Technology
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.
The American Parks Database
A new report from the Trust for Public Lands provides detailed and comprehensive data on city park systems in the U.S.
Forward Thinking and Backward Practices
Transportation authorities are working with tools that no longer fit the challenges of modern travel or environmental necessity, says David Kooris, vice president of the Regional Plan Association.
Fighting Traffic With Smarter Traffic Lights
Do traffic signals need to be predictable? Researchers are experimenting with giving traffic lights a mind of their own, with the power to change with the flow of traffic, sensing when it would be most advantageous to be red or green.
'Self-Regulating' Traffic Lights Reduce Waiting Time
Researchers in Europe are experimenting with a new kind of traffic light that better responds to traffic by monitoring the actual amount of cars on the road and estimating how long lights should stay green.
Evolving Tech Takes the Pulse of Bridges
With infrastructure aging, technology is increasingly relied upon to assess the safety of bridges. Many places are finding that simple monitoring devices can help save money.
Using Crowds, and GPS, to Chart Roadkill
Ron Ringen has logged more than 1,400 animals for a roadkill project. "I'm almost a fanatic with it," he said. "You get hooked."
Why Hasn't PRT Caught On?
Personal rapid transit (PRT) has faced some challenges, says Curtis Johnson, not the least of which is the U.S.'s lack of "moonshot-mojo".
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
