Technology
Buses of Tomorrow
The largest bus and transit expo in North America happened this week in Vancouver, and manufacturers showed off the latest in transit technology.
The Most Tech-Savvy Cities
Government Technology and the Center for Digital Government announced the top-ranked municipalities from their 2010 Digital Cities Survey, which quantifies the impacts of cities' IT efforts.
One Nation Under One Card
A plan at the national level in India intends to put all buses, trains, rail, metro, ferry, taxis and even auto rickshaws under a common, contactless smart card.
San Francisco Passes Country's First Open Data Requirement
A new law requiring city agencies and departments to make "reasonable efforts" to publish their data received unanimous support from the Board of Supervisors.
Making Cities Smarter and More Connected
Singapore, Masdar, Songdo City- each of these municipalities are creating "systems of systems", integrating their data from water, electrity, waste, etc. to make smarter decisions.
Geo-Location Still Not Hot
Location-based social networking is all the rage among marketers, investors and tech gurus. Just not among people, who are not flocking to use the geo-locating services.
The Big Picture for 311 Data
Steven Johnson examines how officials in New York and other cities can leverage information collected from public call centers to build better cities.
London Underground Gets Wireless Connection
A six month trial will bring Wi-Fi Internet access into test locations within the London tube system, part of an effort by the city to bring Internet access to the entire system in time for the 2012 Summer Olympics.
An Open Source "SimCity" for New York
"Betaville" is a virtual New York where users can experiment with the built environment and how new buildings will look in the cityscape.
The Aging Driver: A NYT Debate
Prompted by Google's latest invention, the car that drives itself, the NYT sought four different perspectives on how to approach the onslaught of aging baby boomers behind the wheel: An M.I.T. scientist, Rand economist, Yale doctor, and AARP VP.
Japan's New 'Smart' City
The city Yokohama could be Japan's next exportable good. officials there want it to be a low-emissions "smart" city -- a model they hope to be able to convince other cities to replicate.
Crowdsourcing Bike Parking
Bicycle advocates in London is calling on citizens to tell the city, via the web, where more bike parking is needed for the city's fledgling bike sharing program.
Ped, Bike, & Bus: Transforming NYC Streets
This 6-minute video looks at how New York City streets have changed after a mere three years of planning. Pedestrian plazas, bike lanes, and bus rapid transit are the major projects highlighted, and the improvements to economy, health, and happiness
On Survivalism and Autonomy in the Built Environment
Architecture professor William W. Braham examines the growing trend of "self-powered", "zero-energy" and "zero waste" buildings through the lens of survivalism.
SimCity Goes Way Wonkier
A new video game has been released that has players trying to solve urban issues and make cities work better. Next American City columnist Christian Madera reviews.
Free Municipal WiFi: A Dream Deferred
A new journal article by Eric Fraser assesses what went wrong with plans to bring wireless Internet access to the masses, finding that a hostile regulatory environment trumps even the best-laid plans.
CA Solar Plants In Race To Qualify For Expiring Federal Subsidy
In one of the most remarkable spurts of renewable energy investment in the U.S., six solar plants have been approved in six weeks in the California desert totaling almost 3 gigawatts. More are on the way, including new Stirling dish technology.
Taking the 'Mass' Out of Mass Transit
Is the isolation of personal rapid transit truly viable for mass transit?
Bike-Powered Monorail Gets Google Grant
The Shweeb is a person-powered monorail that currently only exists as an amusement park attraction in New Zealand. But with a $1 million Google grant, the creator may yet see his dream of a commuter Shweeb system.
Geolocating Your Fruity Pebbles
"Indoor positioning systems" are getting closer to reality, placing products at your fingertips by tracking them down within the store.
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
