Technology

Technology, Talent, and Tolerance: The Creative Culture

Creativity isn’t a theory about hipsters and the latte set. The key driver of a resilient economy is the same thing that binds us as humans – our shared creativity. Hazel Borys reviews Richard Florida's latest creative culture ideas.

November 20, 2013 - PlaceShakers

Attacks Shut Down American Power Grid ... In Massive War Game

Matthew L. Wald reports on the massive cyber war game called GridEx II that simulated a coordinated assault on America's power grid this week.

November 16, 2013 - The New York Times

Record U.S. Oil Production, but How Long Will it Last?

A milestone was reached last month in oil imports: For the first time in 18 years, the U.S. produced more oil than it imported thanks to fracking and reduced consumption. But according to a new IEA report, shale oil growth will peak within a decade.

November 15, 2013 - The New York Times - Energy & Environment

The Google Barge and the Future of Mobile Retail

The Google Barge is fascinating not for what it is but what it could herald: a future where our retail stores come to us rather than us to them.

November 15, 2013 - Norman Wright

New Neighborhood Sets Extraordinary Bar for Sustainability

Sure, reusing an existing building is probably the most sustainable method of construction, but a new neighborhood on Bainbridge Island, Washington sets an enviable standard for environmental responsibility in every aspect of its design.

November 15, 2013 - Fast Company Co.Exist

Solutionism in Urban Data Science

Shannon Mattern surveys the new wave of urban data science projects and argues that practitioners are trending toward an obsession with data-for-data’s-sake and an idolization of method.

November 14, 2013 - Places Journal

Big Data Having Big Impact on City Operations

In the future, big data is supposed to help cities improve and optimize their operations. According to a new report that documents the innovative uses of data and evidence by seven major cities, the future is now.

November 13, 2013 - Fast Company Co.Exist

Affordability Must Measure Transportation Costs, Say Feds

A new tool launched by the U.S. DOT and HUD builds on the Center for Neighborhood Technology's innovative Housing + Transportation Index to give Americans a better picture of the complete costs of their housing choices.

November 13, 2013 - DC.Streetsblog

L.A.'s Next Superhighway

Could Los Angeles get a private company to spend $3 billion to $5 billion to connect every residence and business in the city to a fiber broadband network? City leaders seem to think so, and are planning to move forward with an RFP.

November 6, 2013 - Ars Technica

10 Traits of 'Globally Fluent' Cities

City leaders are constantly told technology is making the world smaller, and they need to make sure their city competes on a world stage, but how? Here are 10 traits cities must have in order to be "globally fluent."

November 4, 2013 - Future Cities

Portland Pilots Project to Raise Pedestrian Awareness

With smartphone use eclipsing 60% of mobile subscribers, "distracted walking" is a growing problem in communities across the United States. Portland is testing out several technologies to prevent pedestrians from walking in front of buses.

November 4, 2013 - Governing

SoBi Bike Share

A Different Kind of Bike Share Story: Closing Down

We've posted stories here about many bike share programs opening up, or being proposed, throughout the U.S. (as well as internationally). Sadly, not all programs succeed or continue, particularly when they are pilots, as is the case in Hoboken, N.J..

November 3, 2013 - NJ.com

Phoenix Preps for Social-Powered Bike Share

Phoenix is getting set to roll out a regional bike-share program, in partnership with CycleHop and Social Bicycles. After its initial rollout, the city will expand the service to reach Mesa and Tempe.

October 29, 2013 - Future Cities

Road Construction

Could a Little Black Box Transform Road Funding in the U.S.?

Southern California's powerful regional planning association is one of the many public agencies across the United States that sees the future of road funding in a new technology called a 'black box'.

October 29, 2013 - Los Angeles Times

Breakthrough Building is Assembled Like an Airplane Engine

In Brooklyn's Navy Yard, the largest modular high-rise building in the world is being assembled one floor at a time by teams of 10 to 15 union workers. Sydney Brownstone tours the milestone in modular construction.

October 28, 2013 - Fast Company Co.Exist

Cyber Attack Causes Eight-Hour Traffic Jam

Last month, hackers were able to shut down Haifa's Carmel Tunnels toll road, a major thoroughfare in Israel's third-largest city, in two days of cyber attacks. The attacks should come as a warning for our increasingly automated infrastructure.

October 28, 2013 - Jalopnik

As Electric Vehicles "Lose Their Spark" State Governments Try to Give a Jump-Start

Kirk Kardashian examines the headwinds confronting the much-hyped, but poorly selling, E.V. industry in the aftermath of a disappointing year. Meanwhile California, New York and six other states have announced plans to help energize sales.

October 28, 2013 - The New Yorker

Port Truckers Strike over Clean-Air Regulations

Nonunion truckers at the Port of Oakland are on a work-stoppage over both work rules and compliance with a 2008 CARB diesel regulation requiring drayage trucks to be 2007 or newer. They want a year extension and more funding to assist in compliance.

October 27, 2013 - San Francisco Chronicle

What Will it Take to Better Balance Bike Share Systems?

As we've noted here, some of the most popular bike share systems have been victims of their own success, with high use docking stations often full or empty - depending on the time of day. Henry Grabar examines efforts to automate the rebalancing act.

October 26, 2013 - Salon

Civic Tech and Mobile Engagement 2.0

Community engagement efforts increasingly look to harness mobile devices and mobile applications to access, inform, and empower the public. However the mobile market is evolving at a fast pace, which complicates our understanding of what works best.

October 23, 2013 - This Big 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.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.