The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Fracking Wastewater Dumped into Protected California Aquifers
According to the Center for Biological Diversity, toxic wastewater from oil industry fracking operations has been illegally injected into Central Valley disposal sites, posing a threat to water supplies of nearby residents.
Optimism for the Suburbs
The Bacon's Rebellion blog focuses on the potential of suburbs to meet the demands of a growing population with different lifestyles and expectations for their communities than previous generations.
'4Liters Challenge' Addresses Water Poverty and Conservation
As opposed to the wasteful "Ice Bucket Challenge," 4Liters challenges individuals to experience water poverty by limiting themselves to four liters of water for 24 hours, about 1 percent of the amount an average American uses.
Exploring the 'Finesse of the Avenue'
In his fourth "place-decoding" essay from France, Chuck Wolfe illustrates how a traditional placemaking intervention is especially powerful when underlying urban fundamentals align.
Survey Illuminates American Mayors' Priorities
A new study conducted by former Boston Mayor Tom Menino and the Initiative on Cities at Boston University surveyed 70 mayors on their challenges, policy agendas, and relationships.
Shifting the Message to Attract More Bike Riders
In a speech to the Arlington County Commuter Services, Veronica O. Davis argues for bicycle advocates to shift from focusing solely on commuter riders.
Like the Old Days: Average Fuel Economy Declines in the United States
A recent study at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute showed that September saw the largest decline in average fuel economy, from 25.8 mpg to 25.3 mpg, since December 2011.
Study Compares Job Access by Transit in 46 U.S. Metropolitan Areas
The Center for Transportation Studies at the University of Minnesota has released the Access Across America: Transit 2014 report.
The Downtown Dystopia and the 'Continued March of Sameness'
Architecture critic Aaron Betsky provides a new take urban dystopia: bland and homogenous. The antidote, he argues, can be found on the edges.
Mapping the Solar Potential of Every Roof
A new app out of MIT provides property owners with detailed information about the solar potential of their roofs. The app is currently at work in five cities.
A New Buzzword for Changing Cities: 'Trust'
Christopher Swope writes of the emergence of the word "trust" in the buzzy lexicon of urbanism.
A Landscape Architect's Guide to Portland
The Dirt announces the third in its series of Landscape Architecture guides for American cities. This time the focus is on Portland, Oregon.
Unsafe Streets on National Walk and Bike to School Day
Today, October 8, is National Walk and Bike to School Day, and yet street conditions across the United States continue to prevent kids from getting to school safely without being chauffeured. Lynn Richards of CNU says we can do better.
Los Angeles Breathing Easier Due to Reductions in Airborne Toxins
The improvement in air quality comes from reductions in toxic emissions from autos, trucks, and ships. Enjoying the cleaner air were tens of thousands of Angelenos riding on miles of streets closed to auto traffic for the 10th CicLAvia event.
On the Importance of the Human Scale in Walkable Cities
Instead of density for density's sake (or for smart growth's sake), F. Kaid Benfield argues that the human scale is the key to walkable smart growth.
Millennials and Gen Xers Commuting Less by Car
Following up on earlier reports about the latest commuting data from the U.S. Census 2013 American Community Survey, Joseph Kane and Adie Tomer find different trends in commute choice between age groups.
The Best Country in the World to Grow Old
The country most friendly to electric vehicles is also the country most supportive of senior citizens, not that there's a relationship. After Norway, Sweden is the best place to grow old, according to the just released Global AgeWatch Index.
How to Revitalize a 'Stuck' Neighborhood?
Congress Heights, in Washington D.C., has suffered decades of neglect. Now, city planners and activists want to transform it into a mixed-use, mixed-income success story. What if it doesn't work? What if it works too well?
'RiverFit': A Pop-Up Fitness Park in Memphis
Hoping to combat the city's dismal rankings in obesity, public and private partners launched the RiverFit pop-up fitness park along the Mississippi River in September.
Report: Transit Oriented Development Leads the Market in Major Metros
A report released last week by Cushman & Wakefield has won a lot of attention from media outlets covering large-scale development market trends. Among the report's findings: growing cities need to better support transit-oriented development.
City of Mt Shasta
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)
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
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Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
