United States
Is the Cleaning of Superfund Sites Causing More Harm than Good?
Three decades after it was established, the EPA's Superfund program is taking on some of the most complex and costly projects ever attempted. With many focused underwater, some worry the stirring up of polluted sediment will exacerbate the problem.
Despite Efforts, America Remains Dangerously Overweight
Newly released data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention depicts America with an enduring obesity problem. In twelve states more than 30% of the population is obese. No state has less than a 20% obesity rate.
What is Your State Known For?
Renee DiResta uses Google's autocomplete feature to understand how Americans "really think about 'those people' in other states." Play with her wonderfully enlightening interactive map to view the top terms associated with each state.
Is Obama Out to Abolish the Suburbs?
Stanley Kurtz traces the mechanisms by which he believes President Obama intends to "abolish" the suburbs in a possible second term, and the roots of his desire, stretching back to his training as a community organizer.
Is Crowdfunding Inherently Unfair?
Ethan Zuckerman pens a thought provoking piece on the potential downsides of crowdfunding public improvement projects. Is there a way to avoid the unequal and government-shrinking effects of funding public projects through private contribution?
Could Eminent Domain Offer a Life Raft for 'Underwater' Mortgage Owners?
Amanda Erickson explains how communities could wield the power of eminent domain to rescue residents with "underwater" mortgages, by condemning homes and allowing owners to refinance their mortgages and pay a new, lower rate.
With Ryan on Board, Differences in Campaign Transportation Policies Become Clear
With Mitt Romney's announcement of Paul Ryan as his running mate, America's Presidential campaign is heating up. With Ryan, and his policies, attached to the ticket, Yonah Freemark looks at the contrast in transportation policy with President Obama.
Brewing Economic Development
Cities across America are catching on to the economic development and placemaking potential of craft breweries, writes J. Katie McConnell.
Does New Data Upend Old Assumptions About the Knowledge Economy?
Joel Kotkin looks at a new analysis of Census data by Wendell Cox that may upend the "conventional wisdom" that "talented, highly-skilled and highly educated people" are clustering in America's coastal cities.
Is Sprawl to Blame for Municipal Bankruptcies?
As the fear of more local government bankruptcies rises, William Fulton argues that sprawling development patterns play a key role in leading cities to run in the red.
Which American Cities are Leading the Economic Recovery?
While California's cities continue to be a drag on the country's job growth, cities in the Northeast and the South are doing better than average, says a new report from the Urban Institute.
How Sprawl's Zombie Remains Prohibit Lively Places
Zoning codes, street standards, parking regulations, and other hidden determinants of the built environment are like regulatory zombies from the distant past, throwing up barriers in the path of human-scale placemaking, writes Robert Steuteville.
Famous in Car Culture, Route 66 Resurfaces as a Destination for Bicyclists
The beauty of a ride along Route 66 can be appreciated as much from behind a set of handlebars as from behind a steering wheel. Sarah Laskow reports on efforts to create U.S. Bike Route 66 as the first national bike route.
Are America's Cities Too Loud?
Recent articles on uncomfortably loud environments in New York and Los Angeles raise an interesting question - is noise pollution a necessary part of city living or is it a health hazard that should be addressed?
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.
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.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS)
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority
