The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

New census data released last week made national headlines for its grim news on America's historically high levels of poverty. However, a new paper reads between the lines, and concludes that the country is making progress in reducing poverty.

September 16 - The Atlantic Cities

'Rurbanismo,' as it's called, describes the reversal of historic migration patterns now engulfing Spain, as a generations-old trend of rural-to-city movement has been reversed.

September 16 - The New York Times

A new study to be published in the fall issue of the Journal of Rural Health finds evidence that rural Americans are more likely to be overweight than their urban cohorts, reports Mary MacVean.

September 16 - Los Angeles Times

Angie Schmitt reports on a recent study which found that bicycle infrastructure is a good predictor of ridership for bike-share programs.

September 16 - Streets Blog

According to Prime Minister David Cameron, planning regulations are the boogeyman holding back the UK's economy. Thus, in an effort to boost construction, Cameron is proposing to ease the country's rules on which projects require planning approvals.

September 15 - The Atlantic Cities

A city law enacted in 2006 was intended to protect San Francisco's independent stores from the spread of chain - or 'formula' - stores. Stacy Mitchell explains the gaps in the current law and the efforts of one city Supervisor to tighten it.

September 15 - Institute for Local Self-Reliance

A project by French artist Armelle Caron looks at what happens when you take the patterns of blocks that make up a city's form and organize and stack them sideways. Robert Krulwich investigates what such an exercise reveals about a city.

September 15 - NPR

Alex Goldmark reports on the new NASA-inspired space elevator design that is primed for testing and could make it possible for billionaires to step foot on the moon sooner than later.

September 15 - Transportation Nation

NYT Economic Scene columnist Eduardo Porter makes a strong case against the new 54.5 mpg by 2025 fuel efficiency standards, arguing instead for higher gas taxes. Critiquing the piece, Reuter's economics blogger, Felix Salmon calls for both measures.

September 15 - The New York Times - Business Day

Would you ride the bus more if your stop had one of these?

September 14 - BuzzFeed

Chuck Marohn opines on the oddly empty, and unnecessarily wide, streets of Kansas City, Missouri. With no traffic to speak of, Marohn argues that by building roads simply to move cars quickly, "We're fighting a beast that does not exist."

September 14 - Strong Towns

Finally, something Red and Blue America can agree on! A new poll published this week by the NRDC shows support for local investment in transit to reduce traffic crosses the country's wide political and geographic divides.

September 14 - Streetsblog D.C.

Thanks to a successful Kickstarter campaign, for the last two weeks of this month New Yorkers will get a sneak peak at the technology that may one day make a proposed underground park - dubbed the Lowline - into a reality, reports Alex Goldmark.

September 14 - Transportation Nation

Across the U.S., cities bear the scars of giant projects stalled by the economic crisis. Too often, the public ends up with the short end of the stick.

September 14 - The Wall Street Journal

Sure, they may be doing so for purely financial reasons, but across America, big box stores are leading the way in embracing renewable energy sources, reports Diane Cardwell.

September 14 - The New York Times

New research conducted by the CDC in Atlanta is aimed at understanding just how prevalent exposure to dangerous levels of highway noise is. Such exposure can play a detrimental role in one's health.

September 14 - NPR

Ever wish it didn't take 4 calls, 2 letters, and 1 community meeting to get a pothole fixed in your city? A new software developed by IBM would allow cities to mine social media to get a picture of public sentiment, long before you dial 3-1-1.

September 14 - The Atlantic Cities

Hazel Borys compiles an extraordinary list of studies quantifying the role of livable, walkable places in building equity, city coffers, health, and social capital.

September 14 - PlaceShakers

If you live in New York City, now is the time to get your super sized sodas while you still can. Due to a ban on the sale of large sugary drinks approved yesterday by the NYC Board of Health, such treats will be verboten in six months.

September 14 - The New York Times

A growing list of cities are banking their economic development on the medical and educational sectors, which have consistently grown over the past few decades. Aaron Renn examines why overreliance on eds and meds is problematic.

September 13 - New Geography