United States
Maximizing Your City's Friendship Dividend
If Jane Jacobs's theory that face-to-face encounters make for better cities is correct, a new metric that measures the ability of a city to encourage random social interactions could prove essential in shaping urban policy.
Cycling's Diversity Belies Infrastructure Divide
A new report documents the diversity of America's cycling community, countering the stereotype of the "spandex- or skinny jean-clad" white rider. However, minority communities suffer from a deficit of cycling infrastructure. Can this be changed?
Power Monopolies Lose Their Utility
With electricity demand slowing, the model of continued growth that has kept public utilities in operation for the last century needs rethinking. David Roberts examines how utilities will need to change to suit the coming ‘century of electricity’.
Housing Rebound Gains Strength
For the third consecutive month, each of the 20 cities tracked by Standard & Poor’s Case-Shiller home price index is showing higher housing prices over last year.
How to Road Diet Cheaply and Easily
Provoked by the excessively wide road in front of his home to ponder the options by which cash strapped cities might place suburban streets on road diets, land use attorney Bill Adams comes up with one possibility - give away the excess.
Wash. Bridge Collapse Exposes Nation's Vulnerable Infrastructure
In a pair of articles, four Wall Street Journal writers delve deeper into the May 24 collapse of the I-5, Skagit Valley Bridge in Washington state and its relationship to our nation's aging transportation infrastructure.
Public Transit Gets Bipartisan Voice in Congress
Congress has an Animal Protection Caucus, a Hockey Caucus, and a Kidney Caucus, so it's about time the millions of Americans who rely on public transit for their daily transportation needs had a voice in D.C.
Does Public Housing Need an Ad Campaign?
Perceptions of public housing are contradictory. Most approve of it for their communities, but most don't want to live near it. A new public relations initiative seeks to educate the general public on the benefits of public housing to everyone.
The Ten American Cities Most At Risk from Climate Change
Grist has compiled a list of the ten U.S. cities most likely to be affected by climate change.
Urban Ruins and the High Line Next Door
Chuck Wolfe suggests we all have the inspiration within us to envision how to remake our cities--from the conjecture of a Seattle restauranteur about Seattle's monorail to neighborhood examples of "we used this before, let's use it again".
The Geography of America’s Industrial Renaissance
After a sharp decline during the recession, an industrial expansion is helping to drive job growth in many of America’s metropolitan areas. New analysis outlines the country’s best manufacturing ‘storylines’.
America’s Top Arrested Developments, In Honor of Sunday's Season 4 Premiere
After a seven-year hiatus, Netflix is bringing back the critically acclaimed television series Arrested Development, and with it memories of the Great Recession.
Applying the Brakes to the Streetcar Revival
With Los Angeles, Charlotte, Washington D.C. and many more cities hoping on board, seats are filling up quickly on America's streetcar bandwagon. However, experts caution gung ho cities about unreal expectations for improving mobility.
CBO Analyzes Obama's 'Hallucinatory' Transportation Budget
According to the CBO, President Obama's transportation budget keeps the Highway Trust Fund, currently expected to run out of funds in 2015, solvent until 2021. The additional funds come from 'intergovernmental transfers' - but are they real?
City Growth Picks Up, Continues to Outpace Suburbs
New census data shows that America's cities continue to grow at a faster rate than their suburbs, sustaining the reversal of a decades-long trend.
Mapping the United States of Parking
With arresting infographics, architect Seth Goodman aims to expose the absurd parking requirements that can be found in cities across America.
To Stretch Strained Municipal Budgets, Build Smart
Utilizing 17 case studies, a new report from Smart Growth America examines the costs and benefits of competing development strategies. Any way you slice it, smart growth strategies are more financially prudent than building sprawl.
Obama Could Tackle Climate Change on His Own; But Will He?
With a reluctant Congress unwilling to act, and the signs of a warming planet multiplying, the Editorial Board of The New York Times urges President Obama to utilize executive actions to address climate change.
Environmentalists Told to Get With the Fracking Program
Environmentalists charged that the new federal rules guiding hydraulic fracturing do not protect the environment and inform the public about the fracking process. The new Secretary of the Interior, Sally Jewell, appeared prepared for their comments.
Going, Going, Gone: High Plains Drains its Water Supply
Years of record drought and more intensive farming are draining the High Plains Aquifer, distressing farmers from Colorado to Texas. Rural communities are suffering from dwindling water supplies.
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
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie
