World
Global issues, U.N., etc.
Bridge Building Goes Beyond Transport
This article from the BBC looks at the new face of bridge development and argues that crossing rivers is no longer the main reason they're built.
Oil Supply Crunch May Hit In Five Years
Using the term 'oil supply crunch' as opposed to 'peak oil', this British report indicates that the oil crisis will hit by 2013, with prices jumping to $200/barrel. It states that the problem is not insufficient oil but obstacles to its extraction.
Riding in Peace
'Quiet' cars on trains -- where cell phones and loud headphones are banned -- are widely popular. So why aren't more transit agencies making designated quiet cars?
The Spread of Ciclovia
Temporary street closures for pedestrian use -- an idea that spawned in Bogota, Colombia -- are occurring in cities all over the world. The trend is expected to continue.
Friday Funny: More Fun With Google Maps
An obviously Photoshopped cluster of trees appears in the Netherlands. What is someone hiding, and how are they hacking Google Earth?
Friday Funny: Drunk Caught on Google Streetview
Google Streetview is slowly taking pictures of every street in the world, and capturing unexpected vignettes along the way like an Australian man passed out on his front lawn.
Why We Drive the Way We Do
Next American City reviews a new book called Traffic: Why We Drive the Way We Do (and What it Says about Us) by journalist Tom Vanderbilt, which follows in the footsteps of Freakonomics and Blink.
'Invisible Streetlights' Could Provide Energy & Aesthetic Benefits
Solar sculptures light up at night to take the place of energy-intensive streetlights.
The Mentally Disabled in Public Spaces
A psychology site reviews Mental Health and Social Space: Towards Inclusionary Geographies, a book by Hester Parr that looks at new ideas in including (or excluding) people with mental disabilities from public spaces.
Avoid Smelly Humans In Your Own Transit Compartment
Australian designer Hamit Kanuni Kuralkan has designed a transit concept lined with one-person compartments for personal space.
Ending Our Love Affair with SUV Burgers
We shouldn't be blaming biofuel production for rising food prices and environmental degradation while ignoring the immense harm of industrial meat production, writes Frances Cerra Whittelsey.
Is Globalization Slowing?
Alex Steffen of WorldChanging proposes that globalization could soon change direction as transportation costs increase.
If They Don't Like It, Why Build It?
Architect Robert Adam likens modern architecture to modern democracy, where decisions made on high supposedly represent the will of the people.
Embracing 'Tactility'
Architect Ken-Ichi Sasaki believes that planners have focused too much on the visual to the detriment of the tactile.
Moscow Tops List of World's Most Expensive Cities
Moscow tops an annual ranking of the world's most expensive cities. The survey examines housing, transportation, food, clothing, household goods and entertainment for corporations and government agencies determining living costs for expats.
Personal Rapid Transit: An Idea Whose Time Has Come?
Malcolm Buchanan writes that advances in control technology and the upcoming launch of the Heathrow Airport PRT mean that Personal Rapid Transit is ready for the spotlight.
Project Lilypad: A 'Floating Ecopolis'
Belgian architect Vincent Callebaut has designed a floating city with the noble goal of housing displaced peoples who's homelands have been destroyed.
Is Prefab Overhyped?
Prefab housing is experiencing a revival of interest among architects and design magazines. But as one realtor puts it, “I just think the whole thing is a false promise."
What Country Uses the Most Gas? California
Alexis Madrigal at Wired digs into the stats, and find that the state of California uses more gasoline than any country in the world.
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.
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
