United States
Architecture Firms Look to Hire; But Where Are the Qualified Candidates?
After five rough years, architecture billings are on a sustained upswing. In Chicago, where the number of employed architects dropped 33 percent between 2008-2011, this means firms are staffing up to meet a growing number of commissions.
New U.S. Ocean Policy Balances Industry, Energy, and Recreation
The National Ocean Policy released this week by the White House is being praised by many as a collaborative response to the myriad challenges confronting the nation's oceans. For others, it's just another example of federal overreach.
Gas Tax or VMT Fee? Experts Debate How to Fund Transportation
In this special "Energy: Squaring Off" section, experts take opposing sides on six energy issues - the first being how best to pay for transportation. Carl Davis of the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy vs. Robert Poole of Reason Foundation.
Are Corporations Imperiling America's Public Transportation Systems?
Chris Hedges warns that corporate consolidation of public transportation is leading to increasingly dangerous conditions for both drivers and passengers, especially in intercity bus systems.
Transportation Budget: "Where's The Beef, Mr. President?"
Kathryn W. Wolfe takes President Obama to task on his fiscal 2014, $77 billion transportation budget - not in where the money goes but where it comes from. How often can the 'peace dividend' be justifiably used as a funding source?
6 Risks of Public-Private Partnerships
Public agencies need money to finance their projects. Private investors see opportunities for a decent return. Sounds like a perfect marriage, no? Not so fast, says Laura Barrett, who outlines 6 reasons to be wary of public-private partnerships.
America's Surprising Springs of Sprawl
Although urban living has been making a comeback throughout the United States, "sprawl still dominates new construction in emerging metro regions in certain parts of the country," says Kaid Benfield. He looks at the areas where sprawl still rules.
Striking Images of America Under Water
Graphs and maps can be compelling means to illustrate the dire threat to our cities of rising seas caused by climate change. But for blunt impact, a series of photo illustrations by artist Nickolay Lamm are hard to beat.
Transportation and Community Revitalization a Focus of Obama's 2014 Budget
In President Obama's newly released 2014 budget proposal, planners will find much to applaud. But what are the chances those nuggets will survive the contentious negotiations to come?
What Infrastructure Crisis?
Evan Soltas pens a contrarian take on the state of America's infrastructure, equating those who repeatedly warn of crumbling roads and bridges to a bunch of "Chicken Littles."
Economic Competitiveness of the Midwest Relies on Immigration Reform
Cities like St. Louis, where the 44,000 native-born Americans that left in the last decade have been replaced by 31,000 immigrants, offer a case study for why comprehensive immigration reform has a good chance of passing in divided Washington.
America's Safest Cities
Gallup has published the results of its survey of the cities deemed safest by their residents. The results closely track the FBI's violent crime rates.
Inequality Finds a Home in the Suburbs
Through the lens of the Los Angeles region, Becky M. Nicolaides and Andrew Wiese examine how America's suburbs sustain and reinforce inequality.
The Paradox of the EPA's Clean Fuel Rules
The EPA's newly proposed rules to reduce sulfur in gasoline may have the perverse effect of making alternative vehicles, that is, those that don't run on gasoline, less competitive with conventional vehicles and ensure that we remain addicted to oil.
Arkansas Oil Pipeline Spill: A Warm-Up for Keystone XL?
The NewsHour's Judy Woodruff asks pointed questions to Anthony Swift, of the Natural Resources Defense Council, and Andy Black, president of the Association of Oil Pipe Lines, about the latest spill involving oil sands crude. The two agree on little.
America's Top Small Town Art Scenes
ArtPlace, the creative placemaking collaboration, has announced its inaugural list of the top small town art scenes in the United States. The dozen communities selected for recognition include Crested Butte, CO, Vineyard Haven, MA, and Taos, NM.
Why Americans Are Moving from Blue to Red States
In this op-ed, Arthur B. Laffer and Stephen Moore analyze the recent Census findings showing renewed migration from the Northeast and Midwest to the South and Southwest. They note the movement is clearly from blue states to red, and explain why.
The 'American Dream' Gets a Rewrite
A new survey has revealed that the housing bust has taken a toll on the fabled "American Dream," with the majority of respondents asserting that policies should be directed "to encourage rentals equally as much as home purchases."
Is Indexing the Key to Fixing the Federal Gas Tax?
It's not too early to think about "fixing the Highway Trust Fund", a prerequisite to renewing MAP-21 transportation legislation that expires Sept. 30, 2014. Rep. Peter DeFazio may have the fix in the form of an indexed gas tax - but which index?
Feds Sketch Their Vision for D.C. to Boston High-Speed Rail
A new report released by the Federal Railroad Administration outlines more than a dozen alternatives for upgrading passenger rail service throughout the Northeast Corridor, including what high-speed rail between D.C. and Boston could look like.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
One Hundred Miles
County of Mendocino
planning NEXT
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
Montrose County
Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA)
The Pocatello Development Authority
