The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

While road usage fee advocates may be celebrating this key endorsement of what many transportation experts view as the inevitable funding option, Streetsblog's Tanya Snyder is calling it a setback because of what else Rep. Bill Shuster did on Feb 4.

February 7 - Streetsblog USA

“Across millennia [mute swans] symbolized transformation and devotion, light and beauty,” says a recent article in Wired. Not so much in New York City, where the city’s population of mute swans will be reduced to zero to protect other native species.

February 7 - Wired

Plans to build “movie theaters, restaurants and a 34-story hotel” overlap with the archaeological site of a 2,000-year-old Tequesta village.

February 6 - Bradenton Herald

The West Coast’s first offshore wind project will use floating turbine technology not found in North America. The 5-turbine project near Coos Bay in Oregon is the first offshore wind energy for the West Coast.

February 6 - AP for the Oregonian

A new report examines Toronto’s options for the crumbling Gardiner Expressway and speaks favourably to the city-building and economic benefits of demolishing the elevated eyesore, a view not shared by Mayor Rob Ford.

February 6 - The Torontoist

In the first case of its kind, federal regulators fined three oil companies for allegedly either failing to test, or improperly testing crude from the Bakken Shale in N.D., resulting in rail companies not knowing which type of oil tanker cars to use.

February 6 - The Wall Street Journal

The flood management story of Boulder, Colorado, includes a successful encounter with a 1,000-year rain event, and its lessons are less about concrete and dams than one might think.

February 6 - Next American City

Walkable developments are in demand, but what really makes a community "walkable"? It all boils down to three simple principles—physical access, proximity, and places—says John Lavey.

February 6 - Community Builders

BLOG POST

Human beings are both born and programmed to need open spaces. As our existence becomes increasingly urban, cities and towns must provide the open spaces our natures require.

February 6 - Steven Snell

In many places across the country, rail is breaking ridership records as we move away from the personal car. How does a rail hub manage the influx of passengers while being a good neighbor?

February 6 - Elevation DC

BLOG POST

New tools are becoming available to help people evaluate the quality of walking, cycling, public transit and automobile accessibility when making home location decisions. This information can help create more efficient and sustainable communities.

February 6 - Todd Litman

Minneapolis is working to turn the deteriorating Nicollet Mall into a vibrant public space—even hiring James Corner Field Operations (of High-Line fame) as designer. Will the revitalization of the area require the removal of the mall’s four skyways?

February 6 - Minneapolis Post

The formation of Chinatowns in the United States began in the late 19th Century, and since then have provided an important immigrant gateway. But gentrification and rising expenses in U.S. cities are shrinking many Chinatowns.

February 6 - BBC News

This week's guest 'Shaker, Rob Dalton, talks roundabouts, bollards and buffers to get your feet into a 禪 Zen street.

February 5 - PlaceShakers

Demographic and economic trends, and improving transport options, including more carsharing services, are contributing to a long-term decline in automobile ownership and use.

February 5 - The Wall Street Journal

Proponents of a ballot initiative that would require a vote for any development on the San Francisco waterfront that exceeds existing height limits have gathered enough signatures to put the issue to a vote.

February 5 - SF Gate

As part of an already controversial expansion plan, MoMA will allow free access to the cloistered sanctuary of its sculpture garden. Not everyone is a fan of the idea, saying crowds will spoil the effect.

February 5 - New York Times

As housing prices increase on the post-recession wave, many experts are asking people to reconsider the dream of buying and owning a home, especially if that means sinking too deeply in debt or sacrificing mobility.

February 5 - CBC News

Governing takes a closer look at the U.S. Census Bureau’s most recent population estimates to reveal the data behind the country’s shifted migration patterns and present some ideas about what’s driving the new migration paradigms.

February 5 - Governing

In the early part of the 20th century, Europe looked toward the U.S. to learn how to adapt cities to car travel, as difficult as that may seem. It wasn't until the 1990s, in the presence of sprawl and failing public transit that the pattern reversed.

February 5 - The Atlantic Cities