Chicago
Chicago Metra Rail Struggles with High Rates of Suicide
Chicago's Metra commuter rail service has a big problem on its hands: Distressed people are resorting to using train tracks to end their lives at a higher rate than in other major cities. Would partnering with a suicide-hotline agency stem the tide?
A Planner's Guide to Chicago
Pete Saunders, blogger with the Corner Side Yard and professional planning consultant, wrote a post explaining Chicago for the U.K. publication Guardian Cities.
Op-Ed: Chicago's Washington Park a Perfect Fit for TIF
An op-ed in the Chicago Tribune addresses the long history of tax increment financing abuse in Chicago, but supports a proposed TIF district for Washington Park.
Divvy Expands Bike-Sharing Stations
Adding 175 new stations by Spring 2015, the Divvy expansion would add 1,750 bicycles to the system in wards further away from the downtown core.
Can Chicago's Tech Boom Benefit the South Side?
With tech businesses setting up shop in Chicago's Loop, what it will take to attract companies out to neighborhoods like Garfield Park and Englewood?
Study uses Google Street View to Assess Gentrification
By assessing three different groups of indicators, researchers were able to tour thousands of blocks in Chicago through Google Street View and compare visual signs of reinvestment and renewal between 2007 and 2009.
Study Identifies Chicago's 'Transit Deserts'
A new report challenges assumptions about Chicago's transit system, identifying well-populated neighborhoods that are cut off from frequent transit service.
A Buffer is Better
What's the best street design to keep bicyclists safely out of the door zone? A buffered bike lane beats a conventional bike lane or "wide curb lane" according to a recent study published in TRB, based on observations in Chicago and Cambridge, Mass.
Does Too-Plentiful Parking Spark Wild Parties at Chicago's Montrose Beach?
Parking is at the center of proposed urban design and planning responses a recent melee at Montrose Beach in Chicago, which followed an un-permitted concert.
Speed Cameras: Working in Chicago; Needed in Philadelphia
In Chicago, speed cameras are proving effective at reducing speeds; in Philadelphia, a police commissioner is lobbying the state to allow the implementation of the cameras.
How Park Design Helps Keep Communities Healthy
A review of the healthiest cities in the United States establishes that urban parks play a vital role in the activity of a city. What conclusions can be drawn from each city?
Skyscraper Envy?
Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) expressed irritation that Chicago is no longer a world-class city when it comes to building heights. The issue arose during a Senate floor discussion on the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act. Chicago's Willis Tower ranks #11.
Celebrating Millennium Park's 10th Anniversary with Esoteric Trivia
Millennium Park in Chicago had its grand opening on July 16, 2004. Now, ten years later, it's one of the country's most treasured, visited, and photographed public spaces.
A Call for Local Architects to 'Redefine the Drive' in Chicago
A local architect produced a DIY design to push the Illinois Department of Transportation to think big with the "Redefine the Drive" project on North Lake Shore Drive. With the proposal: invitations for more local designers to participate.
Celebrating Public Art: Chicago in the Summer
What's better than a great plaza in the summer? Some compelling public art to go along with it.
Updated Plans for Chicago's Memorial to Daniel Burnham
A planned memorial for Chicago architect and planner Daniel Burnham got an upgrade this week in the form of a proposed 1.6-mile interactive walking path and new materials for the site of the memorial.
Chicago Mayor Emanuel Pondering New Sign Regulations in Trump Fallout
Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced his intentions to create ordinances that would prevent future design controversies like the maligned Trump sign above the Chicago River.
George Lucas Chooses Chicago for New Museum Site
Equal parts a stunning victory for Chicago and a breathtaking failure for San Francisco, "Star Wars" director George Lucas has selected Chicago as the site of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art.
On the Endangered Value of Taxi Medallions
Emily Badger focuses on the signifier at the middle of the ongoing battle between taxi companies and transportation network companies like Uber, Lfyt, and Sidecar—the taxi medallion.
The Curious Anonymity of Architecture
Chicago's complaints about the signage on Donald Trump's new tower are predictable enough. What's surprising is that the people to design buildings rarely, if ever, get the slightest recognition in the public realm.
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.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)
