United States

Former Rep. Jim Oberstar (D-MN) and chair of the House Transportation Committee was ousted by Chip Cravaack (R) in 2010, who took his seat on the committee and proceeded to gut Oberstar's goals. Cravaack was ousted by Rick Nolan (D), on Nov. 6.

November 8, 2012 - Streetsblog Capitol Hill

With the aftermath of Sandy fresh on voters' minds, and the debate about the causes and effects of climate change seemingly reinvigorated, Grist examines whether those forces translated into support for green initiatives across the country.

November 7, 2012 - Grist

No sooner had the ink dried on the Times' "Obama's Night" headline, than planning advocates began offering suggestions for what the President should focus on in his second term. With an enduring split in Congress it's unclear what is achievable.

November 7, 2012 - The Atlantic Cities

Economist Joe Cortright doesn't seem to think so. According to his findings, Americans are driving less, with Millennials leading the way, and this unprecedented trend is here to stay.

November 7, 2012 - D.C. Streetsblog

As America's cities grow and expand, there's great opportunities--but there are also significant challenges. Twenty innovative metros are vying for $9 in grant money to address their city's greatest needs.

November 7, 2012 - ICIC

While the federal government balks at increasing money for transportation projects, local officials across America are turning to their constituents to get the go ahead for significant transportation investment. What projects are at stake today?

November 6, 2012 - the transport politic

California Watch, a project of the nonprofit Center for Investigative Reporting, evaluated the 2009-11 American Community Survey and determined that CA's 'drive-alone' rate to work was 73%. Joanna Lin points the finger at free parking as chief cause.

November 6, 2012 - San Francisco Chronicle

Millennials have been clustering in urban hotspots, and millions of others will be settling down over the next decade. William Fulton advises less attractive cities and suburbs on how to avoid a brain drain.

November 6, 2012 - Governing

On the eve of the election, with scant mention of his position on issues such as transportation, smart growth, climate change, or even housing while on the campaign trail, Emily Badger tries to divine Mitt Romney's approach to urban issues.

November 5, 2012 - The Atlantic Cities

Adam Davidson reflects on the urban decay that can be glimpsed out the window of an Amtrak train traveling between New York and Washington D.C., and the forces transforming the nation's economy that cannot.

November 5, 2012 - The New York Times

Was Obama's top transportation achievement his decision to name Ray LaHood as U.S. DOT secretary? That's the argument Tanya Snyder makes in evaluating the President's hits and misses regarding transportation policy.

November 4, 2012 - Streetsblog D.C.

The construction industry is licking its chops as plans for Sandy’s recovery take shape. After years of idleness due to the housing bust, builders and contractors find themselves ready to roll up their sleeves, and in need of a new workforce.

November 4, 2012 - The New York Times

One silver lining from Hurricane Sandy is that it proved the accuracy of the National Hurricane Center, an agency under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) due largely to its hi-tech tools. Do you know what a 'dropsonde' is?

November 1, 2012 - NPR: All Things Considered

In the face of slow development in the U.S., renowned architects Richard Meier and Robert A.M. Stern have been exporting their distinctive styles overseas, where “people want to bask in the reflective glow of New York.”

November 1, 2012 - The New York Times

After much anticipation, Richard Florida has published his extremely scientific (no joke) 2012 Halloween Index, which identifies "the metros best primed for trick-or-treating and Halloween revelry."

October 31, 2012 - The Atlantic Cities

Richard Florida warns about America's increasing “economic Balkanization”: a shrinking working class and the attendant swelling of low-wage service sector employees and the unemployed on the one hand, and the prosperous creative class on the other.

October 31, 2012 - The Atlantic Cities

Is the adoption of cargo bikes the next step in America's evolution towards a European model of bikeability?

October 31, 2012 - Next American City

Hurricane Sandy demonstrates that the impacts of climate change -- rising sea levels and more extreme weather patterns -- mean that the future of America's coastal cities is in doubt.

October 30, 2012 - The Nation

With supporting evidence from a USA TODAY analysis, Thomas Frank examines the LEED points system and finds that certification, and the tax breaks and other rewards that go with it, can be easily obtained without proven environmental impact.

October 30, 2012 - USA Today

Sommer Mathis writes about the largest planned shutdown ever of train and bus service in the U.S. as New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C. cancel service on the eve of Hurricane Sandy's arrival along the mid-Atlantic seaboard.

October 29, 2012 - The Atlantic Cities