United States
U.S. Infrastructure Crumbling
The Economist reviews the state of America's crumbling civil infrastructure. With water, transit, bridge, and road systems failing, experts call for increased investment and careful planning.
Fed Freezes Solar Power
The Bureau of Land Management, with a pile of solar power plans on its desk, declares a moratorium on building on public land until they can do environmental impact studies.
Is Urbanism to Blame For Social Alienation?
This commentary from ArchNewsNow wonders whether urbanism is really the cause of social alienation, not the cure.
Amtrak Struggles To Meet Skyrocketing Demand
With unprecedented demand, Amtrak is hampered by years of neglect. The agency is unable to handle all the new customers resulting from high gas prices and plane tickets and is struggling to replace aged equipment and pay for increased fuel costs.
Friday Funny: Wasn't That A Taco Bell?
Not Fooling Anybody collects photos of former chain restaurants that have been awkwardly converted into ethnic restaurants, chiropractors, police stations, and more.
'Independence Day' for Housing
Congress is promising to pass before Independence Day a sweeping set of housing legislation that would offer refinancing packages, a trust fund for affordable rental housing and offer tax credits for purchasing unoccupied houses.
U.S. Cities Going off the Bottle
The U.S. Conference of Mayors has resolved to phase out purchasing bottled water, not only for environmental reasons, but as a way of encouraging more financial support for municipal water systems.
Ending the Ideology of Homeownership
Paul Krugman writes that we need to stop conflating owing a home with citizenship.
Suburbia Running Out of Gas
The economics of long commutes are forcing many to the conclusion that suburban living is no longer viable, and suburban housing prices are falling accordingly.
Reviving the Lowly Clothesline
A grassroots group is working to remove barriers to erecting clotheslines, which are commonly banned by apartments buildings as a blight. The group is pitching their work as an energy conservation effort.
The Rebirth of the Electric Car
In a bold move likened in this article to the Apollo program, General Motors is throwing everything it has into the development of the Volt, a revolutionary plug-in electric hybrid.
The Housing Bubble as a Social Phenomenon
In this excerpt from his forthcoming book, Subprime Solution, economist Robert J. Shiller writes of our tendency to succumb to "bubble thinking," and the role this has played in the current mortgage crisis.
Presidential Candidate Calls on Mayors to Embrace Urban Growth
Building a strong country is reliant on strong urban regions, according to Senator Barack Obama, who recently spoke with a conference of U.S. mayors about the importance of urban growth. Federal funding, however, will be limited, he said.
Traffic Signs Driving Us to Distraction
Traffic signs on American roadways are so numerous and so distracting to drivers that they are having the opposite effect intended, writes John Staddon.
U.S. House Debates Smart Growth
The House Select Committee for Energy Independence and Global Warming met Thursday to discuss smart growth and its ability to reduce energy use and emissions.
Friday Funny: Buy An SUV, Get the Illusion of Low Gas Prices
Chrysler's "Let's Refuel America" campaign promises to subsidize your gas as if you were paying $2.99 a gallon if you buy one of their large vehicles. Cartoonist Ruben Bolling spoofs the thinking behind the program in this cartoon.
'Alarming' Increases In Shopping Center Vacancies
Empty retail space increased dramatically over the last six months, according to data compiled by commercial real estate brokers and investment advisors.
An Italian View of U.S. Planning
An Italian city planner visits San Diego to analyze sprawl-fighting techniques first-hand.
It's Dump the Pump Day
Today is "Dump the Pump" Day, an annual event created by the American Public Transportation Association to bring awareness to the benefits of public transit. Transit agencies across the country are offering free rides, including many in Florida.
The Incredible Shrinking Home
A new AIA report shows that new homes under construction are getting smaller in response to market forces.
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.
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
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
