The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Pre-America's Biggest City

<em>Per Square Mile</em> recount the history of Cahokia, a Mississipian settlement that was the biggest city in America from about 1250 to 1800.

February 11 - Per Square Mile

Resuscitating the Hudson River Tunnel

One plan to build a tunnel under the Hudson River from New Jersey to New York was killed by Governor Chris Christie, but New Jersey's senators have gotten behind a new plan to do the same thing.

February 11 - The New York Times

Stadium Complex Seeks to Draw Pro Sports to Las Vegas

Developers in Las Vegas have announced a proposal for a three-stadium complex in the city intended to lure professional basketball, hockey, football and baseball teams.

February 11 - The Las Vegas Sun

Luxury Hotel Turns Squatter Settlement

Between 2,000 and 3,000 people have taken over the Grande Hotel in Beira, Mozambique, and turned it into a small community of squatters.

February 11 - CNN

Nicing Up the City

With millions of people, Los Angeles -- like many big cities -- can be a rude place. And though it makes sense that the city can be impolite, it doesn't have to be, argues Amy Alkon in this op-ed.

February 11 - Los Angeles Times


Believe It or Not: Suburbs Not Responsible For Obesity Rates

A study conducted in Illinois has found no correlation between rates of obesity to suburban sprawl, as was previously believed.

February 10 - US News

How Detroit's Mayor Attempts to Save the Great American City

With the challenges facing American cities of tight budgets and lost revenues, Major Bing openly asks how to shrink the size of Detroit and makes an open call for plans, concepts, and strategies to save the failing city.

February 10 - Washington Post


"The Dirt" Interviews Peter Calthorpe

Peter Calthorpe, author of "Urbanism in the Age of Climate Change," speaks about his new book and the role of landscape architecture and new urbanism in the twenty-first century.

February 10 - THE DIRT

Re-Zoning for a Future Population Averse to Single-Family Homes

As demographics shift and housing preferences of younger buyers lean away from single-family housing, much of the single-family-home-zoned areas in Charlotte will need to be rethought, according to this editorial.

February 10 - The Charlotte Observer

A Very Thorough Understanding of a City's Streets

One woman in Lansing, Michigan has started a walking mission to explore and document every stretch of street in her city -- a total of more than 400 miles.

February 10 - Lansing State Journal

Livability Lessons from Gainesville

Urban designer David Green talks with Anthony Lyons, Director of the city of Gainesville's Community Redevelopment Agency, about his successes in the city and how other cities can become more livable.

February 10 - Fast Co. Design

FEATURE

European Urbanism: Lessons from a City without Suburbs

Athens, Greece has all the elements of good urbanism - density, diversity, destinations, distance (to transit) and design. So is Athens a poster child for good urbanism? Fanis Grammenos takes an in-depth look.

February 10 - Fanis Grammenos

Farming the Subdivision

Agricultural spaces are increasingly being included in housing developments.

February 10 - Landscape Architecture Magazine

Temporarily Activating and Renting Unused Spaces

In Japan, owners of vacant space can rent them out by the hour, day or week to people who need them for temporary purposes thanks to a new website.

February 10 - Japan Today

Vancouver Students May Get New Gondola

The city of Burnaby, near Vancouver, may soon approve a proposed gondola line connecting university students to rest of city.

February 10 - The Vancouver Sun

Prioritizing Pedestrians

Daily pedestrian trips in Vancouver, Canada are at 318,000, while bike trips are at 60,000. So why do bikes have a committee and pedestrians don't? City planners are rectifying that situation now, with a new focus on walkers.

February 10 - The Vancouver Courier

BLOG POST

Trains So Fast They'll Make Mama Proud

<span style="border-collapse: separate; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; font-size: medium; font-family: Times; color: #000000" class="Apple-style-span"> <div style="font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10px; background-color: #ffffff"> <p> To hear my mother tell it, I gave Joe Biden the idea for high-speed rail. Charitable and glowing, yes, but isn’t that what mothers are for?  </p> <p> All the same, I can’t help but glow a bit anyway when I think about how far we’ve come as a country in embracing high-speed rail.  </p>

February 9 - Jeffrey Barg

Congress Expected to Support High Speed Rail Funding Request

The Obama Administration is moving ahead with its plans for a national high-speed rail system after opposition on the part of some conservative lawmakers backfired.

February 9 - Huffington Post

Redevelopment Plan of Gateway Arch Grounds Moves Forward

More details of the winning design are unveiled for the planned remodeling of the Gateway Arch Park in St. Louis, MO.

February 9 - STLtoday.com

Supermarkets in Britain Remain Controversial Even After Move to Town Centers

After the backlash of suburban development in the 80s and 90s, “supermarket-led development” in town centers remain a contentious issue in Britain.

February 9 - New Urban Network

Post News

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.