The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Delhi Expands Metro System
A new 20-km metro line has just been completed in Delhi, India.
The 'Encyclodictionary" of Planning
The Language of Towns & Cities: A Visual Dictionary, by Dhiru A. Thadani is a doorstopper of a book. Philip Langdon looks at this giant guide to New Urbanist ideas.
FEATURE
A Night At Arcosanti
Making Transit More Social
Quiet cars are spreading to subways and trains across the country. But what about conversation cars, for people who WANT to talk? Alex Marshall says cars for socializing would be great for creating community.
Transit Could Decide Chicago Mayor's Race
Columnist Jon Hilkevitch writes that a new public-opinion poll on mass-transit issues found that the Chicagoans care deeply about them. Though the candidates haven't taken sides yet, it could be a deciding factor.
Sushi from Walgreens?
The New York Times reports that retailers more used to selling aspirin and greeting cards are now offering more elaborate grocery options.
Historic Preservation Funding in Danger
Part of a new proposal to cut billions from the federal budget includes eliminating the historic preservation programs Save America's Treasures and Preserve America.
Ray LaHood Responds To High-Speed Rail Critics
DOT Secretary Ray LaHood responds to a Washington Post editorial that condemned not only the California High Speed Rail project, but President Obama's vision for a national high-speed rail network.
Technology & Fuels Are Key To Reducing Transportation Climate Impacts
A second Pew Center report on transportation and climate change has been released. It places most emphasis on vehicle technology and fuel, less on transit and smart growth. However, urban planners should note that pricing policies are stressed.
Booze Ads on Buses
The Council of Edmonton, Alberta is considering allowing liquor advertisements on their buses, which a report estimates could bring in an extra $1 million in revenue.
The Problem With China's High-Speed Rail
Patrick Chovanec, an economics professor in Beijing, explains that the majority of Chinese have more time and less money, so prefer slower, cheaper modes of travel than the new, expensive bullet trains.
DC Streetcars to Be a Shot in the Arm
It was nearly 50 years ago, when streetcars were seen on the roadways of downtown Washington, DC. Dan Tangherlini, the former transportation director for the District discusses why streetcars matter in the United States capital.
Where is the Coverage of Landscape Architecture?
Charles A. Birnbaum bemoans the lack of quality journalism covering landscape architecture, which often gets overshadowed by architecture criticism and shunted into the Home & Garden section of the paper.
Superstreets To The Rescue
Randal O'Toole points to a thesis paper that proposes a new approach to traffic flow at major intersections.
Buildings That Tweet
Thomas Schielke, an architectural lighting expert, gives an inclusive overview of building facades that include media from the 1931 addition of color at the top of the Empire State Building to a 2010 building that converts brainwaves to light.
The Difference Between Roads and Streets
Tao Rugkhapan reports on the etiology traffic accidents which are becoming all to common in Bangkok as vehicle speeds increase along with lane tolerances and the number of elevated expressways.
An Aural Trip to Burning Man
Sound recordist and architect Nick Sowers offers an audio experience of the annual festival Burning Man.
Monorails Fade As Streetcars Retake Spotlight
Streetcars -- a relatively old transportation technology -- have more traction than high tech solutions like monorails in the modern age of mobility. Want proof? Just look at Disneyland, says Tom Vanderbilt.
Urban Favorites
The Polis Blog presents a huge list of "urban favorites" -- songs, movies, initiatives and places that explain or highlight the best of the world's urban areas.
What Does It Take to Live in 300 Square Feet?
For ninety days, Ben Brown lived out of a 308-square-foot cottage designed by Marianne Cusato. He discovered that you really needed to be connected to your community when living in tight quarters.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
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.
