California
Metrolink: Understaffed and Underfunded
The Sept. 12 crash of a Metrolink commuter train with a U.P. freight train resulting in 25 deaths has brought attention to Southern California's regional rail system, revealing that it is a weak 'stepchild' to the larger, better funded LA MTA.
Hollywood -- the Urban Place
As California planners convene in Hollywood this week, Bill Fulton reminds them that Hollywood is not just Tinseltown, but a real urban place with a real urban history.
Does Maglev Hurt High Speed Rail?
This article from Metropolis looks at the plan for a magnetic-levitation train connecting Las Vegas and Anaheim, which has been brewing for years. But is this idea detracting from more feasible high speed rail plans?
Supermarket Sweep
Large supermarkets in San Francisco are being replaced with higher-end specialty grocers, and some say it's a bad thing for many customers.
Scraper Bikes: Urban and Internet Phenomenon
Scraper bikes, tricked-out bicycles adopted from scraper cars (with wheels so big they scrape the inside of the wheel well), have become increasingly popular among carless teens in Oakland, CA.
Going Solar in Berkeley
Berkeley, CA has just launched a loan program for property owners who wish to install solar panels on their roofs. Despite a frail economy, the city council is optimistic about the program's success.
Battle in SF Over the Meaning of the Word 'Meal'
In order to get more retailers to set up shop in one San Francisco neighborhood, the definition of "meal" must be established to keep out new places that can't serve one.
Is L.A. Willing To Pay For Safe Trains?
Although it is a public transit success, Metrolink was cobbled together with old freight rail lines. It was a relatively cheap and quick way of providing rail service, but its drawbacks have become obvious.
BART Thinks About Peak Hour Pricing
By charging more to ride at peak commuting hours, BART hopes to spread the use of the system more evenly throughout the day.
Somber Train Commuters Ride Again in Southern California
Devastated train commuters in Southern California rode the rails again today, comforting friends after last week's accident that left 25 dead.
A Debate Over Parking: Shoup Vs. Norte
Don Norte of the West Hollywood Dept. of Public Works argues that before cities can cut parking, they need to have good transit. Don Shoup counters that in that case, behavior will never change.
Reconsidering the Alley
Los Angeles has 12,309 blocks of alleys, which make the streets pedestrian-friendly but creates a no-man's-land in the back that breeds trash-dumping and crime. Planners see opportunity in those alleys for a green future.
LA Cops Take Out the Trash
The city of Los Angeles forms a task force of prosecutors, police, and others to combat illegal disposal of trash all over town.
Possible $349 Millon Cut from Affordable Housing in CA
Proposals from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and legislative Republicans to close the state's $15 billion budget deficit would to take away hundreds of millions of dollars from local redevelopment agencies.
California Draining
Decades of massive hydrologic engineering have altered California's ecology out of equilibrium and will be unable to support present demands, warns Rachel Olivieri.
Documenting Industrial Areas on the Ground
By enlisting the help of concerned local citizens, researchers are getting better documentation of the locations of potentially polluting industrial land uses near residential areas.
California Water Policy Deadlock Deepens Regional Crisis
Michael George of Golden State Water Company makes an impassioned plea for leadership from Sacramento as the state’s deepening water supply crisis gets lost in another budget battle.
Housing Bust Merciless to Merced
Merced California typefies the housing bust: speculation, foreclosures, and the construction of houses nobody can afford to buy.
Smart Growth Isn't Smart Without Transit
California's SB 375 could have a big impact on the way the state grows, but without more funding for public transit, any gains would be offset by continued congestion and traffic problems.
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
