Urban Development
Transit Planner Speaks Out Against Slashing Bus Service
A Portland transit planner from the days when buses were the primary means of getting around says the system is headed in the wrong direction and service is declining.
Suburban Tax on Traffic
To help pay for transportation needs, a Kansas City suburb approved a "driveway" tax based on the amount of traffic a property is expected to generate.
Friday Funny: Animal-Shaped Cities Planned in Sudan
Officials in Southern Sudan are floating a fleet of proposals to build new cities in the shape of animals and fruits.
A Comparative Analysis of Land Use Controls
Various rules and regulations control the form of today's cities. This info graphic and article from re:place looks at how those systems control the urban environment and how they compare.
The Nation's First Bicycle-Only Subdivision
A new themed subdivision is under development in South Carolina. But this is no golf course community. It's a cyclist oriented, car-free experiment called Bicycle City.
A Musical Commentary on Suburban Sprawl
The new album by Arcade Fire is themed around suburban sprawl, offering an interesting commentary on city planning and development.
An Urban River Ignored
The James River runs right through downtown Richmond, Virginia. But with few public access points, the river is a largely ignored part of the urban realm.
Kelo Redux: Struggling Malls
The eminent domain case of Kelo vs. New London is seeing new relevance in cities across the country, as empty malls are being classified by locals as blight.
Is A Denser Urban World Inevitable?
Writing in Foreign Policy, Joel Kotkin argues that increasing urbanization and density are not inevitable realities.
Improvement, But Room for More in New Orleans
Five years after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, the Brookings Institution offers an analysis of the city's recovery. This op-ed looks at the report, which finds the city improving, but with many areas needing increased focus.
Ebenezer Howard Lives
Victorian-style model towns from the age of Ebenezer Howard are seeing a revival in emerging urban areas, according to this piece from The Guardian.
Is the Magic Word "Density", or "Location"?
Looking back at research from 1977, The Overhead Wire decides that maybe there is an overemphasis on residential density increasing transit ridership, when the greatest impact comes from location.
The "Monumental Folly" of California City
Created by Nathan Mendelsohn, California City is the state's thrid largest in size but exists mostly in his imagination. Home to 14000 people who inhabit one end of the massive tract, just a corner next to over 185 square miles of empty development.
Chinese Developers Plan to Recreate Salvador Dali's Hometown
Developers in China have announced plans to build a recreation of the hometown of Spanish surrealist painter Salvador Dali.
'Density Lobby' Helps Rail Kill Bus
Investments in rail systems in cities across America are pulling crucial funding away from better-used bus systems, according to this column from Joel Kotkin. He blames the "density lobby".
PBSJ In Agreement to Be Aquired By London Company
Major engineering firm PBSJ is in talks with Atkins to be acquired by the London-based firm. PBSJ, which is employee-owned, reportedly sought out the sale to bring in more capital for expansion.
NYC's Transit Funding Crisis
New York City's transit system is suffering from a serious lack of funding. Reporter Jake Mooney looks at the reasons, including a lack of tax income from real estate and a political unwillingness to change how MTA is funded.
A City on the Pacific Garbage Patch?
Dutch conservationists are proposing to create a floating community built on top of the patch of garbage swirling out in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
History and Heritage Threatened by Chinese Overdevelopment
Chinese cities are destroying their architectural heritage as they rush to urbanize, according to Shan Jixiang, head of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage.
A Chinese Bubble to Burst
Some economists are warning that China's building boom is actually a bubble that is soon to burst.
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
