United States

In light of last week's incomprehensible tragedy in Colorado, Richard Florida prefaces the inevitable rekindling of the country's debate on gun rights by mapping gun violence at the state level and exploring its correlating factors.

July 23, 2012 - The Atlantic Cities

Gone are the days of drab cinderblock housing for America's military families. Taking advantage of an initiative passed by Congress in 1996, today's privatized military housing developments are larger and packed with modern amenities.

July 22, 2012 - The New York Times

As Congress presses to eliminate funding for many of the federal government's sustainable planning initiatives, increased collaboration among agencies around smart growth policies may be irreversible.

July 22, 2012 - Streetsblog

Diverse suburban neighborhoods now outnumber their central city counterparts two to one. How will increasing (or decreasing) diversity change America's suburban stereotype?

July 21, 2012 - The Atlantic Cities

New analysis from the Urban Institute and researchers at the U.S. Census Bureau shows that, despite the housing bust and economic recession, exurban growth in recent years has been significantly higher than in more densely populated areas.

July 20, 2012 - The Atlantic Cities

As the U.S. experiences its worst drought in over half a century, Kaid Benfield questions the connection with the country's suburban growth patterns over that same period.

July 20, 2012 - Switchboard

Urbanists got excited when new population data from the U.S. Census Bureau suggested bigger growth in cities compared to their suburbs. Eric Jaffe interviews Columbia professor David King on why this isn't necessarily true.

July 19, 2012 - The Atlantic Cities

When the railroad was the primary means of interstate travel, America's cities relied on their train stations to provide grand first impressions to travelers. As transit ridership soars, a bevy of new stations are being designed as civic centerpieces

July 18, 2012 - Salon

Kaid Benfield directs our attention to "a terrific, poster-sized graphic highlighting the benefits of public transportation" that was created by an unlikely source - a credit card comparison website.

July 18, 2012 - Switchboard

Representing the Global Cities Initiative, Richard M. Daley and Bruce Katz report on the current status of Miami's economy and offer tips they deem necessary to boost the regional economy into true "global" status.

July 18, 2012 - The Miami Herald

John Hoeffel reports on the unwavering efforts of bee enthusiasts to legalize beekeeping in residential areas of Los Angeles.

July 17, 2012 - The Los Angeles Times

In a 2-part series, NPR reports on the rapid downfall of coal as an energy source and its replacement by natural gas - each now produces about one-third of America's electricity. Fracking is key to increased NG supplies - but it carries its own risks

July 17, 2012 - National Public Radio

As America's beloved shopping mall enters its "golden years", Emily Badger considers the astounding anti-suburban ethos of its inventor, and what the future has in store for this "over the hill" retail development model.

July 17, 2012 - The Atlantic Cities

Taras Grescoe examines how public transportation in the United States is gaining popularity and riders, but still lags in funding.

July 17, 2012 - The Huffington Post

With the CA state Senate's appropriation of $8 billion toward their $68 billion high speed rail plan, the spotlight turns to the other coast - the Northeast Corridor, with Amtrak's unveiling its updated, $151 billion plan. Both run 220 mph trains.

July 15, 2012 - Reuters via Chicago Tribune

Not only are transit systems subsidized, but so are America's roads. While some advocate for the reduction of road subsidies to better incentivize transit use, Josh Barro argues for more effective ways to make mass transit work better.

July 15, 2012 - City Journal

America's fundamental levels of governance are changing, writes Anna Clark in Next American City, who uses examples from Detroit and Cleveland to ascertain what the stakes are when cities cede public sector work to third parties.

July 15, 2012 - Next American City

Lillian Mathews describes "radical cartography," a movement to highlight, not hide, the process and politics associated with map-making decisions.

July 15, 2012 - Global Site Plans - The Grid

A tongue-in-cheek, and somewhat convoluted, infographic produced in association with NPR's "Cities Project" aims to help participants deduce whether or not they live in a city.

July 13, 2012 - Fast Company Co:Design

Milton Lindsay examines America's efforts to build a national system of high-speed trains and finds mixed results in the nation's eleven intended corridors.

July 13, 2012 - Next American City