California
Creating Bicycle Corridors
This post from GOOD looks at how a street can become a bicycle corridor.
Parking For Dollars
Los Angeles explores the possibility of selling off parking garages to manage a budget crisis.
Atmospheric Cities
Two interesting video submissions this week, one an atmospheric tour of Vancouver, BC and one of San Francisco before the 1906 earthquake.
Ventura, CA Transitions To Paid Parking, Under Mayor Bill Fulton
Like anything 'free', it's difficult to make the transition to charging, especially when you are City Hall, but pay stations are on their way that will apply charges on the busier streets to 10pm or midnight while the parking garage will be 'free'.
An Experiment of Luxury and Urban Utility
A new luxury hotel with subway access on the ground floor has opened in L.A., creating what Los Angeles Times architecture critic Christopher Hawthorne sees as a bizarre mix of vanity and transit.
California Considers Full-Cost Parking Bill
Having stalled in the state Senate last June, a bill that aims to "reduc(e) governmental or government-required subsidies for parking" passed out of the senate on Jan. 28. Parking strategies would be eligible for cap & trade credits under the bill.
An Emerging Bike Friendly City
With a rapidly progressing bike infrastructure program, the city of Long Beach, California, is edging its way to becoming one of the country's most bike-friendly cities.
Projects Picked for U.S. High Speed Rail Funding
President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden are in Florida today to announce a funding package for a variety of high speed rail projects. In total, $7.9 billion in funding is being announced.
California HSR Gets $2.25 Billion Boost
A huge boost for the CA High Speed Rail project will result from an injection of $2.25 billion from President Obama's $8 billion HSR stimulus funds, twice as much as any other project.
How the iPad Affects the Built Environment
The increasing ubiquity of screens in our daily lives and architecture changes the way we experience the built environment, argues Christopher Hawthorne.
Making Use of Stalled and Vacant Developments
A new plan being pursued by the City of San Francisco would allow developers with projects stalled by the economic recession hold on to their development rights as long as they make some beneficial use of the vacant land until construction starts.
An Oasis of Safety in One of L.A.'s Toughest Neighborhoods
In the midst of a dangerous and crime-prone area, one small section of L.A.'s South central neighborhood has retained a lower-than-average homicide rate and higher-than-average property values.
$70 Million in Transit Stimulus Funds at Risk
BART's people-mover connection to the Oakland Airport is jeopardized by an FTA ruling that the agency failed to reach out to minorities, potentially denying the agency of $70 million in stimulus funds. Might the funds go to other transit needs?
Double-Fine Zones: Do They Work?
In this op-ed, CA state Senator Leland Yee (D-SF/San Mateo) discusses the result of his legislation to apply double traffic fines, as well as city street improvements, on two of the most dangerous roads in SF, 19th and Van Ness Aves.
The Density Game - On YouTube
Dan Zack, downtown development coordinator for Redwood City, CA, gave a 50-minute presentation on Delightful Density to a Palo Alto audience on Nov. 5. This 12-minute excerpt is composed of 17 buildings - get out your pencils and guess their density.
Give Cap & Trade Revenue To....The People?
A key committee has recommended a novel approach to distributing revenue from a forthcoming cap & trade scheme, the key strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by the CA Air Resources Board in order to meet the reductions mandated in AB 32.
Friday Funny: Toontown Transect
Planner Sam Gennawey applies the Urban-to-Rural Transect concept to Mickey's Toontown at Disneyland.
The City Without a Planning Department
Petaluma, California, made headlines last year when it got rid of its planning department. The Architect's Newspaper takes a look at how the city is adapting to contract-based planning through hired consultants.
Congestion Pricing Coming To S.F. Bay Bridge
First proposed in 1993, a higher peak toll may finally be applied to the Bay Bridge: $6 would be charged 5-10am and 3-7pm, while $4 charged off-peak. Weekends will see a $5 toll, the same as the other state-owned regional bridges if approved 1/27.
California Adopts New Green Building Codes
The state of California has adopted the nation's first green building codes, including a provision that allows local jurisdictions to keep or approve even stricter environmental building rules.
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
