Infrastructure

Lapped on Urban Sustainability - can the US ever catch up?

Summer travel took me out of the US and back to Sweden for the first time in five years.  While my initial reaction was that things seemed much the same, I quickly realized that the Swedes had quietly pushed forward a number of projects that, if located in the US, would be on the vanguard of sustainability.  But over there it's just called urban planning.

September 7, 2011 - Walker Wells

Opinion: Being 'Smart' When Preparing for Hurricanes in New York City

In the aftermath of Hurricane Irene, Fast Company's Boyd Cohen writes how New York City's preparedness for Hurricane's should include enhancing infrastructure in things like the Internet and transit.

September 7, 2011 - Fast Company

Melbourne Ranked as Most Livable City

With high scores in five broad categories, Melbourne, Australia received the highest spot in livability rankings from The Economist's research unit.

September 2, 2011 - TheCityFix.com

Bike Lanes Benefit Drivers

Canadian Urban designer Ken Greenberg and American planner Trent Lethco argue that investing in cycling infrastructure improves driving conditions -- for those times that you really need a car.

August 24, 2011 - The Globe and Mail

The Science of Smart Cities

As part of a special issue, Scientific American magazine examines the science of "Better Smarter Cities."

August 17, 2011 - Scientific American

Invest in America's Infrastructure

A new report from an advocacy group called Build America's Future argues that investment in U.S. infrastructure is desperately needed to keep the country from falling behind.

August 14, 2011 - The Infrastructurist

The Unseen Space: Signal Space

With a growing demand for wireless internet, mobile communication networks may encroach on public space, writes Michael Chen, adjunct assistant professor at the Pratt Institute School of Architecture.

July 7, 2011 - Urban Omnibus

A Neighborhood of Stairs

The La Independencia neighborhood in Medellin, Colombia sprawls up a hillside, leaving the inhabitants to walk up to 10 flights of stairs every day. An ambitious development program is considering building an outdoor network of escalators.

June 22, 2011 - TheCityFix.com

New Report: Measuring Pedestrian Safety in the U.S.

Transportation for America (TfA), a campaign to strengthen the nation’s transportation network, released an update to its “Dangerous by Design” report, an analysis of pedestrian safety in the design and use of American streets.

May 31, 2011 - TheCityFix.com

Infrastructure Investment is the Answer to Recovery

New report out of Dartmouth College says America needs to build, to boost recovery and improve global competitiveness.

April 13, 2011 - Huffington Post

Budget Cuts Take Bite Out of Urban Agenda

CNN is reporting on the budget cuts for 2011, many of which will affect America's cities, infrastructure and vulnerable populations.

April 12, 2011 - CNNMoney

Latin America’s Bus Rapid Transit Boom Offers Lessons for the U.S.

Bus rapid transit (BRT) is often the most feasible, quickly implemented and cost-effective way to improve mobility in the United States, concluded a distinguished panel of transport experts at a Brookings Institution event.

March 14, 2011 - TheCityFix.com

Canada's Constitution Fuels Urban Crisis

Formed as a primarily agrarian nation, Canada is now seeing its cities crippled by constitutional arrangements that leaves its cities underfunded and with only minimal support from the federal government, writes John Macfarlane.

February 8, 2011 - The Walrus

Planning Senior-Friendly Cities

As part of its ongoing series on Canada's aging population, the Globe and Mail looks at what is being done to adapt cities for a large cohort of senior citizens.

January 12, 2011 - Globe and Mail

Ohio and Wisconsin's HSR Loss is California's Gain

By refusing federal stimulus funds for high speed rail projects in their states, incoming Republican governors in Midwest gifted California over $600 million in new funding for the state's planned 800-mile network, says the Fresno Bee.

December 23, 2010 - The Fresno Bee

More Failed Rail in New Zealand?

Owen McShane argues the newly consolidated Auckland Region government is turning to rail transit initiatives without any evidence that such projects actually work.

December 6, 2010 - New Geography

Nature-Mimicking Infrastructure: 21st Century Technology?

Andy Lipkis, the founder and president of TreePeople, an organization in Los Angeles that brings natural concepts into the "urban forest", details his 40 years of work proving the feasibility of projects such as the Elmer Avenue Project.

December 3, 2010 - The Planning Report

Midwest Industrial Cities Re-emerge as Clean Energy Centers

Utilizing skilled labor forces, existing manufacturing facilities and generous public incentives, Michigan and Ohio are becoming solar power leaders.

December 2, 2010 - The New York Times

When in Doubt, Adapt

Bjorn Lomburg argues that cities should not despair over rising sea levels climate change. Instead, they should adapt.

November 18, 2010 - The Washington Post

5 Roadblocks for Electric Cars

Chevy, Ford, and Nissan are all debuting electric models over the next year, but are Americans ready? Eric Jaffe considers why not.

November 16, 2010 - The Infrastructurist

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