The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

<p>A small town in Germany has begun removing all road signs, traffic signals, and sidewalks in a counter-intuitive -- but proven -- attempt to reduce traffic accidents.</p>

September 13 - Der Spiegel

<p>The U.S. Senate recently approved a bill that prohibits the state of Texas from converting any of its existing highways into toll roads for at least one year.</p>

September 13 - The Houston Chronicle

<p>Over the summer, plans fell through on a number of major municipal Wi-Fi projects in major American cities, such as Chicago and Houston. But these networks are thriving in smaller communities around the country.</p>

September 13 - The Christian Science Monitor

<p>New federal guidelines for disaster planning are being panned by state and local officials, citing a poorly-defined chain of command and unnecessary duplication.</p>

September 13 - The Washington Post

<p>A high-tech elevator for cars is being considered as a way to save space in a condo conversion planned in Charlotte, North Carolina. The elevator will also help preserve the historic building's facade.</p>

September 13 - The Charlotte Observer

<p>Plans to build a dam will bring much-needed economic development to a struggling Turkish region, but will also destroy ancient caves, mosques, and buildings carved into sandstone canyons along the Tigris River.</p>

September 13 - BBC

<p>An analysis of Census figures shows that the number of long-distance commuters -- those who spend more than 90 minutes on their average commute -- has increased.</p>

September 13 - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

<p>Uncertainty about funding new tracks has created a delay in the development of a commuter rail system in the Austin-San Antonio region.</p>

September 13 - San Antonio Express-News

<p>A controversial bill approved at the end of the California State Senate's regular session may allow developers of a massive entertainment development in downtown Los Angeles to compete for millions of dollars in affordable housing funds.</p>

September 13 - The Los Angeles Times

<p>A former official from the New York City Department of transportation outlines some ideas for reducing traffic congestion in the city, including a plan to reduce the amount of taxis and limousines on the streets.</p>

September 12 - The Daily News

<p>Vietnam has the second-strongest economic growth in Asia, which translates to rapid development and the destruction of many famous architectural sites in Hanoi, the country's capital.</p>

September 12 - The Globe and Mail

<p>Plans to widen a highway in British Columbia are being justified by a projection of nearly $4 billion in economic development. Proponents are allaying air quality concerns, arguing that auto emission controls will improve enough to reduce any impact.</p>

September 12 - The Vancouver Sun

<p>Recent research finds that parking spaces outnumber drivers 3-to-1 in Tippecanoe County, Indiana.</p>

September 12 - Purdue University

<p>Planners in San Jose, California, say the massive conversion of industrial lands is eroding the city's jobs and tax Base. Housing developers disagree.</p>

September 12 - San Jose Mercury News

<p>This column from <em>The Portland Tribune</em> chews out the city's "light-rail mafia" and claims that the only people benefiting from Portland's elaborate transit plans are the power players making the decisions and their developer friends.</p>

September 12 - The Portland Tribune

<p>Wendell Cox argues that smart growth development plans are bad policy for African Americans because they elevate home prices out of reach.</p>

September 12 - Heartland Perspectives

<p>The rise in childhood obesity and diabetes has been linked to declining numbers of children who walk or bike to school. In addition, new traffic accident data shows that being driven to school is also a serious health threat.</p>

September 12 - The New York Times

<p>The Los Angeles City Council will consider a moratorium on fast-food restaurants in South L.A., a part of the city with high rates of obesity and below-average access to grocery stores.</p>

September 12 - The Los Angeles Times

<p>In downtown Boise, recently announced plans to construct a homeless shelter have many local business owners upset and making arrangements to move out of the area. The city, however, is defending its decision to approve the shelter.</p>

September 12 - The Idaho Statesman

<p>The city of Rome recently launched a dynamic mapping project that utilizes cell phones and GPS devices to display the city's flow of traffic and pedestrians on a publicly accessible website.</p>

September 11 - Discovery