California
Why San Francisco's Bike Sharing Plan Won't Work
This piece from Streetsblog San Francisco looks at the city's recently announced plans for a bike sharing program and why the 50-bike pilot is likely to fail.
The Aesthetic Dangers of Group Decisionmaking
In response to an essay on restricting outdoor advertising in L.A., designer and lawyer Lawrence Barth argues that putting these decisions into the hands of groups -- whether city- or activist-led -- can lead to unintended consequences.
Redevelopment Plan for Queen Mary Hits Rough Waters
An investment group that bought the Queen Mary had big plans to redevelop the parking lots and moribund area around the grand ship. The difficult economy, however, appears to be jeopardizing those plans.
Chu: California Could Lose its Cities to Climate Change
Energy Secretary Steve Chu delivers a grim warning for California: Slow the pace of climate change or the state will lose its agriculture and cities.
EPA's Emissions Waiver Not Enough
This editorial lauds the new president for acting hastily on granting the waiver to allow CA and 13 states to require higher mileage vehicles, but warns it must not be an end in itself. A higher gas tax, it notes, will do more to reduce emissions.
Driving On A Beer Buzz
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. is working with startup E-Fuel to create gas from their brewing yeast waste.
Height-For-Space Strategy Works, Mostly
San Francisco and other cities have historically given developers the incentive to build taller for providing a proportional amount of public space. This article looks at what has worked as well as how it has backfired.
'Nonconforming Urbanism' the New Face of Density
Architect Teddy Cruz examines the south-north flow of "nonconforming urbanism" in the Tijuana-San Diego region, and how changing communities in this dynamic area could shape the way we think about increasing density.
Google and NASA Team Up to Save the World
Futurist Dr. Ray Kurzweil is part of a team of big thinkers on the faculty of Singularity University, a joint project of Google and NASA with a mission to solve "humanity's grand challenges."
L.A. Orders 'Supergraphics' Removed
As part of the city's drawn-out battle with outdoor advertisers, Los Angeles officials have ordered building owners to remove "supergraphic" ads plastered to the sides of large buildings.
Vehicle Retirement Program Considered For Stimulus
A program known as ‘cash for clunkers’ is being considered for inclusion in the Senate stimulus package to make the U.S. auto fleet more fuel-efficient and stimulate demand for new, cleaner cars. Will the older vehicles will be scrapped or resold?
Camouflaging Infrastructure
Artist Joshua Callaghan paints over utility boxes in his community to make them disappear into their surroundings.
Budget Extortion: Environmental Rollbacks Required
Republicans are using the budgetary process to roll-back environmental protections, claim environmentalists in California. The state is due to run out of funds in Feb and issue I.O.U.s unless the $18 billion gap is filled for the current fiscal year
Retiming Streetlights for Bikes
SF Streetsblog looks at cities that have timed traffic lights on busy bike streets to best suit their pace, and argues that Valencia St. in San Francisco is a prime candidate for retiming. (VIDEO)
A City of Leftovers
Tijuana is literally built with the development waste of nearby San Diego, California. This video by Laura Hanna shows how.
The Downtown Shooting Star Sputters
Less than a year ago, downtown Los Angeles was seen as a rising star, on a path towards becoming a vibrant and humming urban core. But the economic dive has stalled many projects, and they could be stalled for quite a while, according to this column.
Streetsblog: Advocacy Journalism and the Reconquering of the American City
The Internet is a trove of great ideas about improving cities. Filling blogs and personal websites, the vast majority of ideas out there are little more than that: ideas. New York City's Streetsblog -- now a growing nationwide force -- is transforming the conversation into action.
How 'Level of Service' Measurements Ruin Cities
"Level of service" is a ranking used by transportation engineers to assess the performance of roads. Streetsblog argues that LOS distorts the development of mobility infrastructure by prioritizing cars over people.
California Towns Bailout Car Dealerships
Too important to fail? Victorville and Norco, CA have approved loans to local car dealers to keep them afloat.
Obama To EPA: Allow CA To Set Its Own Emission Standards
In a move that will disappoint auto manufacturers and labor but was met with great applause by the environmental community, Obama has taken the first step to granting CA's request for a waiver so it can set its own, stricter emission standards.
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
