Michigan
Depaving Rural American Roads-Literally
Rather than being part of a car liberation or permeable pavement movement, poorly maintained county roads are having their asphalt ground into gravel as a cost-cutting measure to avoid costly road reconstruction. Lack of funding is the cause.
Cities Shrinking to Survive
"More cities in the developed world shrank than grew in the last three decades. More than 40 of those cities were in the United States, according to City Mayors, an urban affairs think tank," writes Gordon Young.
Detroit on the Border
Detroit is a city of borders: international borders, borders between cities and not-cities, and borders between the success of the past and the uncertain future, writes Jerry Herron in this essay for Places.
State Fairs Latest Casualty of Budget Cuts
The Michigan State Fair, the oldest state fair in the nation, won't happen this summer. Gov. Jennifer Granholm nixed the state's usual subsidy due to the serious strain on the state's budget.
Detroit to Close 77 City Parks
The City of Detroit has announced plans to close 77 city parks this summer in an effort to cut costs.
Are College Graduates Worth It?
Vincent Valk looks at the dogged pursuit by cities for new college graduates, and asks if that strategy really pays off in the end.
New Consensus in Detroit Behind Shrinking
The mayor, non-profits and a growing section of Detroit residents are getting behind the idea of making Detroit smaller by demolishing buildings and cutting off dead sections of the city.
Derelict Detroit Home Used as Architecture Studio Project
Five young architects have taken over a derelict home in Detroit and are using it as a full-scale studio for new design ideas.
Canada Loans Michigan $550m For Bridge
With no US government or private funding available, the Canadian government has announced it will pony up the remaining funds for a new toll bridge connecting their country with Detroit, which they see as a jobs creator.
Could Detroit Feed Itself?
It may be one of the worst food deserts in the country, but Detroit has enough open land in the city's 103,000 vacant lots to become self-sufficient in terms of food production, argues Mark Dowie.
Can Mass Demolitions Save Detroit?
In this video report from CNN, Detroit politicians and residents voice both opposition and support for the plan to demolish up to 3,000 abandoned homes and densify remaining housing.
How Should Obama Tackle Detroit?
This TIME article looks at possible federal approaches to assist Detroit, from new alternative energy factories to urban agriculture initiatives.
Public Space Creation in Three Midwestern Cities
This piece from The Architect's Newspaper takes a look at three midwestern cities that have recently benefited from outside investments in their urban centers.
High-Density Development Nixed in Ann Arbor
In Ann Arbor, Michigan, a high-density, 62 unit apartment complex was approved 6-4 by the city council, but a local law requires a supermajority to pass if members of the public file an 'opposition petition.'
Streetcar Coming to Detroit, But Locals Call for Broader BRT
Funding seems locked for a planned streetcar line in Detroit, but some locals argue that what the metro region really needs is a wider-reaching bus rapid transit system. The Transport Politic profiles the proposals.
Detroit Makes Big Investment in Bike Lanes
In the next year, Detroit will be putting in 30 miles of bike lanes throughout the city. But an ambitious new plan imagines up to 400 miles of bicycling infrastructure.
Detroit Cosmopolitanism: An Open Letter to a Ballplayer's Skeptical Wife
When baseball player Johnny Damon signed a contract to play for the Detroit Tigers, his wife voiced concerns about the city not being cosmopolitan enough. This open letter to Mrs. Damon argues that the city has more going for it than many assume.
Act Now to Create a Successful Detroit
This op-ed from The Detroit Free Press looks at ambitious goals for the city ten years into the future, and argues that citizens will need to start acting soon to turn those dreams into reality.
Is My City Shrinking?
Justin B. Hollander at Tufts University looks at the increasing shrinkage of cities like Flint, Michigan and Youngstown, Ohio and the myriad strategies these cities are taking to shrink effectively.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission
City of Mt Shasta
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)
