The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
China's Architectural Personality Crisis
Liu Yugie offers and considered and compelling analysis of the state of architecture in China today, and asks if "is China a playground for international architects or an abused testing ground for bad design?"
New Planning Law Will Protect Istanbul's Historic Views And Lines Of Sight
Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality has announced a plan aimed at protecting the city's views by preventing construction of tall buildings in lines of sight and preventing illegal building construction.
Western Planners Swoop In To Attack Sao Paulo's 'Worm'
The Big Worm is a 2.2 mile elevated highway carving its way through South America's biggest city, carrying 80,000 vehicles a day past the bedroom windows of once elegant art deco apartment buildings.
Las Vegas Learns To Mow Its Own Lawn
Nevada has gone from having the lowest unemployment in the US in 2006 at 4% to the highest now at 13.4%. Once again Las Vegas is proving to be a reflection of the country's wider problems, where the top end of the market never dropped out.
FEATURE
The Surprising Rise of Minneapolis as a Top Bike Town
Despite its cold weather and spread-out development patterns, a Midwestern city beat Portland, San Francisco and Boulder for the title of #1 Bike City. Jay Walljasper explains how.
Americans Think Planning Process is Unfair
A new survey found that 64% of Americans think that the relationship between local officials and developers makes the approval process unfair.
Plan to Revitalize Public Housing Stymied by NYC Parking Requirements
New York City Housing Authority Chairman John Rhea says that the city's own parking minimums are making it difficult to make public housing sites more mixed-use, mixed-income and financially sustainable.
Innovative Public/Private Model to Revitalize a Downtown
Quincy, Massachusetts is planning to clear out 50 acres of its city center and build $1.3 billion in retail shops, offices, parking garages and more, plus $300m in new infrastructure. A new financial model is making it possible.
Rewarding Bikes and Peds for Leaving Their Cars at Home
How is the City of London incentivizing bike and ped commuters for helping improve the air? There's an App for that.
Fixing a "Psychological Moat" That Divides a City
South Carolina members of the Urban Land Institute met in Columbia, South Carolina to offer suggestions for overhauling Assembly Street, a major downtown thoroughfare that separates distinct areas of the urban core.
Reduced Toll Increase Continues NJ Bus Dead-Heading Problem
Because the Port Authority Bus Terminal lacks a garage, empty buses shuttle off to New Jersey for storage between the AM and PM commutes. The garage would have been funded by a higher toll, which NJ and NY governors rejected.
"Earthscraper" Beats Height Limits By Going Down Instead of Up
In the dense center of Mexico City, an architect has proposed a 65-story building - straight down.
LaHood Calling it Quits After 2012?
At a recent press conference, ubiquitous Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood told reporters he'd leave his post at the end of Obama's first term.
Pedestrian Safety Plan? Ban Pedestrians. Bikes Too.
The Town of Hull, Wisconsin's public safety committee is considering a new ordinance that bans bicyclists and pedestrians from some county roads - unless they get special permission.
A "Healthy Capacity" for Transit Manufacturing Exists in NYC
Citing the shift in economic activity at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, Ginia Bellafonte makes a case for bringing transit manufacturing to this and similar areas of the city. Talent's not an issue, but financing always is.
Atlanta Transportation Plans Ready for Votes
Which aspects of the regional transportation projects may underwhelm following months of compromise? Ariel Hart examines the plans, which serve both "mobility" and "political ends."
To Make Great Places, Mix Well
Carl F. Meyer of Perkins+Will presents three things he strives for to make vibrant public spaces, and all three involve mixing it up.
Nature Essential to Counteract Modern Life
Richard Louv says we're drowning in a "sea of circuitry" and in desperate need to reconnect with greenery and nature in our living spaces to sooth our souls.
Streamlined Tappan Zee Bridge Rebuild Approved By U.S.
The federal government approved a streamlined process to expedite the bridge's replacement. Key would be to remove transit plans for the new bridge, thus keeping costs down, but that has raised questions about not providing alternatives to driving.
Public Transit Required for Chicago City Employees
Mayor Rahm Emanuel has mandated that city employees on the clock be required to ride Chicago Transit trains and buses, with a few exceptions, in order to get reimbursed. BJ Lutz reports.
Borough of Carlisle
Smith Gee Studio
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
