The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Katharine Seelye writes on the clash between business interests and residents of rural Maine, where a proposed private toll road has revealed a difference in values.

August 7 - The New York Times

Peter Hermann describes the police force's efforts in D.C.'s up-and-coming areas to put a stop to crime and congestion before it even occurs.

August 7 - The Washington Post

Los Angeles, New York, Tokyo, Columbus, Indiana? Susan Stamberg investigates what makes one small Midwestern town a global center for architectural innovation.

August 7 - NPR

NASA scientist James Hansen, considered to be the 'godfather of global warming' has co-authored a new report that shows the connection between 'extreme weather events', such as the drought most of the U.S. is now experiencing, and climate change.

August 7 - PBS NewsHour

After Atlanta's failed transportation tax referendum, commentators from across the country lamented the region's missed opportunity. Yonah Freemark looks south to Miami, a cautionary example where lofty goals for expanded transit have come up short.

August 7 - the transport politic

Emily Wortman-Wunder looks at the effectiveness of conservation development - a popular tool used by planners across the rural West for the purposes of preserving open space.

August 7 - High Country News

Kaid Benfield wades into the density debate by pointing out that density and sprawl can go hand in hand.

August 6 - Switchboard

Nashville? New York? Austin? L.A.? Fans love debating which city has America's best music scene. Richard Florida brings an analytical eye to the question by investigating America's leading centers for musicians and the music industry.

August 6 - The Atlantic Cities

With the healthiest economy of any major metropolitan area in the country and a winning baseball team, D.C. is doing quite well for itself these days. David Leonhardt looks at what economic lessons the city has to offer the rest of the country.

August 6 - The New York Times

<em>The Economist</em> looks at the generational gap that is hampering efforts to rebuild tsunami-stricken communities in Japan, as the elderly favor restoring what was lost as soon as possible, and the young seek sustainable revitalization.

August 6 - The Economist

Rives Taylor pens an editorial for Urban Land advocating for "engineered resilience", which he describes as "next-generation sustainability" that "adds adaptability and the protection of human life" to planning for the well-being of the planet.

August 6 - Urban Land

Facing crippling deficits that have threatened California's vaunted quality of life, the discovery of more than $286 million in state accounts will come as a welcome relief. A sweeping state audit, however, raises more questions than it answers.

August 6 - Los Angeles Times

Planners in search of work might want to consider looking in India. As Nate Berg reports, the Indian government is hoping a new technology initiative will catalyze master planning efforts in 7,935 cities and towns across the country.

August 6 - The Atlantic Cities

Countless street-gazing tourists and residents of New York have wondered what the mysterious markings - one that looks like a blue poker chip, the other a yellow E - embedded in New York's streets signify. Kate Hinds has the answer.

August 6 - Transportation Nation

The first four months of 2012 saw 'energy-related, CO2 emissions' drop to levels not seen since 1992, according to the EIA. Graphs show an 18% decrease in carbon emissions from coal, with lesser amounts from natural gas and petroleum from a year ago

August 6 - Reuters - U.S.

In producing updated sewer service maps, New Jersey's 21 counties have partnered to sketch out statewide development well into the future. Critics complain that the plans favor developers over the environment, reports Jill P. Capuzzo.

August 6 - The New York Times

Looking to escape the hustle and bustle of the city in your neighborhood park? For a true mental vacation, head for the park with the densest vegetation, writes Eric Jaffe.

August 5 - The Atlantic Cities

Brooklyn Bridge Park's privately funded field house proposal, complete with Olympic-class velodrome, faces criticism over its size, effects on the surrounding neighborhood, and arguments over open space versus space for sports facilities.

August 5 - The New York Times

As they wait for construction materials to arrive, the race is on to see which of Chicago's two permitted parklets, which the CDOT calls "People Spots," will be the city's first to be completed.

August 5 - The Architect's Newspaper

Five years after the I-35W bridge collapse, Congress has yet to address the failing condition of America's bridges. There is no consensus between the two parties in Congress on how to remedy the situation, unlike the progress shown in Minnesota.

August 5 - StarTribune (Minneapolis)