United States
The Fallacy Behind the Downtown Growth Story
Wendell Cox delves into the latest numbers from the U.S. Census Bureau that have prompted some to herald a return to America's downtowns, and argues that reports of such population growth are vastly overblown.
Cash-Strapped City? Chinese Capital to the Rescue!
Despite heated political rhetoric on the national stage, the Toledo mayor courts Chinese investors.
What Are America's Best Cities?
For the second year running, Businessweek has conducted an evaluation of America's 100 largest cities to determine their list of the top 50. Alex Konrad discusses the results.
Demand for Permits Keeps Mobile Retail Off the Runway
The rise of mobile food trucks has been heralded in many cities. Now as retail stores take to the streets, they're encountering obstacles with zoning and permitting that have befuddled their culinary brethren.
Data Documents Divine Decade for Downtowns
Nate Berg looks at new data released by the U.S. Census Bureau that puts hard numbers behind what people across the country have observed: America's downtowns are booming again.
50 Years Later, Silent Spring Still Causing Controversy
50 years ago yesterday, Rachel Carson's seminal book Silent Spring was published. Wendy Kock examines how the book, which is credited with inspiring the modern environmental movement, is still sparking controversy to this day.
Despite Their Benefits, Urban Trees Declining Across America
A recent study by the U.S. Forest Service shows that out of 20 cities surveyed, 19 showed a decline in tree cover. With their demonstrated benefits to public health, property values, and reducing pollution, Tod Newcombe asks why they're disappearing.
Buds of LEED-ND Begin to Bloom
LEED for Neighborhood Development (LEED-ND) hasn't exactly unleashed a flurry of new sustainable, dense development. But, as the economy strengthens, innovative projects in Oakland, Syracuse, and Milwaukee are beginning to take flight.
A New Tool for Those Searching for a Similar Sense of Place
A new program developed by University of Cincinnati Professor Tomasz Stepinski allows users to find sections of the American landscape with similar land coverage or ecological patterns.
Building a Better Bus Means Cribbing from Trains
Kris Hudson investigates the ways in which cities across America are retooling the way their buses look and function in order to attract 'choice riders.'
Is a Rebound in the Architecture Profession on the Horizon?
Finally, some good (?) news for the decimated architecture profession. A survey conducted recently by McGraw-Hill Construction predicts that by 2014, U.S. architecture firms expect a shortage of qualified designers, reports William Hanley.
Taking Health into Account
Do you know the effect your spiffy new development will have on the neighbors' health? Aaron Wernham and the Kresge Foundation think you could use a health impact assessment.
Rail Debate: Should the Federal Government Invest in High Speed Rail?
Two transportation experts, Ken Orski, editor of Innovation Briefs and Joshua Schank, CEO of the Eno Center take opposing sides on whether it makes sense for the federal government to invest in high speed rail in this Wall Street Journal exclusive.
Why Hailing a Taxi May Soon Be Ancient History
Ted Mann explores the new wave of mobile applications changing the way cabs and their customers interact, which could make the act of physically hailing a cab obsolete in as soon as five years.
How the 'Cloud' Precipitates Pollution Across America
In the first article of a series exploring how the physical structures that support the explosion in digital information are effecting the environment, James Glanz examines the wasteful manner in which technology companies consume energy.
How Infrastructure Investment Became Political Fodder
Andrea Bernstein traces how, in four short years, partisan politics have infected discussions about investment in infrastructure.
Does Neighborhood Determine Personal Success?
Although the findings of a vast, decades-long study into the effectiveness of efforts to decrease the segregation of poor families did not turn up the results social scientists had hoped for, those efforts were successful in unexpected ways.
Why Cuts to Federal Funding for Bike Infrastructure May Be a Good Thing
Despite the rise in bicycling in many U.S. cities, federal funds have shrunk in the recent transportation bill. However changes in the way funds are allocated allows for more local control, and cities are stepping up.
New Home Construction Shows More Porches, Fewer Garages Per 2011 Census Data
As if to show that "walkable" is the new mobility in America, even with single-family-homes, new census findings show two-thirds of homes constructed last year had front porches while the number of garages or carports decreased to late 1990 levels.
Group Commuting Continues Upward Trend
New Census data out this week shows the share of Americans commuting by alternatives to the automobile continues to rise. In two-thirds of 342 metropolitan areas for which data was provided, public transit use was up, while solo driving dropped.
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.
Eagle County Government
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Nashville Planning Department
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
Journal of the American Planning Association
