may not recover in the foreseeable future, says Angela Shah.
Support for Infrastructure Spending May Be Weaker than Administration Suggests
Contrary to a recent White House report that the vast majority of Americans are in favor of infrastructure spending, a new study from the Pew Center finds limited public support.
Time-Based or Distance-Based Transit Fares: Is One Better Than the Other?
Is there a difference between the two most common fare structures in public transit?
FRIDAY FUNNY: NIMBY Robot Prepares to Save Berkeley
A Berkeleyan warms up his NIMBY robot to face the planning commission, in this xtranormal animation from Joshua Abrams of www.planningcollaborative.com. The robot is programmed for Berkeley, but he could be easily reprogrammed for other cities.
Architects Hot for Patterns
A new book looks at the trend in architecture away from clean surfaces and into formal, repeating patterns.
An Open Source "SimCity" for New York
"Betaville" is a virtual New York where users can experiment with the built environment and how new buildings will look in the cityscape.
The Solution for Helmet Hair
Two industrial design students at Lund University noticed that despite a new law requiring bike helmets in Sweden, many people refused to wear them. They've invented a stylish cowl that inflates on impact just like an airbag.
The Aging Driver: A NYT Debate
Prompted by Google's latest invention, the car that drives itself, the NYT sought four different perspectives on how to approach the onslaught of aging baby boomers behind the wheel: An M.I.T. scientist, Rand economist, Yale doctor, and AARP VP.
What Would it Take to Ditch Your Car?
A conversation series from the National Trust for Historic Preservation asks what it would take for people to ditch their cars and rely solely on walking, cycling and public transportation.
Innovative Bike Share System Promises Lower Costs
Cities around the world are eager to launch bike share programs, but many are deterred by high start-up costs. A new system may offer a cheaper alternative.
Bill Takes Small Step Towards 'Livable Communities'
A bill working its way through congress seeks to institute more "livable communities" in America. But with few mandates, it's unclear what the bill would actually do.
Invisible Landscapes of the Atmosphere
The atmosphere has latent architectural possibilities, writes Javier Arbona in this intriguing essay on the potential of air and atmosphere in urban design and architecture.
Cities and Suburbs at War?
There seems to be a lot of rhetoric pitting suburbs and cities against each other in some sort of ideological war. But, as this piece from <em>Grist</em> asks, is that war even real?
BLOG POST
ULI's Odd Notion Of 'Global Excellence'
I write this blog from the concrete cradle of Nokia Plaza, an urban space so wondrous that the global arm of the Urban Land Institute has bestowed upon it one of five “<a href="http://www.uli.org/sitecore/content/ULI2Home/News/PressReleases/2010%20archives/Content/GlobalAwards2010.aspx" target="_blank">2010 Global Awards for Excellence</a>." In winning such a distinguished award, you’d think that developer AEG would have invited the Laker Girls and be pouring Champagne for an ebullient crowd here in one of the world’s great public spaces. Except they’re not. In fact, I’m pretty much alone. <p class="MsoNormal">I don’t suppose the pigeons are carrying Cristal underwing? </p>
Rummaging Through New York's Garbage
New York has a filthy history, says Robin Nagle, the New York City Department of Sanitation's anthropologist-in-residence. The muck of early Manhattan was much worse than you even suspected.
B.C. and Washington Seek High Speed Rail to California
Officials in the Pacific Northwest are calling for a high speed rail line that connects British Columbia with California.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie
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.
