United States
Mapping the City That Might Have Been
Driven by "the fantasy of the almost-reality," hobbyist mapmaker Andrew Lynch gives new life to plans that never happened with hypothetical maps of the city that almost was.
LaHood Will Resign After All
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced his pending resignation today - he will leave when a replacement has been confirmed, thus reversing an earlier, informal announcement he had made during an inauguration party on Jan. 21.
The Politics of Public Works
As Barack Obama takes the oath of office for his second term, Places editor Nancy Levinson argues for an intensified political agenda for architects and urban designers.
Northeast Cap-and-Trade Agreement Faces Uncertain Future
Established eight years ago by a bipartisan coalition of Northeast and mid-Atlantic governors, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative was the first cap-and-trade system established in the U.S. It now faces an uncertain future.
Ray LaHood Stays On As Transportation Secretary
Ending speculation as to whether he would stay or announce his resignation as many in Obama's cabinet have done, and who would replace him should he depart, Ray LaHood announced informally he would stay on as Secretary of the Dept. of Transportation.
New Takings Case Argued Before the Supreme Court
William Fulton examines the likely outcome of a takings case that went before the U.S. Supreme Court last week. Oral arguments seemed to indicate the justices were leaning towards a surprising outcome.
The Frankenstein Vehicle That Could Transform Transportation
Part bike, part car, part solar power, part human power - the Elf is a pedal-powered mini-car that just finished a "massively successful" Kickstarter drive and could be coming to a street near you very soon.
Obama's Inaugural Address Cheered by Urbanists and Environmentalists
Matt Bevilacqua found much to cheer in the 'renewed focus on urbancentric topics' that President Obama delivered in his second inaugural address. Climate change, immigration, and inequality were among the speech's primary topics.
10 Innovations Driving America's Cities and States Forward
"America is renewing itself from the bottom up." That is the premise underlying the second annual “Innovations to Watch” list just released by The Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program and The Rockefeller Foundation.
'It's Not A Tax - It's A User Fee'
So said Thomas Donohue, CEO of the world's largest business organization, in calling for raising the gas tax at a press conference following the annual State of American Business address to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
The Rise of the Trophy Rental
Renting out luxury homes has become an attractive choice in today's housing market. High-end renters get many of the benefits of owning a home, with greater built-in flexibility, and without the financial risk.
Glenn Beck Plans His Ideal City
The conservative commentator has proposed a $2 billion "city-theme park hybrid" that "would bring several of Glenn’s seemingly disconnected projects into one place." You'll be surprised at the similarities with certain Smart Growth principles.
Vacancies Leave Obama's Environmental Agenda Unclear
With yesterday's announcement that Interior Secretary Ken Salazar will soon step down, the three top environmental posts in the federal government are waiting to be filled. The vacancies are further muddling the administration's second term agenda.
Wind's Future Remains Uncertain Despite Credit Renewal
While the wind energy credit was extended thanks to the fiscal cliff deal, don't expect to see a flurry of wind projects built and certainly it won't match last year's production. Much uncertainty remains for this renewable power industry.
Lessons Learned: Five Principles of People and Place
Employing material gathered for his forthcoming book, Chuck Wolfe argues for layered, historical illustrations of how people relate to built and sociocultural communities around them, and offers 5 principles and companion lessons for placemaking.
How Walkable Communities are Key to Modern Geopolitics
The "great global project" of this century, says Patrick Doherty, is how to "accommodate 3 billion additional middle-class aspirants in two short decades." In a bold essay, he outlines how the U.S. must lead the global transition to sustainability.
A Plea to Finance the National Housing Trust Fund
"[A]ffordable housing remains one of America’s most vexing problems," states an editorial published last weekend in The Times. To help address this problem, the editors challenge the new Congress to finally finance the National Housing Trust Fund.
How Can Bike Share Better Serve Those Who Could Benefit the Most?
Across the United States, bike-share systems have struggled to provide access to those with fewer transportation options. Darren Buck looks at what some cities are doing to expand their reach.
Impacts of Climate Change More Dire Than Previously Predicted
The draft of a new report issued last week by the U.S. government concludes the impacts of climate change are spreading faster than previously predicted.
Paying by the Mile - Not a Question of "If" but "When and by How Much"
Justin Hyde is firmly in the camp that 'Vehicle-Miles-Traveled' (VMT) fees are coming - and the release of a GAO report last month may support that contention. Privacy concerns from GPS and collection costs are challenges that were considered.
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
