United States
Worst-Dressed U.S. Cities
Sprawl is so last season. GQ ranks the "most sartorially-challenged metropolises in the greater United States" based solely on the five-letter S-word rarely mentioned in planning: Style.
Friday Funny: A New Direction for Transportation Policy?
James Sinclair points out that the cover of the Republicans' newly announced transportation reauthorization proposal, picturing an empty freeway overpass, makes the title - "A New Direction" - pretty ironic.
MIT Develops New Fuel, Dubbed "Cambridge Crude"
A post at The Polis Blog asks the question, "how might Cambridge Crude change cities?"
How Do US Cities Measure Up in Broadband Accessibility?
According to this piece from CivSource, US cities have fallen considerably behind other developed world cities when it comes to broadband accessibility. The influence of private sector "incumbents" is to blame, writes the author.
The Future of Los Angeles' Union Station
On Wednesday, LA Metro started the process of soliciting proposals for the redevelopment of the 42 acres of land it owns around Union Station.
McMansion No More
2010 Census offers telling evidence of America's shifting demographics. Diana Olick of CNBC contextualizes the new U.S. household data in terms of real estate development.
Richard Florida Explains "The Geography of How We Get to Work"
In a piece from The Atlantic Richard Florida discusses the factors that shape Americans' commuting patterns. Some of his assertions are counter to commonly accepted explanations for commuting behaviors.
Have Electricity, Will Travel
Washington state fulfills its share of the West Coast Green Highway initiative by installing nine fast-charging stations for electric cars along the 580-mile Interstate 5 corridor from Oregon to Canada.
Behavioral Shift in the Way We Drive
When "peak car use" is reached, the only way to go is down, claim Australian scholars Peter Newman and Jeff Kenworthy. They say we're already there - between 1995 to 2000, per capita VMT in some major cities around the world decreased.
Preservation's Need for Diversity
Preservation will have to include a more diverse and multi-ethnic population in order to stay relevant, writes Kenneth Caldwell for The Architect's Newspaper.
Clean Economy Shows Potential for Rapid Growth
In the Brookings Institute's pulse check on the nation's clean economy, researchers found that most of the country's clean economy jobs and recent growth were held in the largest metropolitan areas.
Jobs Up in Rural Areas
With unemployment numbers falling, jobs are on the rise in some rural parts of the country.
The Corporate Forces Behind the Transcontinental Railroads
A new book looks into the history of the transcontinental railroads and how the corrupt connection between politics and business helped spread the American economy to the West.
Experts Weigh Mica's Transportation Bill
Since the release of House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman John Mica's proposed $230 billion surface-transportation bill, reviews have been mostly negative. National Journal asks its panel of experts for their take.
Government Control Vs. Individual Responsibility
Climate Central intern Ruthie Nachmany writes how one conference on energy envisions individuals taking a role in being energy efficient, while another conference prefers cities creating systems that can lead to energy efficiency.
Federal Officals to Aid Recovery in Six Problematic U.S. Cities
Federal officials are being sent to work in six cities including Detroit, Cleveland and New Orleans to help coordinate local officials to "tap federal funds and leverage local and regional resources," The Wall Street Journal's Sharon Terlep reports.
Sprawl On: Suburbs Top the Hierarchy of Healthy Places
A new finding by Univ. of Wisconsin Population Health Institute reveals that when the health variable is isolated, suburban living beats living in the city and in rural areas.
Obama Launches Strong Cities, Strong Communities Initiative In 6 Cities
Six pilot cities are selected for the launch of a new federal, interagency initiative know as 'Strong Cities, Strong Communities': Fresno, New Orleans, Detroit, Cleveland, Memphis and Chester, PA.
Kunstler Says Glaeser is Living in the Past
In a two-part podcast, James Howard Kunstler dissects Ed Glaeser's recent presentation at CNU. Kunstler's main argument is that Glaeser's theories are based in past evidence - Kunstler believes scarcity of energy is going to change everything.
The Cheapest Cities in the U.S.
The Council of Community & Economic Research pulled together data on the 340+ urban areas in the U.S. and determined which are the most affordable to live in. Texas cities come out on top.
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
