The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

<p>Thinking and acting green is all the rage these days, but commentator Neal Peirce ponders if it can ultimately be more than just a passing fad?</p>

February 22 - AlterNet

BLOG POST

<p>As a note of introduction, I am a Master&#39;s student in Community Planning at the University of Maryland. I&#39;m happy to be part of this exciting project. </p><p><img src="/files/u10085/271989110_fe17db8a63_m.jpg" alt="MLK Memorial Library, Washington, D.C." title="MLK Memorial Library, Washington, D.C." hspace="5" vspace="5" width="240" height="189" align="right" />With a series of new urban libraries opening in U.S. cities recent years, its been said we&#39;re living through an &#39;urban library renaissance.&#39; Whether it is the <a href="http://www.planetizen.com/node/13300">enthusiastic reception</a> of the new Seattle library, or lending and attendance <a href="http://www.planetizen.com/node/22494">up in urban Canadian libraries</a>, there seems to be an increased awareness of the critical role libraries play, even in the information age.</p><p>However, no such renaissance has happened here in Washington, D.C. -- at least not yet. Here the former mayor&#39;s plans to build a new library were stalled by what the Washington Post has termed the &#39;<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/15/AR2006061501802.html">Mies Mystique</a>.&#39;</p><p>

February 22 - Robert Goodspeed

<p>The university is convening a symposium with experts from around the country to chart a path for the study of historic buildings.</p>

February 22 - Christian Madera

BLOG POST

<p>This is my first blog post on this network and I&#39;m happy to be here. For 1.5 years, I&#39;ve been blogging by myself at greeneconomics.blogspot.com and this is the first time that I&#39;ve been a &quot;team&quot; player. I&#39;m hoping that debates and discussions on important policy issues take place here and I&#39;ll try to do my part to not be boring!

February 21 - Matthew E. Kahn

BLOG POST

<p>A long time ago in a previous design office, I made the mistake of engaging a light rail fanatic in a debate about whether Peachtree Street in Atlanta should be adorned with a light rail line. The debate turned into a protracted email diatribe about the pros and cons of light rail and whether this specific idea made any sense.

February 21 - Scott Page

<p>The Mayor of Tempe, Arizona, is advocating widening Interstate 10 from Tempe to East Phoenix to 12 lanes in each direction.</p>

February 21 - Arizona Daily Star

<p>Facing public pressure, Britain's PM stands firm on plans to relieve traffic congestion and improve public transport with motorist user fees.</p>

February 21 - BBC

<p>Realtors' report shows double-digit increase in housing prices in 14 metro areas, despite national decrease; high values attributed to affordability, job growth.</p>

February 21 - Business Week

<p>Either for temporary residence or as a second vacation home, small dwellings are becoming increasingly popular.</p>

February 21 - The New York Times

<p>After floods killed more than 700 in 2001, the government in Mozambique has shifted its disaster management from 'response' to 'prevention'. With recent floods swallowing villages whole, the new disaster prevention efforts have saved hundreds.</p>

February 21 - The Christian Science Monitor

<p>The winners of last year's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) artificial intelligence road race claim that they'll have a car ready to navigate urban traffic in less than a year.</p>

February 21 - CNN

BLOG POST

<p>It should come as no surprise to anyone who has visited Downtown L.A.&#39;s Skid Row that the city has a serious homelessness problem -- with more people living on the street than any other city in the nation. A <a href="http://www.economist.com/world/na/displaystory.cfm?story_id=8672187">recent article</a> in the <em>Economist</em> focused on the recent crackdown by the city&#39;s police on the homeless population of skid row. With more and more residents moving into the area, and city officials keen to clean up downtown&#39;s streets, police chief William Bratton committed additional police officers to patrol the area to round up criminals (and presumably break up the population of street dwellers).</p>

February 21 - Christian Madera

<p>Companies are realizing that they can save money with green office buildings.</p>

February 21 - Forbes

<p>The future of Ontario is looking a lot greener and much more dense, as local officials tout recent legislative changes that they expect to drastically reshape the city in the next 25 years.</p>

February 21 - The Toronto Star

<p>In Washington, D.C., a publicly-financed convention center that was promoted four years ago by local officials as a shot in the arm for the city's economy has turned out to be less than successful. But the city has a plan to revive the dream.</p>

February 21 - The Washington Post

<p>Small towns and rural areas hit by economic downturns have seen many of their young people enlist for lack of other opportunities -- and as a result they represent almost half of U.S. war fatalities in Iraq and Afghanistan.</p>

February 21 - Associated Press

<p>An internal government report questions why the Canadian federal government held back more than $70 million dollars from homelessness programs.</p>

February 20 - The Globe & Mail

<p>Randall Crane offers an introduction to the research literature around place-based versus people-based policies for economic development as he begins his research into systematic comparative assessments of the two policies.</p>

February 20 - Randall Crane's Blog, Urban Planning Research

<p>A recent report has revealed some shortcomings of San Francisco's Municipal Railway system: Muni busses and railcars arrive on schedule only 70%of the time. The issue is underlined by a 1999 measure that sought an on-time percentage of 85% by 2004.</p>

February 20 - The San Francisco Chronicle

<p>While the national and local perception of the region is bleak, with the right strategy and mindset, Upstate New York could revive its economy.</p>

February 20 - Post-Standard