The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

<p>Transit fares were recently increased for the Washington D.C. Metro transit system. The fare hike is the largest increase in the agency's history.</p>

December 17 - The Washington Post

<p><em>Vice Magazine</em> presents this photo essay on a cemetery in Manila that is heavily populated with both the living and the dead. More than 10,000 families make this graveyard their home.</p>

December 17 - Vice Magazine

<p>This editorial from the <em>Rocky Mountain News</em> expresses the concerns of many in Denver who worry that the region's transportation district is focusing too much on redevelopment.</p>

December 17 - The Rocky Mountain News

<p>Daniel Doctoroff, deputy mayor for economic development and rebuilding in New York, discusses the changing (and more deliberate) way the city now goes about pursuing development projects.</p>

December 16 - The New York Observer

<p>Integrating childcare facilities with the workplace is experiencing a slow but steady start in Canada, where some activists are trying to convince employers of the real economic benefits of bringing the kids to work.</p>

December 16 - Georgia Straight

<p>The Philadelphia city council has approved an inclusionary housing bill requiring developers to include a certain percentage of affordable housing in all projects of 20 units or more.</p>

December 16 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

<p>Recent test runs of double decker buses as part of San Francisco's Muni system have been well-received by riders, and many expect them to be fully adopted into the system in 2008.</p>

December 16 - The San Francisco Chronicle

<p>Despite its plentiful oil reserves, the Arabian emirate of Abu Dhabi is planning and developing some green cities that will be able to operate without the power of oil.</p>

December 16 - Business Week

<p>Oregon's state transportation budget is falling short of the projected demand by billions of dollars. A committee of local politicians is laying blame at the state and federal levels.</p>

December 15 - The Oregonian

<p>Jerusalem has an increasing number of "ghost town" neighborhoods, where tourist housing has left areas empty for much of the year. This article looks at the proposed solution to this problem, and wonders whether there is even a problem at all.</p>

December 15 - The Jerusalem Post

<p>While coal industry lobbyists promote "clean coal", scientists argue that such technology is years away. Meanwhile, the mountains of West Virginia are being leveled with devastating consequences for the environment and for neighboring communities.</p>

December 15 - AlterNet

<p>The new public transit system in Santiago, Chile, is having implementation troubles, and it's leaving many commuters upset.</p>

December 15 - Time

<p>Come January 1, new car buyers in France may be charged a hefty carbon fee, or conversely, receive a carbon rebate, depending upon the emissions of the vehicle they purchase. The fee/rebate is strikingly similar to a twice-failed California bill.</p>

December 15 - Yahoo News

<p>The head of traffic and parking enforcement in Rome, Italy was fired after parking illegally using a fraudulent handicapped permit.</p>

December 14 - Reuters

<p>With all the presidential debates going on this election season, not once have urban issues come up.</p>

December 14 - The New York Times

<p>Plans have just been announced for a large park space in Atlanta, circled by pedestrian friendly developments, including 5,000 units of housing and mixed use developments. But making it happen will require a lot of cooperation.</p>

December 14 - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

<p>Subway construction and expansion is being seen in cities across the world.</p>

December 14 - Business Week

BLOG POST

<p><img style="width: 200px; height: 150px; float: right" src="/files/u2/20071214-toy-train.jpg" alt="Toy train" title="Toy train" hspace="30" vspace="2" width="200" height="150" align="right" />Metrolink is Southern California&#39;s <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metrolink_%28Southern_California%29">regional rail</a> system linking several counties. The 15-year old system with 7 lines, 54 stations, and 388 route miles serves over 40,000 passengers in the Southland. <a href="http://www.metrolinktrains.com/about/">Metrolink</a> says its mission is &quot;to provide the people of Southern California safe, reliable and environmentally friendly commute option.&quot; Sure, but can it also serve as an interesting venue to host a 4-year old&#39;s birthday party?</p> <p>One birthday boy in particular loves trains and is a fan of a popular <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_the_Tank_Engine_and_Friends">TV series</a> featuring trains. His mother told me that their family trips were often planned around using rail transit to get to destinations in Central and Southern California. So what better way to celebrate his birthday than to invite his friends -- accompanied by parents of course -- for a trip on a commuter train? Children that age are probably more used to birthday parties where they are entertained by clowns or magicians. Would these children, growing up in Southern California&#39;s car-centric culture be entertained at a party where the view through a train window was the main attraction? </p>

December 14 - Abhijeet Chavan

<p>Seattle's long-planned South Lake Union streetcar officially began operations Wednesday.</p>

December 14 - The Seattle Post-Intelligencer

<p>Various projects in Las Vegas are including environmentally-friendly elements, signaling a shift amongst the city's development community.</p>

December 14 - E/The Environmental Magazine