United States

UCLA's cityLAB sponsored a competition to envision new ways public works projects could be used to improve the country's infrastructure. The winning idea: algae-based urban parks connecting Manhattan and Brooklyn.

November 17, 2009 - Fast Company

Bob Herbert wonders why the United States appears to have forgotten about the importance of its built infrastructure, and imagines what the future could hold.

November 17, 2009 - New York Times

In light of recent transit accidents, especially the Red Line crash in Washington, DC suburbs, the Obama Administration is seeking legislation to set and enforce safety standards on transit systems nationwide.

November 16, 2009 - The New York Times

Mike Lydon reports from the CNU Transportation Summit in Portland, Oregon, the country's laboratory of smart growth. "Change is imminent," says Congressman Earl Blumenauer via video.

November 16, 2009 - Mike Lydon

U.S. News and World Report selects "15 Cities for People Who Hate Driving and Long Commutes," choosing the cities with shorter than average commuting times and high percentages of non-auto commuters.

November 16, 2009 - U.S. News And World Report

November 16, 2009 - Amber Hawkes

The Rise, a new mixed-use development in Vancouver, includes 1,500 condos, sushi restaurants, art galleries - and a Home Depot.

November 15, 2009 - The Globe and Mail

Builders John Wieland Homes & Neighborhoods, hit hard by the downturn, is meeting consumer price points by creating compact home designs instead of the 4,700 sq. ft. homes that were their bread and butter.

November 15, 2009 - The Wall St. Journal

Over the past 15 years, more than 76,000 pedestrians have been killed in the U.S. Some say preventing a significant portion of these deaths is as simple as enforcing jaywalking laws. Not so, argues Tom Vanderbilt, author of Traffic.

November 15, 2009 - Slate

Undercounting is likely one of the biggest challenges facing the U.S. Census Bureau as it prepares to run its decennial census in April. Certain parts of the country will prove problematic when it comes time to count.

November 14, 2009 - The New Republic

Experts believe that financing for retail projects may begin flowing early next year, but are concerned that the pool of recipients may be limited, and projects may be conventional.

November 14, 2009 - Retail Traffic Magazine

On the heels of the fatal bridge collapse in Minnesota, last year, lawmakers allotted just 11 percent of transportation spending to bridge repair.

November 13, 2009 - Streetsblog Los Angeles

Rep. Pete DeFazio's plan to close the nation's transportation funding gap with a tax on oil futures is meeting fierce opposition.

November 13, 2009 - Streetsblog Los Angeles

The Federal Housing Administration said today that its reserves are dwindling because of risky loans they insured and the drop in home prices.

November 13, 2009 - The New York Times

This editorial from Karrie Jacobs suggests that we can find smarter uses for the interstate highway system.

November 12, 2009 - The New York Times

A new report from Transportation for America reveals that over the past 15 years, 76,000 Americans have been killed while crossing or walking along a street in their community.

November 11, 2009 - Transportation for America

Researchers are experimenting with using LEDs to grow algae in abandoned mines to be used for biofuels.

November 11, 2009 - Scientific American

This report from NPR briefly looks at causes for concern, when it comes to the decline in walking in the US, including safety and obesity.

November 11, 2009 - NPR

Kaid Benfield reads ULI's latest 'Emerging Trends' report, and finds, amidst the doom and gloom, significant support for infill and smart growth.

November 10, 2009 - NRDC Blog

A new report from IBM looks into the future of the trucking industry. The report predicts that new technologies for systems monitoring will become standard.

November 10, 2009 - Fast Company