The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Why the Schweeb?
The human-powered monorail concept Shweeb recently gained a huge boost from a $1 million investment from Google, but urban thinkers question the relevance of the unusual transportation system.
Great Design Costs Money (And Is Worth It)
A new pedestrian bridge, recently opened near a BART station in the San Francisco Bay Area, is an example of why the high price of good design can sometimes be worth it.
Cattle vs. Subdivisions
Arizona's long-standing open range laws allow cattle to roam freely, but the state is now reconsidering the laws as residents of the West's suburban subdivisions are growing more frustrated by encounters with roaming cattle.
Policing 'Gutter Punks' in San Francisco
Heather Mac Donald defends a contentious law, spurred by frustration over migratory youths in Haight-Ashbury, that would ban sitting or lying on city sidewalks between 7 AM and 11 PM.
A 'Network of Sensors' Around the City
An ambitious eco-city is going up in Portugal, complete with a central "brain" that monitors feedback on water, energy and transport systems.
SimCity Goes Way Wonkier
A new video game has been released that has players trying to solve urban issues and make cities work better. <em>Next American City</em> columnist Christian Madera reviews.
Fearing a 'Middle Class Ghetto'
As London redevelops its troubled East End ahead of the 2012 Summer Olympics, organizers are warning against the post-event developments turning into ghettos of the middle class.
An Example of Post-Industrial Rebirth
Germany's Ruhr region, a former coal and steel powerhouse that fell into decline, has shown major improvements in recent years, offering hope for other post-industrial cities.
Another City Bans Plastic Bags
Telluride, CO just became the latest U.S. city to ban the distribution of plastic shopping bags, following on the heels of communities in California, North Carolina, Alaska, Connecticut, and Washington.
Rapid-Transit Buses Make Manhattan Debut
The new system is designed to reduce travel time along a heavily congested north-south route on the city's East Side. However, unfamiliar ticketing protocols led to passenger confusion on the first day of operation.
Community Development Through Pie
A new community kitchen and pie-baking program in small town Alabama is trying to help a struggling and impoverished area rebound.
Recession-Proof Small Cities
In 2009, smaller metro areas benefited from increased government spending while many of the country’s wealthiest areas saw incomes decrease.
Increased Ridership Often Means Increased Safety for Cyclists
While bicycle ridership has been boosted by improvements to infrastructure, what is keeping cyclists safest may simply be more of their own kind on the road.
Sky Trams to Reopen in New York
Aerial trams connecting New York City to Roosevelt Island are going to be back in operation next month. But will enough people want to ride these "sky bubbles" over the East River?
No ARC without TOD
New Jersey wants billions in federal money for its ARC project, but NJ Transit's commuter rail service is too often just a subsidy to the rich and an excuse not to develop North Jersey, says Stephen Smith.
What Europe Can Teach the U.S. about Infrastructure Banks
The European Investment Bank raised $80 billion for projects last year alone. Should the Obama’s proposed program adopt a similar model?
Reviving Suburbs Requires an Urban Sensibility
Richard Florida argues that edge cities ravaged by the recession should take cues from urban development patterns to spur growth.
Gov. Christie Reverses ARC Decision: Rail Tunnel Back On Track
Under pressure from DOT Secretary Ray LaHood, N.J. Gov. Chris Christie has authorized the Hudson River rail tunnel project known as ARC: Access to the Region's Core, to resume work. Key to the decision would have been the loss of $3 billion to N.J.
FEATURE
Measuring the Broader Impacts of Transportation
CEOs for Cities recently published a blistering criticism of The Texas Transportation Institute's "Urban Mobility Report", saying that the way they measure mobility helps justify sprawl. Norman W. Garrick says CEOs for Cities doesn't go far enough.
New Study Reveals Poverty Growing Twice as Fast in Suburbs
A Brookings Study of census data finds that since 2000, the number of poor people in the suburbs jumped by 37.4% to 13 million and "the growth rate of suburban poverty is more than double that of cities."
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
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