United States
Recommendations for Reviving Public Participation
Outdated frameworks for participation and cutbacks in services have soured the relationship between citizens and their governments. A new study suggests policies and legislation for reviving meaningful public engagement in governance.
Has America Lost the War on Poverty?
Though the war on poverty launched by President Lyndon B. Johnson has improved the lives of low-income Americans in many ways, poverty remains a persistent problem. Republicans and Democrats disagree over the solutions to the enduring challenge.
Want to Improve Road Safety? Don't Touch That Phone
A new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine examines which types of distractions lead to the most collisions. Researchers found that dialing while driving is the biggest safety hazard.
America's First Female Architect Finally Receives Recognition
Louise Bethune was a trailblazer in architecture, yet her burial place didn't even bear her name for over a century. Buffalo's industry heavyweights honored her with a memorial marker last month.
California Doubles Rooftop Solar Capacity - In One Year
2013 was a historic year for rooftop solar installation across the United States, and in California in particular. The Golden State added as much rooftop solar capacity as was installed over the prior 30 years combined.
U.S. Oil Boom to Reduce World Prices While Global Coal Consumption Surges
Gas prices will drop due to surging U.S. oil production according to an U.S. Energy Dept. report. Another report from the International Energy Agency points to surging carbon dioxide emissions, not from oil but from coal burning, largely from China.
U.S. Falls Far Behind in Broadband Access
With the U.S. ranking 35th out of 148 countries in Internet bandwidth and anywhere from 14th to 31st in average connection speed, experts are warning that the country's broadband deficit could harm its economic and technological competitiveness.
Global Warming Becomes Hot Spot for U.S. State Department
While secretary of state John Kerry has been jetting around the world pushing for peace in the world's hot spots, the State Department has been undergoing a top-down pivot to address a topic no less daunting: global warming.
Pizza Hut and the Legacy of Corporate Architecture
For Americans growing up in the 1980s, the sight of a stand-alone restaurant with board-and-batten siding and a red-tile roof meant one thing: pizza ahead.
Innovation Districts: The Next Big Urban Idea
In his look ahead to the big idea that will shape 2014, Bruce Katz identifies the emergence of the "Innovation District" - a shift in the "spatial geography of innovation" from isolated corporate campuses to mixed-use urban districts.
U.S. Population Growth Slows to Lowest Rate in Seven Decades
New data released yesterday by the U.S. Census Bureau indicates that the country's population grew by only 2.3 million residents last year. Growth was strongest in the South and West, but North Dakota and D.C. saw the biggest percentage gains.
Washington Post Endorses Blumenauer's Gas Tax Hike and Mileage Fee Study Bills
The Washington Post editorial pulled no punches. The Highway Trust Fund must be fully funded, meaning that gas taxes must increase in the short term. Furthermore, a transition to a road usage fee is needed, and Rep. Earl Blumenauer's 2 bills do both.
Will Apple's Silicon Valley HQ Appeal to Young Techies?
As young tech talent increasingly calls San Francisco home, some wonder whether investing in large, opulent headquarters in suburban Cupertino is a risky decision for even the most successful tech companies.
Why is Cycling More Dangerous in the States?
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development reveals why Americans don't use the healthiest, cleanest form of transportation. Hint: it has to do with the frequent injuries we're trying to avoid.
Replace the Gas Tax with a "Ton-Mile Fee"
As we inexorably approach the day the Highway Trust Fund goes broke, more policy experts offer creative alternatives to the per gallon gasoline tax. Michael Webber of the Energy Institute at UT Austin describes his option in a New York Times op-ed.
Declining Electricity Sales in a Growing Economy: Aberration or New Normal?
Electricity sales normally grow and fall with economic activity, but since 2011, that pattern has been turned on its head. The Washington Post offers four explanations for the change and how it threatens utilities' very existence.
Developers Bet that Micro Apartments Will Work in Smaller Cities
The relatively low cost of micro apartments in high rent cities such as N.Y. and San Francisco makes them a feasible alternative for singles, but will they attract millennials in smaller, lower-rent cities like Providence, Cleveland and Worcester?
Popular Federal Tool for Investing in Distressed Areas Again Under Threat
A year after it was rescued from elimination, the federal New Market Tax Credit program is again facing extinction. Congress must act before the end of the year to save the popular tool for subsidizing investment in underserved communities.
Possibly Coming to a City Near You: Bike Boxes, Bike Traffic Signals
Bike boxes and bike traffic signals can greatly assist cyclists in navigating through intersections where the majority of bike-motor vehicle collisions occur. A key advisory committee may recommend official acceptance, which would green-light them.
Lawsuit Aims to Chop Down Proposed Minneapolis Park
A park planned to accompany Minneapolis' new football stadium has raised controversy because of the amount of proposed subsidies. While the details are worked out, planners consider the elements that will ensure its success.
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
