The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
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Who's Driving This Public Transit System?
<span style="font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman">Virtually every modern economy is mixed: governments produce some goods and services and private companies produce others. Governments generally provide those goods and services that are either considered essential and should be available to everybody regardless of ability to pay, or that require strategic coordination, including police protection, basic education, transportation infrastructure, parks, and public health services.</span> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman">Transportation facilities and services are among these basic government functions.
SF's Congestion Pricing Plan Advances
Three possibilities for tolling San Francisco's downtown have been advanced by the Board of Supervisors; two involve tolling the 'Southern Gateway', the only entrance to the peninsula city that is untolled. However, Prop 26 could doom the plan.
Home Sizes on the Decline
The square footage of homes in the U.S. continues to decline, according to a new survey.
A New Kind of Airport
Architect Claire Lester reimagines Chicago's O'Hare as a dynamic, multipurpose environment.
Urban Agriculture Program Gets Boost in Oakland
A small-scale urban agriculture project in Oakland, California is set to receive a $4 million grant to expand its work.
A Look at Contemporary Berlin
This photo slideshow from <em>Places</em> offers a look at the city of Berlin and the fast pace of change underway there.
Glowing Trees Light the Way
Researchers in Taiwan have discovered that gold nanoparticles can create luminescence in tree leaves, opening the possibility of glowing trees that cold act as streetlights.
The Cultural Reshaping of Los Angeles
In this reflection on the new book "Los Angeles in Maps", James Rojas wonders what shape the city will take in the near and far future.
Nuclear Storage Facility to Last 100,000 Years
Officials in Finland are building a nuclear waster storage facility that is designed to last for at least 100,000 years.
Invasion of the Chain Stores
As chain stores move into a Brooklyn neighborhood, some locals worry about the loss of local character and small businesses.
Indianapolis Transit Proposal Focuses On Frequency Over Coverage
After a year of outreach and research, Indy Connect has published its report yesterday outlining recommendations for the next 25 years of public transit expenditure. They call for $2.4 billion on transit and $8.4 on road expansion and maintenance.
19th Century Chicago History Goes Hollywood
Hollywood producers are planning a film version of the Chicago-focused book The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic And Madness At The Fair That Changed America.
BLOG POST
"Hidden Density" showing up across the City
<p> <span style="font-family: Tahoma"><span style="font-size: small">Back when Vancouver was first discussing the concept of laneway housing as part of the EcoDensity Initiative in 2006-2008, we nick-named it "hidden density" because it didn't significantly change the way single-detached housing blocks looked from the street. We did so, recognizing that the word hidden is a relative term.</span></span><span style="font-family: Tahoma"><span style="font-size: small"> </span></span> </p>
Friday Funny: Bad Planning At Playtime
A play area for children at the Salt Lake City airport is eerily representative of modern city development patterns in the United States, says the Conservative Planner.
Green Efforts Have Room to Grow in Chicago
Chicago is trying to position itself as one of the greenest cities in America, but longheld plans to upgrade the city's overburdened stormwater system highlight how far it has to go.
Urban Migration Complicates China's Census
Last week, China deployed six million workers for a 10-day effort to count the country's population. A surge in citizens relocating from rural to urban areas makes the task difficult, reports the Economist.
BLOG POST
Urban Planning Gift Ideas For Children (Your Budding Planner)
I've gathered some of the best here, properly field tested by my boys, to help you with your holiday shopping list.
One Nation Under One Card
A plan at the national level in India intends to put all buses, trains, rail, metro, ferry, taxis and even auto rickshaws under a common, contactless smart card.
Making a Safer Multi-Use Path
Pathways that are used by cyclists and pedestrians have shown a high rate of collisions. Some say the regulations for these multi-use paths should be updated.
A Petri Dish for Dreams
That's how architect Brenda Levin, FAIA, describes her adopted city of Los Angeles, where she's spent the last 30 years helping the city's urban form evolve.
Pagination
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.