United States
Don't Fear the VMT Fee
The Christian Science Monitor editorializes in support of the VMT fee replacing the gas tax just as the latest federal transportation financing commission report recommends, as Oregon Governor Kulongoski hopes to do, and as some will do in Europe.
Stimulus Should Get Rail Back on Track
Treehugger interviews urban designer, New Urbanist, and rail advocate Andy Kunz about the stimulus package and how it will benefit high speed rail in America.
Shovels Are In Motion, Says Obama
The President and V.P. addressed the Department of Transportation today, stating that the new investment in infrastructure "will create or save 150,000 jobs by the end of next year, most of them in the private sector."
Fake Windows = Fake Urbanism
Urban designer Susan Braun points the finger at pharmacies and other suburban retailers who intentionally break the connection with the street by blocking up their windows.
The Experience Heading Into The Urban Policy Office
This piece from The New York Times looks at the career and experience of Adolfo Carrion, the new director of the White House Office of Urban Affairs.
America's Most Congested Cities
Forbes has released its list of the most congested cities in America. Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Dallas and Washington D.C. top the list.
Raise The Gas Tax AND Switch To VMT Fee, Says Commission
The National Surface Transportation Infrastructure Financing Commission advises Congress that the U.S. is in an infrastructure crisis, and that they must raise the gas excise tax by ten cents now and begin the switch to a VMT fee.
Housing Prices Low, But Not Affordable
The housing market has bombed, bringing prices and values to devastating lows. But despite lower prices, affordable housing is still in too short of supply, according to this piece from Time.
Stimulus To Help As Transit Tries To Keep Up
American Public Transportation Association President William Millar visits Living on Earth to discuss how the stimulus will benefit public transit in the U.S. -- and why it's "the best of times and the worst of times."
The Best Housing Markets for 2009... and the Worst
Builder Magazine selects 15 picks for the best housing markets to be in in the U.S. in 2009. Houston, Texas comes out on top, and, predictably, Detroit scrapes the bottom.
Better Transportation Needs Better Cities
A new design competition is seeking solutions to L.A.'s transportation problems. But the real solution may not have anything to do with transportation at all.
Recovery or Rerun?
A new government-sponsored watchdog website will allow citizens to track stimulus-funded projects. It's an effort to insure accountability. Neal Pierce wonders if that accountability will translate into smarter patterns of development.
Obama Budget A Boon For New York
The new federal budget represents a broad increase in funding for urban programs. New York in particular is to benefit greatly from the new spending plan.
Sprawl A Major But Ignored Factor in Infrastructure Costs
The federal stimulus package has made infrastructure into a hot topic among states. But, as Mary Newsom writes, states are not addressing the land use patterns that drive up the costs and bring down the efficiency of infrastructure.
HUD's Budget Money
This brief from the New York Times outlines how federal budget money will be used by the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
As Gas Prices Drop, VMT Rises
Sightline's Clark Williams-Derry looks at low gas prices, a down economy, and vehicle-miles-traveled, noting that the precipitous declines in VMT have halted, and suspects it may plateau.
Poverty and Development: Two Birds, Possibly One Stone
Some organizations believe they hold the key to fighting poverty--economic development in the inner cities, which will in turn bring in private investment. But others maintain that both are hard to come by simultaneously.
Trucking Industry Prepping for Reauthorization Bill
The American Trucking Associations is preparing to focus their upcoming annual meeting on advocacy, promoting their agenda on the TEA-21 Transportation Reauthorization bill to Congress and the Obama administration.
Thinking Twice About Growth
Although denser is inherently greener, cities whose populations boom have their own set of challenges regarding sustainability. According to this article, achieving a balance between urban and rural growth is the most sustainable way to go.
How to Spend $8 Billion in High-Speed Rail Funds
Transportation reporter Tom Belden of the Philadelphia Daily ponders how and where the $8 billion in stimulus funds allotted to high-speed rail should be spent, referencing a report by the Progressive Policy Institute.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont
