United States
Proposed Energy Reforms in Mexico Could Reverse Oil Production Decline
Mexico, the world's 9th largest oil producer and first to nationalize its oil production, has seen steep production declines as the state-owned oil company lacks capital resources and expertise. Constitutional reforms would entice private investment.
White House Issues Recommendations for Responding to Extreme Weather
A task force created by the White House in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy has published its 69-point strategy for communities to better withstand and recover from extreme weather events.
Why the 'Yankee Way' is No Way to Build a Resilient City
Anyone living in New York, or paying attention to baseball, knows how one failed splashy signing can sink a team's competitiveness. Rather than trying to win with home runs, local governments should be playing small ball, argues Charles Marohn.
The Evolution of Bloomberg's New York
This interactive feature from the New York Times employs animation and photographs of the city over time to explore the places where the outgoing Mayor has left the biggest impression.
Editorial: Obama Should Assist States in Implementing VMT Fees
In this opinion piece on how to pay for roads, Noel Popwell gives 5 reasons for switching from gas tax to vehicle-miles-traveled (VMT) fee revenue collection - even if the Highway Trust Fund wasn't facing insolvency next year. Obama is opposed to it.
Could Non-Profit Ownership Be the Solution to Transit Funding Woes?
A scholar and former New York City planner has an interesting idea for improving the financial state of America's often beleaguered public transit systems: let non-profits run them instead of public agencies. Eric Jaffe explains his reasoning.
Jan Gehl: People-Friendly Cities Are Cheap & Easy
Famed Danish architect Jan Gehl shared his thoughts this week about people-friendly cities, and why we have no option but to build them.
New Study: Effects of Obesity Epidemic Much Worse Than Previously Reported
A new study published this week in the American Journal of Public Health links 18.2 percent of premature deaths in the United States between 1986 and 2006 to obesity, a nearly fourfold increase over what had widely been cited.
A Pretty Picture of America's Stark Segregation
In what may be the most informative piece of pointillist 'painting' ever made, a demographic researcher has created a zoomable racial map of America made up of 308,745,538 dots. The result is 'strangely beautiful'.
Do You Make Enough to Live Where You Work?
What if the people who keep a city running -- including urban planners -- can't afford to live there? An updated database highlights the gap between incomes and housing costs in hundreds of U.S. cities.
Is America Ready to Embrace the Passive House?
They sound too good to be true: houses that remain a comfortable temperature throughout the year without traditional climate control systems. Yet 30,000 such homes have been built in Europe. Why haven't passive houses caught on in the U.S.?
Walkability, But Hold the Red Tape
Urbanists must adopt less bureaucratic approaches so that the next generation can build and grow the economy, Andres Duany says. Hence the proliferation of “lean” codes that emphasize only the essentials of shaping community.
How Green Is Your Electric Car? Depends Where You Live
According to a new report from Climate Central, your EV is only as clean as the power plant used to generate the electricity it runs on. Furthermore, due to the huge carbon cost of batteries, a hybrid may be more climate-friendly than a plug-in.
Base Your Transit Investment Arguments on Agglomeration
Forget reducing congestion and improving the environment; a new paper makes perhaps the strongest argument yet for investing in public transit based on its ability to agglomerate, or cluster people together, raising wages and productivity.
Cities vs Suburbs: Where do Parents Want to Raise Their Children?
Tanya Snyder wades into the ongoing discussion over whether America's urban revival can be sustained, a question that essentially hinges on whether cities are creating an attractive alternative to the suburbs for raising children.
Coaxed by Cities, Southwest U.S. Homeowners Say Goodbye to Grass
With strained water supplies a growing problem throughout the Southwestern U.S., cities from Austin to Los Angeles are using carrots and sticks to coax homeowners into adopting drought-resistant landscapes. Not all are pleased to see the grass go.
Is the Small Family Farm a Thing of the Past? The Answer May Surprise You
A new report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service tracks trends in the size and production of the country's farms. Even though the size of the average farm has steadily increased, "there are more small farms than ever."
To Control Health Costs, Build Sidewalks
Each month new research emerges linking public health with the built environment. Yet just a small fraction of healthcare spending goes toward reducing our exposure to unhealthy environments. Under the Affordable Care Act, that could soon change.
Protected Bike Lanes May Receive Federal Recognition
While protected bike lanes have yet to be recognized by AASHTO, they are en route to being recognized by US DOT, writes Green Lane Project's Michael Andersen. With federal guidance, transportation engineers may be more willing to build cycle tracks.
Death By Auto: Are They Always Accidents?
Sarah Goodyear describes the greater implications of the carnage caused by a motorist intent on mowing down as many pedestrians as possible on the Venice boardwalk in L.A. on August 03. It wasn't the first time a car caused mayhem in a public space.
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
