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Watch for Desire Paths

<p> My graduate school education left me with a lot of general ideas and a handful of specific ones. One that stuck with me is a concept from landscape architecture: the desire path. Technically, the term means a path where there isn&#39;t supposed to be one, a trail of wear and tear that wasn&#39;t planned. </p>

June 2 - Tim Halbur

Opportunities in Tornadoes

<p>Parkersburg, IA, reeling from a recent tornado that devastated the town, could look to nearby Charles City for a silver lining.</p>

June 2 - Des Moines Register

The Possibilities of 'Spime'

<p>Noah Radford of Space Syntax gave an interesting presentation on the possible future of "spimes", objects like bricks that are given self-awareness in space and time (hence, spime) and what such objects might mean for future planning and design.</p>

June 2 - Resources for Urban Design Information

Ottawans Make Case Against Density

<p>Dimitri Roussopoulos of Urban Ecology and Capital Councillor Clive Doucet make the case that city planning in Ottawa ignores the smart growth plan in place, is driven by economics, and is not in the best interest of communities.</p>

June 2 - The Ottawa Citizen

Goldman Sachs Sees Gold in Humboldt, CA

<p>Humboldt's port shows promise, but would require massive investment. Goldman Sachs expresses an interest, surprising locals.</p>

June 2 - Times-Standard, Northern California


Oil Prices Affecting Asphalt As Well, Creating Opening For Greener Roads

<p>Asphalt is a byproduct of oil production, and so is getting more expensive along with rising oil costs. A $5 million research project is looking for greener solutions.</p>

June 2 - CNET News

Showdown at Valley Forge Over Land Use

<p>History buffs clash over the proper use of Valley Forge site- preserved national park land, or 142,000-square-foot museum and conference center?</p>

June 2 - The New York Times


What IS Mixed-Use, Anyway?

"Mixed-use"? "transit-oriented development"? Development in Farmington, Utah hits a wall while the planning commission debates definitions.

June 2 - The Salt Lake Tribune

Sealed Landfill Leaking 'Orange Goo' Into Residential Area

<p>Oshawa, Ontario residents have noticed a suspicious substance leaking into their community. Development next to the former landfill almost didn't happen because city planners worried about this very possibility.</p>

June 2 - durhamregion.com

On the Brink? Miami's Downtown Struggles To Revitalize

<p>While mega-condo developments are enlivening districts in and around Miami's urban core, a long moribund downtown business district struggles to keep up. Many hope that small improvements will make a big difference in the area's quest for vitality.</p>

June 2 - The Miami Herald

Kiplinger's Rates Top 10 Cities to Live, Work and Play

<p>Houston tops the list, which includes Des Moines, Boise and Omaha. Yeah, we want to see their criteria too...</p>

June 2 - Kiplinger's

U.S. Rail Network Facing Traffic Woes

<p>Freight trains already face serious traffic on the nation's network of rails. If nothing is done, insiders project disaster in the near future.</p>

June 1 - Associated Press

Students Bring Neighborhood's Plans to Life

<p>Students in Ohio State University's City and Regional Planning department worked closely with the Franklinton neighborhood in Columbus to create a new vision for the community.</p>

June 1 - Columbus Alive

New Palestinian City Planned in West Bank

<p>A developer has plans for a new Palestinian city in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, which he says would be the first new city in the West Bank in thousands of years. But he is still awaiting approval on a crucial road.</p>

June 1 - NPR

Keeping Public Space Public In Knoxville

<p>Downtown Knoxville has seen many improvements in recent years. This column calls on the city to be careful how it lets private interests use downtown's new public spaces.</p>

June 1 - Metro Pulse

Big Box on a Diet

<p>Big box stores are following their customers into downtowns, and stores like Circuit City and Target are retooling for density.</p>

June 1 - Architectural Record

Gas Prices Cause High Demand for Transit

<p>Rising gas prices have caused a big increase in transit ridership in Loudoun County, Virginia, where officials are looking to expand their bus fleet and capacity to handle the jump in demand.</p>

May 31 - The Washington Post

Best Buy Refuses to Conform to Design Standards

<p>Waynesville, North Carolina Mayor Gavin Brown is forced to give up on pedestrian-friendly design to save potential jobs from Best Buy.</p>

May 31 - The Smoky Mountain News

Canadians Also Confused By Traffic Circles

<p>Americans are notoriously bad at navigating European-style traffic circles, but it seems Canadians are also confounded.</p>

May 31 - The Edmonton Sun

Portland's Smart Growth Faces Cries of Gentrification

<p>Portland, famed for its progressive policies and smart growth, is facing criticism that the same growth they are applauded for is squeezing other groups out- particularly African-Americans.</p>

May 31 - The New York Times

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