United States
Planning: The Solution America Needs
As part of a series in Harper's on how to save capitalism, James K. Galbraith argues that America can fix many of its economic troubles with better planning -- urban planning, infrastructure planning, and financial planning.
Americans Less Green Outdoors
The American Society of Landscape Architects has released a study revealing that while most adults practice energy-efficient strategies at home, they are considerably less green in their yards and lawns.
Too-Close Wind Turbine Noise May Be Unhealthful
Some residents living too close to wind turbines are feeling the negative effects of the noise they produce: nausea, headaches, and vertigo, to name a few.
The New Age of Trains
Passenger rail is on the minds of voters and politicians more than ever. Some say the next train era is on its way.
Bike Racks as Public Art Gaining Popularity
Quirky, artistic bike racks are cropping up in cities around the country--a trend that benefits more than just cyclists.
News Summary: Urban Policy and the Obama Presidency
The balloons have fallen, and the yard signs have been yanked up. The people have chosen, and in a historic win, Senator Barack Obama will soon be our next president. Now the hopes and promises of the campaign must harden into reality. Managing Editor Tim Halbur summarize what we can expect from an Obama presidency in regards to urban issues.
Blumenauer Tapped as Likely Secretary of Transportation
Democratic insiders have mapped out the possible face of an Obama presidential cabinet. Shortlisted for Secretary of Transportation are Oregon Congressman Earl Blumenauer and Minnesota Congressman Jim Oberstar.
Rural-Urban Split Disappearing from American Politics
Democrats are in cities and Republicans are in rural areas, according to the results of recent elections. But with two metropolitan candidates in this year's election and an increasingly urbanized populace, that split may become obsolete.
NYT Columnist Urges Two Infrastructure Stimulus Packages
David Brooks is dismayed at all the failed 'stimulus packages' and those yet to come. Instead, he points to short and long term infrastructure plans, mostly in transportation, that will help the country in addition to any stimulus to the economy.
Mobility Infrastructure: A Better Stimulus Package
Stimulus packages are nothing more than an "economic sugar rush", according to columnist David Brooks. He argues that the country needs to create a larger-scale transportation-based infrastructure project to really bail out the economy.
Freeway Freefall
Next American City takes a look at freeways and sees the end coming -- for some, anyway.
Candidates Take Stance on Urban Issues
City Limits breaks down the differences between the two presidential candidates with a focus on urban issues.
Transit Agencies Facing 'Unprecedented' Financial Crisis
The financial woes of AIG are impacting American public transit agencies for whom it acted as a loan guarantor: now as many as 30 agencies are in technical default on their loans and could face catastrophic losses.
Barack Obama on Energy Policy
MSNBC host Rachel Maddow interviews presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama about his plans for electrical and industrial infrastructure, including plug-in hybrids [Video].
Kotkin: Crisis Won't Bring About Urban Renaissance
Joel Kotkin derides urban boosters who have looked to external forces -- such as the mortgage meltdown -- to fuel an "urban renaissance", rather than looking at altering their own economic environments to be more attractive to investors.
Rays of Hope
Solar energy initiatives are taking off all across the country, despite some reservations over the impacts of large-scale installations.
Ailing Chrysler Drops Hybrid SUV Just As It Goes On Lots
No sooner had Chrysler released its new hybrid SUV- a Dodge Durango 40% more efficient than its gas-only counterpart- than it has been forced to close the factory where both versions are produced in order to save on costs.
Driving Habits Revert as Gas Prices Drop
Gas prices are falling, and drivers are going right back to their gas-guzzling ways.
Lights Out for Renewable Energy?
David Morris of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance wonders if the economic crisis will see alternative energy fall off the political agenda, or if the next president will recognize the economic benefits of renewable energy investments.
Re-Inventing the Mall
Shopping malls are rarely architectural gems. Architects, especially big-name architects, typically try to stay away from designing them. But now architects are rethinking how malls should be, and looking to examples of the distant past for guidance.
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
