<p>Christof Spieler compares the greater Houston area with a region in Germany and offers three lessons on how to successfully build transit networks connecting a region with multiple urban centers.</p>
"The Germans have concluded that a light rail system isn't suited for getting you to a different city, and a commuter train system isn't suited for getting you from one urban neighborhood to another. But the key is linking these systems..while the system is set up to make transfers easy, it's also designed to minimize them..."
"Consider the immediate Frankfurt area: there are half a dozen different agencies operating rail transit. But the passengers don't need to care about that. You can ride light rail in Frankfurt, transfer to the S-Bahn, ride to Mainz, and get on a streetcar for the end of your trip (PDF), all with a single ticket."
FULL STORY: Networks, hubs, and tickets: transit for a multi-centered world
What We Really Mean When We Say Gentrification
The focus on gentrifying communities has, in many cases, eclipsed the similar problems facing more stagnant neighborhoods.
Study: Market-Rate Development Filters Into Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing
New research sheds new light on one of the most hotly debated questions in planning and development.
The End of Single-Family Zoning in California
Despite a few high-profile failures, the California State Legislature has approved a steady drumbeat of pro-development reforms that loosen zoning restrictions. The state raised the stakes on its zoning reforms this week.
Strategic Economics Inc
Elizabeth Peterson Group (EPG)
UrbanTrans North America
Edtalkradio
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
American Planning Association
Hillsborough County Public Schools
City of Raleigh
City of Laramie, Wyoming and Albany County Wyoming
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.
Hand Drawing Master Plans
This course aims to provide an introduction into Urban Design Sketching focused on how to hand draw master plans using a mix of colored markers.
