Technology
Formulating a New Metric for Walkability
Going beyond the analytical parameters of the popular Walk Score website, a new site aims to broaden the scope of analysis to include more qualitative information, such as safety and streetscape, in determining which areas are pedestrian friendly.
Richard Florida: Silicon Valley Will Soon Be Centered in San Francisco
Continuing to chronicle what he sees as an 'urban migration' from suburban office parks, Richard Florida provides the Bay Area illustration of this movement, as he sees the center of Silicon Valley heading to San Francisco from Santa Clara County.
Map Apps Move Indoors
A time when your mobile phone can help you navigate the homogenous corridors of an indoor mall as easily as the route that got you there is, seemingly, not far off, as Seoul unveils an app that can navigate the city both above and below street level.
Will Digital Divide in Kansas City Exacerbate its Historic Racial Divide?
The competition to determine which communities in Kansas City will qualify to receive Google Fiber, the nation's fastest internet service, has stoked fears of increasing the city's historic patterns of segregation, reports John Eligon.
Philly Prioritizes Public Access with Hiring of Chief Data Officer
Self-described "civic hacking veteran" Mark Headd has joined Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter's administration as the city's first "chief data officer," with the mission of "improving public access to information the city collects."
Want to Triple Highway Capacity? Put Robot Cars on the Road
A new study on the potential benefits of autonomous cars concludes that "platooning" self-driving vehicles could increase highway efficiency by 273 percent, reports Devin Coldewey.
The (Slow) Rise of Wireless Technology
The technology is there, and has been for a decade. Still, Wi-Fi's roll-out into our homes has been slow, at best, and continues to be confronted by various challenges.
Google Pulls Back the Curtain on its Secretive Maps Program
Alexis C. Madrigal get exclusive access to "Ground Truth," Google's project to develop the most accurate maps in the world. But why is the master of the virtual world so intent on documenting the physical world?
Decoding the Geography of Innovation
More often than not, innovation springs from social interaction, rather than the romantic notion of the genius in isolation. With this in mind, Jessica Stoller-Conrad and Nancy Shute discuss three important ways in which geography fuels innovation.
Are Efforts to Improve the Livability of China's Cities Hurting the Country's Economy?
As China continues to mature into a developed nation, efforts aimed at making its largest cities more environmentally sustainable and healthy may be putting a damper on the country's economic growth.
New Tool for Tallying the Costs of Sprawl
The State of New Hampshire has created an interactive online tool for its municipalities to examine the impacts of different land use scenarios, in the hopes of promoting smart growth. Geneva Faulkner describes how it works.
In D.C., Crime Prevention Starts at the Drafting Table
What's a better way to ensure lower crime than to involve police directly in the planning process? One development in Washington, D.C. will do just that.
Civic Watch Program in D.C. Raises Privacy Concerns
What expectations for privacy should individuals have in public places? That is the question being posed by a new video surveillance system in D.C. being operated by a neighborhood association, reports Peter Hermann.
Why Drawing Matters to Design in the Digital Age
Architect Michael Graves pens an opinion piece for The New York Times that explores the effect that computers are having on the architectural creative process. Does the decline in hand drawing result in a diminished ability for speculation?
What's Driving High-Tech's Urban Love Affair?
Richard Florida chronicles the reasons why high-technology firms are increasingly vacating suburban office parks and "nerdistans" for urban addresses, from London to Los Angeles.
Portland Perfects the Public Toilet
Portland's progressive urbanism - from its smart growth restrictions, to its revived historic Pearl District and bicycle infrastructure - are the envy of cities across America. Could the city's new sustainable public toilet be its next export?
Data Becomes Art in the Hands of this Cartographer
Eric Jaffe profiles the work of "self-proclaimed 'map geek'" Eric Fischer, whose remarkable renderings of urban data seek to uncover a deeper beauty, and truth, in the deluge of information.
Harvesting Data Essential for Saving Urban Gardens
To preserve the spread of urban gardening, activists are beginning to map and document the many haphazard community gardens to gain recognition from landlords and city officials in hopes of warding off bulldozers.
Dissecting Chicago's Transit Cuts
In a response to reader a question, Ken Davis goes in search of the factors that lead to Chicago Transit Authority decisions about eliminating or adding bus service.
The Science of Cities
Unprecedented urbanization calls for unprecedented planning, argues writer Tim De Chant. His proposal: a scientific model for responsive urban design.
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.
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
