George Haugh

Mayor Villaraigosa must appoint a planning director who will overcome the sprawling bureaucracy that has hindered much of the LA's endeavors, says the Los Angeles Times.

Thomas Elias argues that California's HSR plans should be altered to reduce costs and avoid some urban municipalities against the plans. This would reduce the $25 billion funding gap and allow construction to move ahead.

As Asian economic prowess powers the continent's businesses toward prosperity, governments need to find a way to accommodate the 2 billion extra people that will inhabit its major cities by the middle of the century.

Yonah Freemark explains how Barcelona has managed to get a better deal for its new metro extension than those in New York and Los Angeles.

By 2030, China will have 220 cities containing a population of 1 million or more, 24 of which will be megacities. The boom China is expected to go through, 'boggles the imagination of North Americans and Europeans.'