Chicago
An Unsatisfying Compromise in Chicago's Food Truck Wars
Will a new Chicago ordinance put the kibosh on mobile cupcakes and kabobs?
Chicago Crowdsources a Superior Transit App
Kelsey Campbell-Dollaghan discusses the launch of Designing Chicago, an "unusual" Kickstarter campaign intended to utilize the brains and wallets of the city's residents to create an app covering the city’s various systems of public transportation.
Led by its 'Hyperactive' Mayor, Chicago Plots a Comeback
When he took office last year, Rahm Emmanuel inherited a city in which a sheen of new projects hid a crumbling infrastructure. With a laundry list of initiatives, the mayor is intent on retaining the city's place amongst the world's great cities.
How City Branding Can Go Wrong
Will Doig considers the growing pressure cities face to build a marketable identity, and why that's a particular challenge for generally livable cities.
Census: Cities Growing Faster Than Suburbs
Historically the one-year data may be an aberration as suburbs have outgrown cities for every decade since the 1920s. It may be as much a consequence of the recession and housing bust as a preference for urban living, but builders are responding.
Under Threat, Preservation Efforts in Illinois Get New Leadership
From lawsuits to development pressures, Landmarks Illinois, the venerable voice for preservation in the state, has been doing its best to fend off challengers to the state's historic treasures. A new president hopes to help stiffen the defenses.
After a Lost Decade, How Can Chicago Get Back on Track?
Aaron M. Renn looks at Chicago's struggles over the last decade - one that saw the city "increasingly falling behind its large urban brethren" - and asks whether its aspirations for becoming a global city are delusional.
Chicago Works to Add People to its Places
On Wednesday, Mayor Rahm Emanuel kicked-off Chicago's “Make Way for People” program, an effort to "promote economic development and make Chicago streets safer for pedestrians," by transforming the city's paved surfaces into people places.
Can Chicago Eliminate Traffic Deaths?
Sarah Goodyear reports on the Windy City's ambitious plan to eliminate all traffic fatalities in the city within 10 years.
Will a New Plan for Chicago's Union Station Stick?
20 years after its last makeover, and with successive grand renovation plans developed and abandoned in between, last week saw the release of a new master plan for America's third-busiest railroad terminal, reports Fran Spielman.
So We've Got All This Data. Now What?
Ben Hecht offers his insights on what civic leaders should do to capitalize on big data and how efforts in Chicago are turning these ideas into reality.
Design for Chicago's Bloomingdale Trail Takes Shape
As it wraps up the first stage of a community planning progress, Alan G. Brake checks in on the latest designs for Chicago's answer to the High Line.
What Gets Left Behind in the Rush to Privatize Public Improvements?
As public-private partnerships to invest in aged urban infrastructure gain in popularity in Chicago, and across the country, Christopher Weber asks who will fund the improvements unaligned with corporate interests.
Chicago: America's Freight Rail Speed Bump
John Schwartz looks at Chicago's rail mess, which seems entirely inadequate a word to describe the "sprawling traffic jam" that keeps some rail traffic crawling through the city at an average speed of 1.13 miles per hour.
The High-Tech Urban Experience, Now Standardized
The seven largest metros in the nation are teaming up to unify the technologies that are revolutionizing life in the city, Steve Towns reports.
What Are the Biggest Challenges Facing America's Mayors?
Earlier this week, Charlie Rose hosted a roundtable discussion with the mayors of Chicago, Baltimore, Jacksonville, and Louisville on how they're working to revitalize their cities in challenging economic times.
The Dream Team Behind America's Transportation Revolution
In the first of a five-part series, Angie Schmitt pays tribute to three "visionary bureaucrats" who are changing the face of transportation in the United States.
How Can America's Infrastructure Challenges Be Solved?
Planetizen managing editor Jonathan Nettler recently spoke with Steven Anderson, founder and managing director of InfrastructureUSA, about the country's infrastructure challenges and how local communities are finding creative ways to solve them.
A Closer Look At Growth Data Showing An Urban Revival
On April 5, the U.S. Census Bureau released growth data from April 2010 to July 2011 showing that for the first time in 20 years, urban growth surpassed exurban growth. Yonah Freemark takes a closer look at the data for 21 metropolitan areas.
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)
