United States
Redfining Planned Communities
They're no longer totally synonymous with sprawl, reports Lew Sichelman, and are beginning to be found in in unlikely places--indicative of a move to brownfield over greenfield development. Changing consumer preferences explain why.
Does Living in a Poor Neighborhood Harm Your Health?
A study conducted by the Department of Housing and Urban Development in the 1990s found that living in poor neighborhoods can actually hurt your health.
The Shrinking Middle Class
A new report from Stanford University looks at the changes in incomes and neighborhoods.
The Marginalization of Jane Jacobs and Women Planners
Roberta Brandes Gratz writes that "When we talk about strategies for city growth and economic development, women aren't often offered seats at the table." Jacobs was the exception, and represented a challenge to male-dominated planning.
As Congress Rejects Transportation Funding, Voters Embrace It
Ryan Holeywell reports that Congress and the Obama Administration are set against gas taxes, even as voters across the country are approving them to fund transportation and transit projects.
Surveillance Cameras Work, Says New Study
Planners have debated for decades that surveillance cameras don't deter crime, more "eyes on the street" do. A recent study shows that the cameras are worth their expense, in some cases.
From Rooftops to Rivers
The NRDC gives cities a report card on their stormwater management strategies. Philadelphia tops their list.
Planning for the Unplanned
Diana Limbach Lempel talks about the importance of allowing cities room to change, to experience entropy and remain elastic.
Congressional High Speed Rail Funding To Cease
In an unusual showing of agreement by both houses, it would appear that Congress will terminate funding for HSR in a bill that authorizes funding for the transportation department next year. The House hears the bill Nov. 17; Senate the next day.
Senate Approves Federal Funding for NJ Rail Tunnel
Despite cancelling the ARC Tunnel project last year, New Jersey may build an alternative tunnel using U.S. Senate funding.
New Efforts To Liven Up Parks
In Ohio, officials are looking at new ways to liven up their parks. They are providing incentives for volunteers to help beautify and maintain the parks, in addition to adding new programs to attract users to frequent the parks.
Cities Need Less "Recycled Income" To Thrive
Bruce Katz of the Brookings Institution proposes that cities are fueling themselves too heavily through "Starbucks, stadia and stealing businesses," sources he says are just recycling local dollars instead of attracting global income sources.
Jane Jacobs' Masterpiece, 50 Years Later
Anthony Flint looks at the legacy of Jane Jacobs upon the 50th anniversary of the release of "The Death and Life of Great American Cities."
L.A. Vision, U.S. Promise: Implications of the America Fast Forward Proposal
Long known as a land of sprawl and disconnected communities, Los Angeles has emerged as a leader in transit investments, providing forward-thinking leadership for how infrastructure finance can and should continue, even in difficult financial times, writes Allison Brooks and Darnell Chadwick Grisby of Reconnecting America.
Freeway Runs Directly Through Office Tower
WebUrbanist tells the curious story of the Gate Tower Building in Osaka, Japan. Property rights battles between the owners and transportation planners resulted in a high-rise tower with a freeway running through the 5th floor.
Railroad Companies Repairing Infrastructure On Their Own
Transit agencies and railroad companies realize the importance of infrastructure, as their train cars roll over bridges and through tunnels every day. This article looks at advances in bridge construction begin driven by these private industries.
Return of the "Flophouse"
Neal Peirce says its time to bring back the "rooming house" and other alternative housing options as an alternative to the single-family home.
Could a Brain-Reading Bike Be the Wave of the Future?
Bicycle builders Parlee Bikes have constructed a bicycle that can be steered by your thoughts, received through a sensor-covered helmet.
Gas Prices On The Rise Despite Reduced Gas Consumption
Americans are driving less and more efficiently, resulting in reduced gas consumption - yet prices are rising. What gives? For a nation that relies on oil imports despite surging drilling, the answer is unusual.
People Report Walking or Riding Transit More Than They Actually Do
Alan Pisarski says despite reports of growth in walking, biking, carpooling and transit, very little has changed in the U.S., and people will always over-report their good intentions.
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
