The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

The Social Life of Dallas City Hall Plaza

Filmmaker Aaron Garcia uses narration from William H. Whyte's classic <em>The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces</em> to highlight the failings of the I.M. Pei-designed Dallas City Hall Plaza.

June 6 - The Better Block: A living Charette

The History Of the Push for Interstate Highways

"The Big Roads: The Untold Story of the Engineers, Visionaries, and Trailblazers Who Created the American Superhighways" by journalist Earl Swift examines the movement to build interstate highways well before Pres. Eisenhower's landmark legislation.

June 6 - The Wall Street Journal - BOOKSHELF

Long Commute Takes a Toll on Relationships

Latest study by a Swedish university shows that couples whose commute time exceeds 45 minutes are 40% more likely to experience marital problems.

June 5 - The Infrastructurist

Jerry Brown: Planning By Wandering Around

The California governor made an unscheduled appearance in front of the state's Strategic Growth Council -- unstaffed -- to find out what they're up to.

June 5 - California Planning & Development Report

Where Have All The Children Gone?

Decreasing fertility rates of non-Hispanic whites and black women, plus the tendency of families with children to cluster, have caused declines in the '18 and under' population share in 95% of U.S. counties.

June 5 - USA Today - Census


Economic Development in Orlando Linked to Defense

A combination of favorable factors have made Orlando the site of a growing high-tech military research/simulation center. Pentagon spending already employs 9,000 more Floridians than the state's hallowed agriculture industry, writes Richard Reep.

June 5 - New Geography

BLOG POST

I’ve Graduated, Now What?

<p> <span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: small">Many of those who have recently graduated in planning are currently asking “how can I get a job?” Of course a number of recent graduates do have work. But government budget cuts may mean that local jobs are hard to get. This is the time to use your imagination. To get you started here are some ideas:</span></span></span><span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small"> </span></span> </p>

June 4 - Ann Forsyth


New Google App: "Mapnificent"

A new google app, dubbed Mapnificent, allows you to choose a starting location and then see all the places that you can reach by public transportation within a specified amount of time.

June 4 - GOOD Magazine

Bike-Friendly Commuter RR Gets Bike-Friendlier

Mission Accomplished! Bike advocates had been lobbying Caltrain for a guaranteed two-bike car capacity ever since the first 'bike bump' occurred. The train San Francisco-San Jose has had a bike-friendly reputation since a 1992 pilot program.

June 4 - San Francisco Examiner

The Food System's Negative Impact on Communities

In this food-focused installment of a series on "great places", <em>Grist</em>'s Tom Philpott argues that food system as currently structured creates the opposite of great places.

June 4 - Grist

Luring Luxury and Expelling the Lower Class

New York City's policy that incentivizes luxury development has had deleterious impacts on the city's lower and middle classes, according to the new documentary "The Vanishing City".

June 4 - The Architect's Newspaper

Listening to the People's Voice in Detroit

In this op-ed for <em>The Detroit News</em>, Rob Goodspeed argues that Detroit needs to exert more effort to dialog with its citizens about how the city should change.

June 4 - The Detroit News

Is Now the Time for New Urbanism?

As CNU 19 convenes in Madison, Wisconsin, Reporter Mike Ivey says that New Urbanism's brand of smaller homes and denser lifestyle may be finally finding its niche.

June 3 - The Cap Times

How Disneyland Got Its Monorail

Planner Sam Gennawey tracks the history of Disneyland's monorail back to a 1958 visit by Walt Disney to Wuppertal, Germany.

June 3 - MiceAge

Last Month For Hybrids In CA Carpool Lanes

In Sept. 2005, eligible hybrid vehicles could use CA carpool lanes with only one occupant as an incentive to purchase them. The expiration date was extended by legislation twice, but DMV assures the 85,000 yellow decal owners it ends July 1.

June 3 - San Francisco Chronicle

Le Corbusier Buildings Rejected From World Heritage List

A consultant has recommended to UNESCO that they reject a proposal to include 19 buildings designed by French architect Le Corbusier on their list of world heritage sites.

June 3 - Daily Yomiyuri Online

Artist Decorates Abandoned Bike, Gets Fined

Toronto artist Caroline Macfarlane found a rusted bicycle that had been locked to a bike rack for a very long time. She decided to make it into art, painting the whole bike neon pink and adding a basket of flowers. The city responded by fining her.

June 3 - Boing Boing

Envisioning a Lush Mexico City

Two architects submit a plan to Mexico City planners that includes bringing the Río Piedad back to life and revitalizing the city with green public spaces along its waters.

June 3 - The New York Times

Argentina Gets Its First Bus Rapid Transit

Mauricio Macri, the mayor of Buenos Aires, inaugurated Argentina's first bus rapid transit system today, marking its first day of operation.

June 3 - TheCityFix.com

Does Downtown Seattle Have Enough Bike Parking?

A study of bicycle amenities in Seattle concludes that most of the private office buildings downtown lack bike parking, and other amenities such as showers and bike pumps are almost nonexistent. Public bicycle parking downtown has a better showing.

June 3 - Puget Sound Business Journal

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Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.

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.