Technology
Abandoned Power Plants, Amusement Parks, and More
Device Magazine features photos of places with deserted technology like the former Soviet nuclear submarine base in Balaklava, Ukraine and a ship graveyard in Lisbon, Portugal.
Leading Thinkers in Urban Planning & Technology
Planetizen founding Editor Chris Steins offers his evaluation of the top 25 thinkers at the intersection of planning and technology.
A Road Tax on Electric Cars
WA state is considering the nation's first fee on electric cars to cover road wear since they pay no gas tax, the primary funding mechanism for funding road maintenance and construction. However, critics point out that the fee is flat, not variable.
Skyscrapers of the Future
The 2011 eVolo Skyscraper Competition turned up some unusual and futuristic designs for future skyscrapers and other structures, from a reimagined Hoover Dam to a Ferris Wheel-shaped wind turbine.
'SkyTran': Personal Rapid Transit for Detroit?
A personal rapid transit proposal called "SkyTran" might be a smart choice for Detroit, according to this article.
City Attempts to Find "The Right Price for Parking"
This week the city of San Francisco will launch its SFpark Program in an attempt to appropriately price street parking and reduce traffic due to people cruising for available parking spaces.
High-Speed BUS Travels at 150 MPH
Wubbo Ockels, a Dutch physicist and astronaut, has designed and built a prototype high-speed bus as an alternative to high-speed rail. (VIDEO)
Super WiFi Hits the Streets
A Houston grandmother could be the first person in the country to get "super WiFi", high-speed wireless internet transmitted over newly accessible segments of the broadcast spectrum.
Soviet Monorail to the Future
The blog of Pavel Popelskii highlights illustrations from a time when Russia was looking towards a bright, space-age future, with nuclear-powered dirigibles and "super mega jet air cushion trains".
Adding Warmth and Life to Sidewalks
Sidewalks in Holland have for years utilized piped-in waste heat to melt snow. Now, they've added an additional sidewalk amenity: a hearth.
New Study: Solar Panels Are "Contagious"
A new study out of Stanford University found that individuals are more likely to install solar panels if their neighbors have them.
Urban Gondola Debuts in Brazil
Steven Dale notes that another urban gondola has opened in Brazil with little to no coverage in the English-speaking press. Dale pieces together what info he can on this new tourist-oriented aerial tram.
New Bill Pushes Intelligent Transportation Systems
Under House Resolution 995, six cities would be selected as test pilots for advanced ITS technology. Rep. Russ Carnahan, who introduced the bill, says the technologies exist today, they just need to be integrated and deployed.
Raising the Status of Public Transit
A study that asked regular drivers in Boston and San Francisco to go car-free found that access to real-time mobile information was key to raising the status of public transit for study participants.
Relieving Traffic By Unconventional Means
USA Today reports on some of the more unusual methods being tried around the United States to relieve traffic congestion.
Google to Transform Kansas City into Broadband Wonderland
Google announced that it had chosen Kansas City, Kansas as the launching site for an experimental fiber-optic network with speeds of up to 1 Gb per second.
More Techno-Travelers on Transit - Unless It's Crowded
The Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development made over 16,000 observations of portable tech usage on airplains, trains, and buses. Their findings show that there is a increase of tech use on transit, but usage is reliant on users having space.
Top 10 Websites - 2011
Our annual list of the 10 best planning, design, and development websites represents some of the top online resources for news, information and research on the built environment.
Study: Regular City Drivers Go Car-Free for 1 Week
The study conducted by Latitude Research and Next American City followed 18 participants in San Francisco and Boston as they ditched their automobiles for other transit options.
US Cities and Disaster Preparedness
In the wake of the disasters which devastated parts of Japan, Russell Nichols of Governing investigates the state of disaster preparedness in US cities and states.
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
