The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

"Shared streets" guru Ben Hamilton-Baillie has shown in the U.K. that there are a lot of better ways to manage traffic than stoplights. CNU asked Ben, as he prepares to come to the United States, if shared streets could work here.

May 3 - Congress for the New Urbanism

A new report finds that "house flipping"—one of the more conspicuous signifiers of the last real estate boom—has slowed on average in recent months. Does that mean the residential market has found a sane balance?

May 3 - World Property Channel

The derailment of the CSX oil unit train in downtown Lynchburg, Va. on April 30 and subsequent fire and oil spill into the James River caught Lynchburg, Va. officials off-guard, who were unaware of the oil shipments, let alone how to handle crashes.

May 3 - The Wall Street Journal - U.S.

China's rapid urbanization has been built by a class of citizens called "nongmin," or peasants, many of which have migrated to urban areas for work but retain their legal status as residents of the countryside.

May 3 - China File

"Parks Forward," a report authored by an independent commission, takes an honest look at the challenges facing California State Parks and Recreation Department and provides recommendations for a parks reform in California.

May 2 - Los Angeles Times

Electric car companies such as Honda are creating smart homes by integrating built-in energy- and money-saving features.

May 2 - FastCompany Exist

BLOG POST

Opposition to NYC's bike infrastructure improvements was loud, emotional, and ultimately ineffective. But can planners like Janette Sadik-Khan learn from seemingly unhinged opponents? Planetizen Blogger Josh Stephens decided to ask.

May 2 - Josh Stephens

A judge's ruling provides a way forward for the proposed Ashby high rise development in Houston—a 21-story residential building that provoked a lawsuit by neighbors who have little recourse to protest developments in their city.

May 2 - Houston Chronicle

The Hollywood Park horseracing track in Inglewood, California, follows the path of racetracks in Sam Mateo and Queens that have recently given way to large housing developments.

May 2 - The Architect's Newspaper

Acknowledging that rising sea levels are a major concern for waterfront cities in Washington, the Municipal Research and Services Center (MRSC) non-profit put together a review of the current policy and planning efforts to meet the challenge.

May 2 - MRSC Insight

The Social Computing Group and the MIT Media Lab have launched the "You Are Here" project, mapping data points from cities where participants have lived. The project has colorful maps of bicycle crashes, coffee shops, and permanent visa applications.

May 2 - You Are Here

A quick city planner's guide to the voluminous Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report out earlier this month.

May 2 - PlaceShakers

Street trees add an interesting dimension to the built environment, providing shade, visual relief and more. They frame the public realm so well that we might be shocked to witness our Main Streets without them. This series of images does just that.

May 2 - Community Builders

Fortunately, there were no injuries in the restored, downtown waterfront district in this city of 71,000. Fifteen cars derailed; three exploded into a six-story-high fireball. Oil spilled into the James River, threatening downstream water supplies.

May 2 - Los Angeles Times

Parts of the East Coast got hit this week by rain and floods in what must certainly be cosmic salt in the wound of a long and intense winter. Luckily for our moods, one local news broadcast caught one biker rising above the wet conditions.

May 2 - Gawker

Andy Freleng recently answered a series of questions about life on Long Island, and its future, from his perspective as chief planner of Suffolk County.

May 1 - The Foggiest Idea

During the American Planning Association's (APA) 2014 National Planning Conference in Atlanta, the APA announced findings from a national opinion survey that shows a clear interest in place-making among the concerns of Americans of all ages.

May 1 - American Planning Association

Calling the property tax, "probably the most controversial tax in the United States," the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy and the Minnesota Center for Fiscal Excellence have released the "50-State Property Tax Comparison Study" for 2013.

May 1 - Lincoln Institute of Land Policy

To deal with its high pollution levels, which rank worse than the EU average, Madrid will implement a new parking fee system that charges more for the most polluting cars. Electric cars will park for free.

May 1 - The Guardian

The California Legislative Analyst's Office released a report, "Film and Television Production: Overview of Motion Picture Industry and State Tax Credits," which recommends caution by lawmakers considering an extension of the state's tax credit.

May 1 - California Legislative Analyst's Office