Arizona
Light Rail Rides in Phoenix
After 4 years of construction, the first light rail line has opened in Phoenix. NPR looks at the new transit option for the sprawling desert city.
Tucson Rejects Density Plan
There will be no infill development at Jefferson Park, near the University of Arizona, that increases density. The move contradicts the city's plan to achieve a more "urban feel."
Turning Big Box Blocks Into Mixed-Use
Mesa, AZ is adding a new land use category to its general plan to promote mixed-use, high-density development along the light-rail corridor- specifically in an area of West Mesa formerly dominated by WalMart.
Phoenix Hopes for Light Rail Revitalization
Phoenix is counting on a new light rail system to revive one of the city's long-ignored commercial corridors when trains start operation at the end of the year.
The Bust Belt
How exurban expansion paves the way for the next housing crisis.
Two Men Banned from Natl. Parks for Correcting Grammar
Two men calling themselves the Typo Eradication Advancement League drove around the country fixing typos on signage in national parks- until the park service caught them defacing a historic marker in the Grand Canyon.
The Flood of 'Amenity Migrants'
Scenic resort towns are increasingly attracting older residents, creating a population boom that far surpasses growth rates in many cities and urban areas.
Megapolitans Rise in the Mountains
This column from Neal Peirce looks at the new megapolitan stronghold of the Intermountain West.
Suburbs Aren't the Only Places Reacting to Rising Energy Prices
This article from USA Today looks at how some big cities are reacting to rising energy prices. Two examples from metropolitan Phoenix highlight the fact that it is not only suburbs that are being forced to respond.
Light Rail Rises in the Southwest
Governing Magazine takes a look at the light rail explosion in the Southwest, particularly in Phoenix, where weather is a major factor in ridership.
A New Downtown for Scottsdale
Scottsdale, Arizona planners have released a new vision for their downtown, in a 'trend toward urban living'.
Wrangling Growth As An Exurb Expands
The exurban town of Buckeye, Arizona, is expected over the next two decades to grow from a population of 25,000 to more than 400,000. Planners are trying to do what they can to control the flood.
Arcosanti Revisited: The Sustainable Utopia
A short video profile shows renewed interest in Arcosanti, the utopian community founded by architect Paolo Soleri. Could Soleri's 40 yr. old utopia be the wave of the sustainable future?
A New Face for Phoenix
Downtown Phoenix prepares for a facelift with a new form-based code and downtown master plan.
More Phoenix Commuters Pedaling
Bicycle commuting is on the rise in metropolitan Phoenix, where bike shops are reporting increasing sales of commuter bikes.
Planning For The Sun Corridor
A new report focuses on the expected growth of the Phoenix-Tuscon "Sun Corridor" to 10 million residents by 2030, and highlights the challenges and opportunities for this megapolitan region.
Phoenix Takes a Green Turn
This article from Grist looks at the city of Phoenix as it teams with Arizona State University to shift the city's direction from endless sprawl to a smarter, more environmentally-conscious growth pattern.
Road Building Requirement Lifted For Arizona Homebuilders
Homebuilders have been removed from the language of a transportation funding bill that would have required developers to pay for new roads.
Is Grand Canyon Skywalk a Road to Prosperity?
This segment from NPR looks at what's happened since a Native American tribe in Arizona opened a glass-floored walkway extending over the Grand Canyon.
Border Fencing Plan Dodges Environmental Rules
Federal and state environmental guidelines have been waived by the Federal government to fast-track construction of nearly 700 miles of fencing along the U.S. Mexico Border.
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.
planning NEXT
City of Thousand Oaks
City of Wisconsin Rapids
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA)
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
