Portland
Friday Funny: Bicycle Rights!!
Portlandia is a new TV show spoofing the self-righteously urban culture of Portland. In this clip, a hyper bicycle rights activist zips around the city decrying the evils of automobiles.
You Can't Fake City Character
Alex Marshall muses on a new T.V. show set in Portland and how distinctiveness is so important to a city's success.
Streetcar the Savior?
Streetcars are increasingly seen as boons to local economies. And with a $130 million federal fund aimed at streetcar projects, some are expecting more systems to develop, according to this article. Others, though, still question the investment.
Portland's Latest Plaza
Linda Baker reviews the new Simon and Helen Director Park in Portland, Oregon, which she says "resembles an elegant Italian piazza."
The Not-Quite-20-Minute Neighborhood
Portland wants to create a series of "20-minute neighborhoods" -- places where people can walk, within 20 minutes, to most of the places they need to go and the services they need. Some neighborhoods are already there, but others have a ways to go.
Transit Bridge Rises in Portland
A new $135m bridge over the Willamette River will include designated lanes for pedestrians, bikes, and public transit vehicles, but not private cars.
EcoDistricts to Rise in Portland
Portland has five "eco-district" pilot projects in the works. The first two are expected to begin implementation over the next year, and organizers are hoping they lead to more sustainability efforts throughout the city.
B.C. and Washington Seek High Speed Rail to California
Officials in the Pacific Northwest are calling for a high speed rail line that connects British Columbia with California.
Portland's EcoDistricts
Launched in 2009 as an effort to choose five neighborhoods where sustainability measures could be quickly implemented and tested out, the city of Portland's EcoDistricts are entering their pilot phase.
Does Portland's Innovative Planning Hinder its Competitiveness?
Wendell Cox questions the economic impact of the city's much-celebrated land use and transportation policies, which are intended to strengthen the urban core and discourage sprawl.
Portland's Pavement Pulverizers
Grist looks at the volunteer group in Portland that legally removes unnecessary pavement from places around the city and replaces it with gardens and green space.
Recreating European-Style Cafe Life in America
In Portland, patterns of urban use are emerging that are similar to the European-style neighborhood bar as a community gathering place.
Transit Planner Speaks Out Against Slashing Bus Service
A Portland transit planner from the days when buses were the primary means of getting around says the system is headed in the wrong direction and service is declining.
Transitioning A Waterfront Away From the Fishing Industry
The fishing industry has been in decline for years in Portland, Maine, which is hurting many of the industry-related businesses on the city's waterfront. Local business people see salvation in diversity.
The Hidden Roadblock for Sustainability
According to Portland, Oregon Mayor Sam Adams, that roadblock is the lack of financing for clean technology upgrades for buildings. Fast Company talks to Adams about his goal to make Portland the most sustainable city in the world.
Green Urbanism's Affordability Problem
Nature writer David Oates embeds himself in green, urban Portland and finds much to like about the green city movement but also much room for improvement.
How Portland Sold Its Banks on Walkable Development
Finding financing is one of the biggest challenges for transit-oriented development. How did Portland convince its lenders to get on board?
Portland's Empty Urban Renewal Area
Tax breaks and incentives helped spur a rash of development in Portland's South Waterfront district. But the development has struggled to lure residents.
From Bedroom Communities to Jet Engine Communities
More and more people working in the San Francisco Bay Area are opting for cheaper housing outside the region. Some are going way outside the region, commuting by airplane from Portland or Seattle.
Portland the Weird
The Economist looks at Portland's "weirdness" with an arched eyebrow, and asks, is this the next great model for the American city?
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS)
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority
