The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Fighting Mumbai's Demand for Car Ownership

The demand for personal transportation is quickly growing in Mumbai. This post from <em>The City Fix</em> looks at what the city will need to do to prevent the negative impacts of what could be a growing storm of car ownership.

January 20 - The City Fix

Obama's Infrastructure Grade: A-

A year ago, the Brookings Institution offered a series of suggestions to the Obama Administration for addressing infrastructure problems. Some advice was followed, other suggestions weren't. The Institution gives the Administration an A- for 2009.

January 20 - The Brookings Institution

Despite Praise, Portland Has Room for Improvement

Portland, Oregon, is held high on a pedestal for innovative urban planning and development. But the city has its drawbacks and needs to face them, writes Aaron M. Renn.

January 20 - The Oregonian

A Car Street Undesired

While in Copenhagen for climate talks in December, U.S. officials got a taste of Danish-style bicycle planning. Some of them liked what they saw, but translating that infrastructure here in the States is no easy task.

January 20 - Miller-McCune

The Food Court, R.I.P.

The "food court", staple of malldom and home of Hot Dog on a Stick, is dead, say retail architects and designers. Higher-end restaurants and softer surfaces are replacing the shiny plastic tables and Orange Juliuses of the past.

January 20 - Retail Traffic Magazine


EPA Recognizes Land Use/Global Warming Connection

For possibly the first time, the EPA has issued a report the directly links climate change mitigation with local land use strategies, says Patty Salkin.

January 19 - Law of the Land

Reacting to LaHood and 'Livability'

The National Journal Online talks to three transportation experts about the recent statements by DOT Secretary LaHood that the agency would begin using livability-based funding guidelines for major transit projects. Will it work?

January 19 - National Journal Online


TODs With Juice

New Energy Hubs is a proposal to focus alternative energy production around transit-oriented developments to create synergistic benefits.

January 19 - WorldChanging

Transportation Officials Pool Knowledge for Bicycle Planning

The National Association of City Transportation Officials has launched an initiative to help members better plan for and implement infrastructure for cyclists.

January 19 - Governing

Free Transit Opens in Baltimore

Despite the downward trend in public services like transit, the city of Baltimore in opening a free transit line.

January 19 - Wired

The New Prefab

A group of green architects in Philadelphia are creating new ways to use pre-fabricated elements, using digital design to distance them from the prefab of yore.

January 19 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

Congressional Deaf Ears Over Transportation Concerns

America's transportation system is in trouble, according to many experts. But action at the congressional level doesn't seem to recognize the importance of the problem, writes Neal Peirce.

January 19 - Citiwire

Disparity Between Success and Failure Widening in U.K. Cities

The difference between success and failure in the U.K. has gotten worse with the recession, with ailing cities getting worse and successful cities are coming out even stronger.

January 19 - Public Finance

Improving City Services Through Technology

This infographic from <em>GOOD</em> looks at how city departments can use technology to better share data, and improve communication with citizens and streamline city services.

January 19 - Good

Give Cap & Trade Revenue To....The People?

A key committee has recommended a novel approach to distributing revenue from a forthcoming cap & trade scheme, the key strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by the CA Air Resources Board in order to meet the reductions mandated in AB 32.

January 19 - The New York Times - Environment

BLOG POST

The Country's Best Urban Bike Commute?

<!--StartFragment--><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana">More than two years years ago I chronicled my <a href="/node/26876">daily bicycle commute in Miami</a>. The 8-mile trip was as representative of Miami&#39;s built and socio-cultural landscape as it was harrowing. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana">While that city has surely made progress in the pas two years, I&#39;d be lying if I didn&#39;t disclose that I partially moved to New York City because of the progress being made in designing livable streets infrastructure. Quite simply, it feels good to be in a city that &quot;gets it.&quot; </span></p>

January 18 - Mike Lydon

Las Vegas Monorail Bankruptcy: An Omen For Private Transit?

Railway Age advances the notion that private transit is simply not feasible in the U.S. due to economic fluctuations, as shown by the declaration of bankruptcy of the not-for-profit Las Vegas Monorail Company.

January 18 - RailwayAge

How Should Port-au-Prince be Rebuilt?

With Haiti's capital city in ruins, and emergency response still underway, rebuilding efforts are a ways off. But the rebuilding following recent disasters may provide guidance, writes Mark MacKinnon.

January 18 - Globe and Mail

Portland Learning from Los Angeles

An interdisciplinary team of urban designers, architects, and analysts have proposed a neo-retro-futurist scenario for making downtown Portland nearly car-free by 2050.

January 18 - Hugeasscity

Good Bones

That's what a consultant told Robert L. Hubbard, city director of planning and community development of Gardner, Massachussetts, about the city's infrastructure. Gardner intends to build on those bones with an urban renewal plan.

January 18 - Worcester Telegram & Gazette

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.