United States
Rethinking the Factory Town to Meet America's Affordable Housing Needs
Is the return of the factory town the solution to jump-start new housing construction? Myron Curzan and Janet Lowenthal propose a plan for developing housing that caters specifically to workers stuck in between affordable and median housing.
Does Conservation Development Actually Work?
Emily Wortman-Wunder looks at the effectiveness of conservation development - a popular tool used by planners across the rural West for the purposes of preserving open space.
Where America Rocks Out
Nashville? New York? Austin? L.A.? Fans love debating which city has America's best music scene. Richard Florida brings an analytical eye to the question by investigating America's leading centers for musicians and the music industry.
U.S.: Historic Drop In Carbon Dioxide Emissions
The first four months of 2012 saw 'energy-related, CO2 emissions' drop to levels not seen since 1992, according to the EIA. Graphs show an 18% decrease in carbon emissions from coal, with lesser amounts from natural gas and petroleum from a year ago
Congress Fails to Learn From I-35W Bridge Collapse
Five years after the I-35W bridge collapse, Congress has yet to address the failing condition of America's bridges. There is no consensus between the two parties in Congress on how to remedy the situation, unlike the progress shown in Minnesota.
Questioning America's Love Affair with Bus Rapid Transit
The number of BRT systems in the U.S. continues to rise, with new lines opening in cities across the nation. But, a debate has arisen within the transit community over just how much should we rely on such systems.
Farmers Markets Continue Healthy Growth Across America
Philip Bump reports on new data out this week that shows the number of farmers markets increased by 10% in the past year.
Amtrak Shoots for the Moon, Hopes to Stay in Operation
With a flurry of ambitious, and big ticket, proposals unveiled over the past three weeks, chronically under-budgeted Amtrak is shifting its strategy in the hopes of proving its potential worth.
New Web Platform Allows You to Invest Locally
Kelsey Campbell-Dollaghan profiles Smallknot, a Kickstarter-like platform that allows local businesses to tap their neighbors for capital investments in exchange for goods and services.
States Battle Over Bettors
As an increasing number of states seek to plug budget gaps and boost declining revenues by expanding gambling opportunities, the stakes keep getting higher in the competition to lure bettors.
Our Changing Landscapes, as Seen From Orbit
Earlier this week we brought you stunning images of global urban growth as captured by Landsat, NASA's longest running satellite imagery program. These images capture the dramatic changes to some of America's natural landscapes.
Where are the Worst Friday Commutes?
Your boss might be interested in this article, which makes the case for working extra long on Fridays to avoid what, in nearly three-quarters of metros across America, is the worst time of the week to drive. Mike Maciag looks at the worst offenders.
4 Major U.S. Cities Publish Data for All to See
A new platform from the U.S. government serves as a central location for Chicago, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle to share their municipal data.
Economic Segregation Spreads Across America's Cities
Emily Badger looks at new data from the Pew Research Center that shows, "As Americans are growing farther apart on the income scale, we are also effectively moving apart from each other within cities, into our own economic enclaves."
You've Got a Friend in Me: Community Development and Health Sectors Working Together
Sixty percent of premature deaths are accounted for not by medical care or lack thereof, but by social circumstances, environmental conditions, and behavioral patterns. So perhaps the medical field on its own can't prevent them.
Will Restaurants Bite on a LEED-Type Ratings System for Food?
Can a new food ratings system do for public health what LEED has done for green buildings? Claire Moloney discusses the certification program being launched by the USHFC that aims to recognize restaurants who use nutrition best practices.
'Distracted Walking' Becomes an Epidemic
Likely of little surprise to anyone who's found themselves among the few pedestrians not gazing down at a cell phone on a busy urban street, 'distracted walking' is fast becoming a major public health hazard across the U.S., reports Deborah Netburn.
Midwest Rail Upgrades Speed Ahead, Creating Divide
Increased speeds for passenger rail lines in the Midwest bring along economic baggage, but can the pros outweigh the cons? As higher-speed rail, and expected economic growth, come to Illinois and Michigan, neighboring states see pitfalls.
Prescription for Shrinking Cities: Don't Demolish, Preserve
For cities across the U.S. facing mass foreclosures and shrinking populations, demolition of abandoned homes is an attractive avenue (see Detroit and Cleveland). Roberta Brandes Gratz argues that the value of preservation deserves to be 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.
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
