The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

World's Longest Bus Debuts in Dresden

Described as a "train on wheels," the 98 feet long three-section bus that seats an astonishing 256 passengers is set to hit the streets of Dresden, Germany in October.

August 30 - tecca

Landscape Architects Design Parks for Pets

Pet ownership in the U.S. continues to hit record levels, and with the increasing interest in city living the number (and variety of designs) of dog runs in city parks has increased. Designers are utilizing a dog's-eye-view to serve their clients.

August 30 - Metropolis Mag

GOP Platform Takes Aim at Community Planning

The official G.O.P. platform approved at the party's convention on Tuesday included tough language on U.N. Agenda 21, decrying it as "erosive of American sovereignty," reports Leslie Kaufman.

August 30 - The New York Times

Political Squabbling Trumps Demands for a New London Airport

Where are the projected 400 million air travelers coming to London supposed to land? Prime Minister David Cameron is caught between two politically difficult choices for how to manage the projected growth in passengers.

August 30 - The New York Times

Design Competition for Bordeaux Puts Nature First

As the city of Bordeaux, France, makes plans to move up the list of major European cities, it's calling on a multidisciplinary design competition for ways to revitalize its city from the top down by integrating "natural areas."

August 30 - The Design Observer Group


Housing Comeback Reported in America's Hardest-Hit Cities

The long-awaited recovery of America's housing market, after six years of decline, seems to be gaining traction, with the latest data indicating increasing prices in hard-hit cities like Miami, Atlanta, and Detroit.

August 29 - The New York Times

Which Cities Have the Worst Drivers?

In an age of increasingly distracted drivers, it's getting ever more hazardous to ply America's urban roads. The eighth annual “America’s Best Drivers Report,” issued by Allstate Insurance, explores exactly which cities are the most dangerous.

August 29 - Forbes


Building Community to Build Resilience

As Hurricane Isaac lashes the Gulf Coast, Daniel P. Aldrich argues that the "density and strength of social networks are the most important variables" in determining how communities respond to natural disasters.

August 29 - The New York Times

Dear Minneapolis Skyway: Here's Your Tongue-in-Cheek Birthday Greeting

Bill Lindeke discusses the history of Minneapolis' Skyways and argues why we shouldn't celebrate a system that he believes is failing its downtown.

August 29 - twin city sidewalks

How Driving Less and Renting More May Change Our Economy

Two <em>Atlantic</em> editors investigate why the younger generation is not only driving less but also less likely to purchase homes than their baby boomer parents. Is it temporary, a result of a bad economy, or are these behaviors a permanent shift?

August 29 - The Atlantic (Magazine)

Syrian Uprising Threatens Survival of Treasured Historic Landmarks

Christian Sahner reports on the devastating destruction of historical sites that has befallen Syria since the beginning of the opposition uprising 18 months ago, and urges international communities to take action to protect them from further harm.

August 29 - The Wall Street Journal

Imagining an Alternative History for the Planning Profession

In Amanda Erickson's explanation of the history of urban planning, the profession as conceived at the start of the 20th century confronted a choice between creating beautiful people or beautiful cities. Why couldn't planners have created both?

August 29 - The Atlantic Cities

Do Commute Times Create an Inherent Limit to Sprawl?

Charlie Gardner parses the data on mean commuting times recently released as part of the 2010 ACS estimates for metropolitan statistical areas, and wonders what the maximum mean travel time suggests for the urban form of America's cities.

August 29 - Old Urbanist

New Legislation Cracks Down on Intercity Buses

Intercity buses face new regulations as they continue to expand their services and compete for ridership, reports Susan Stellin.

August 29 - The New York Times

Sewer Shortage Pits Developers Against Residents on Long Island

Plans to develop eastern Long Island as a thriving tech hub with "bustling downtowns and new apartments for young families" are facing a messy obstacle, the absence of "a basic element of a modern civilization: sewers."

August 29 - The Wall Street Journal

BLOG POST

Cracks Appear in L.A.’s Grand Transportation Plan

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August 28 - Jonathan Nettler

New Orleans Prepares for Biggest Test Since Katrina

Seven years after Katrina made mincemeat of the city's flood protections, Hurricane Isaac is bearing down on the Crescent City. Ingrid Norton looks at what's different this time around.

August 28 - Next American City

Should the Army Decide What Projects are Right for Your Neighborhood?

In an opinion piece for <em>Bloomberg View</em>, Edward Glaeser argues that the Army Corps of Engineers' influence on development in local communities is too far-reaching.

August 28 - Bloomberg

Year's Best in Landscape Architecture Announced

The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) has just announced the winners of its 2012 Professional and Student Awards.

August 28 - American Society Of Landscape Architects

EPA to Announce Strict New Fuel-Efficiency Standards

By requiring the U.S. auto fleet to average 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025, the standards announced today by the Obama administration will significantly cut U.S. oil consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, reports Juliet Eilperin.

August 28 - The Washington Post

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