United States
Needed: A Fresh Approach to Funding U.S. Infrastructure
Kenneth Orski, editor and publisher of Innovation NewsBriefs, examines how state governments are beginning to accept more responsibility for transportation funding.
Renters Predominate in Low-Cost and High-Cost Cities
A report by New York University’s Furman Center found that renters made up the majority of households in nine of the 11 largest cities in the U.S. in 2013, up from five in 2006. The demand is straining the supply of rental housing.
Is California's High Speed Rail the Transcontinental Railroad of its Time?
Journalist Kathleen Sharp, whose great-grandfather worked on the transcontinental railroad, draws comparisons between that epic achievement and the construction of California's high speed rail in this New York Times op-ed.
Proposal would Lower New York's Gas Prices by Cutting the Gas Tax
Call it $2 gas price envy. Though New York gas prices have dropped $1.20 from a year ago, they are also 25-cents above the national average. State Sen. Jim Seward hopes to spark a statewide movement to reduce prices by reducing state gas taxes.
5 Ways to Add Density (High Rises Not Included)
In some cities the idea of adding a high rise is always dead on arrival, even if the city desperately needs to add density. For those communities facing similar challenges, a post on Blooming Rock offers five ways to think outside the high-rise box.
Black History Month—a Good Time for Planners to Reflect
Planners have good reason to be thoughtful on the occasion of Black History Month. One blogger offers reflections and insight that should inspire thoughtfulness the rest of the year, too.
Feds Issue Transportation Report Card For 2045
A new study by the U.S. Dept. of Transportation projects mobility patterns of 2045. With projected growth of 70 million people, the pressure is on to invest in infrastructure and bring transportation planning into the 21st century.
Sprawl vs. Unions
The three very different stories of the building trades in Atlanta, Denver, and Portland show just how much urban development patterns affect workers.
Digital Divide Includes Transportation And Tech
For people who'd rather own a smart phone than a set of wheels, new types of mobile tech are making it increasingly easy to get around cities. A recent report ranks the metro areas that are making best use of these technologies. On top: Austin, TX
Seizing the Moment: Nations Slash Energy Subsidies as Oil Prices Fall
Just as plummeting oil prices have caused state and federal political leaders to consider raising gas taxes, leaders in developing nations, both oil producers and consumers, are considering reductions in national energy subsidies.
EPA Adopts New Rules for Wood Burning Stoves
Wood burners are a common source of nostalgia—and particle emissions that wreak havoc on public health. To improve air quality and prevent asthma, heart attacks, and more, the EPA has passed its first rule change for wood burning heaters since 1988.
Child-Friendly Cities: What My Toddler Taught Me about City Design
In a post from the new Plan.Place blog, the author explores the city with a two-year-old as his guide and offers reflections on viewing the urban landscape anew--from an elevation of 34 inches and with a renewed sense of wonder.
Mapping the Morning Commute
What time did you leave for work this morning? What time should you have left for work this morning?
A Survey of Recent Research in 'Urban Regeneration'
Journalist's Resource provides a one-stop shop for research on the subject of policies to regenerate urban areas once in decline.
An Inventory of Protected Bike Lanes
Cities around the United States have built nearly as many protected bike lanes in the past two years as they did in the previous 140.
A Map of Every Bridge in the United States
Mapping the nation's 600,000 bridges reveals a remarkably fine-grained map of…the nation.
Uber's Newest Competitor: Google
Big news on the automated vehicle front yesterday, as Google and Uber now seem destined to become competitors in the battle for the future of transportation.
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker Drops Gas Tax Hike in Favor of Bond Financing
Walker had supported increasing the gas tax and user fees last November, but now that he's being taken as a serious contender for the Republican nomination for president, he's changed his transportation funding preference to increased bonding.
As Solar Energy Scales Up—How Soon until it's Ubiquitous?
As solar power approaches and even surpasses fossil fuels in cost, the next goal is to make the source of renewable energy ubiquitous.
Unlikely Duo Propose Alternative to Obama's Tax to Fund Infrastructure
A few days before President Obama announced his 14 percent offshore corporate profits tax, Sens. Rand Paul and Barbara Boxer teamed-up to announce they would be offering a repatriation tax, somewhat similar to Obama's tax. Both fund infrastructure.
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.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie
