This year, the future of public-private partnerships is expected to receive heightened attention amid speculations that Congress may attempt to assert oversight over public-private partnerships and place conditions on private toll road concession agreements as part of next year's transportation program reauthorization. Some interest groups, notably the trucking industry and public employe labor unions, are expected to vigorously support efforts to regulate PPPs at the federal level. Meanwhile, PPP proponents believe that the case for greater private sector involvement in infrastructure funding has never been stronger. They want to see this involvement mature free of congressional oversight or federal regulatory controls.
Infrastructure
Podcast: Top Planning Issues of 2008
6:15 minutes (5.78 MB)
2008 is over. Now, we take a look back at the year's top news in the world of urban planning and development to see what trends defined 2008 -- and what's to come in 2009.
3 Plans to Rescue the Economy and the Earth with Public Transportation
Treehugger.com talks to Andy Kunz of urbandesign.org, The Apollo Alliance, and Transportation for America about their proposals to move America forward with expanded public transportation initiatives.
Treehugger.com
Mapping Out More than Land Mass
Cartographer Mark Newman's new book, 'The Atlas of the Real World', includes maps that show more than just 'how many acres there are in a country.' Malaria cases and health care spending per capita are among some of Newman's unconventional maps.
National Public Radio
Building the 'Electranet'
Al Gore did in fact invent the 'electranet', or at least he coined the term to explain the necessity of a new smart grid to transmit electricity from new, green sources like wind and solar. GOOD Magazine reports on the state of the electranet.
GOOD Magazine
Senegal Builds New Airport, Ignores Dakar's Slums
Patrick Smith believes that Senegal's ambitious new airport is not only unnecessary, but in light of the country's massive poverty and environmental problems, actually "obscene."
Salon.com
Congestion Pricing Gains Political Traction
California State Senator Mark Ridley-Thomas (D-Los Angeles) makes the case for a congestion pricing pilot program funded by the federal government.
The Planning Report
Can Washington Rescue Main Street and Wall Street?
Some economists are arguing that the proposed federal bailout of Wall Street will do little for the economy unless it includes provisions to reinvest in infrastructure and refinance mortgages.
The Nation
Were Midwest Floods 'Engineered'?
The Mississippi and Missouri rivers were once dramatically wider, but a century of re-engineering has constricted their courses, making "flood magnification" inevitable.
Salon
Can Planning Happen More Quickly?
Members of the British Parliament attempt to speed up the process for planning major projects. But some advocates and observers fear the public's voice will be muted.
BBC
Florida Planner Takes Skills to Iraq
Daniel Reed, former Planning Director of Daytona Beach, is now the primary planner of Sadr City, 12 miles north of Baghdad.
The Bay City Times
China Using 10 Times More Cement Than Anyone Else
The Oil Drum charts recent figures released by the U.S. Geological Survey, which show a stunning growth in cement use (and therefore, presumably, building activity) in China as compared to world usage.
The Oil Drum
Public Art That's Popular
People love to complain about public art, but an installation in Emeryville, CA is almost universally loved. One expert says, 'It creates something that is thought-provoking. It isn't just decorative.'
The San Francisco Chronicle
Municipal WiFi: Boon or Boondoggle?
Santa Monica, CA is succeeding where other larger cities have failed, creating a public WiFi system that actually makes money.
Marketplace
Key New York City Council Member Predicts Future for Congestion Pricing
Council Member David Yassky was one of congestion pricing's earliest and most vocal proponents, and he hasn't yet given up on the prospect of charging tolls to drive in Manhattan.
The Planning Report
Goldman Sachs Sees Gold in Humboldt, CA
Humboldt's port shows promise, but would require massive investment. Goldman Sachs expresses an interest, surprising locals.
Times-Standard, Northern California
Agrarian Past Drives South Atlantic Sprawl
North Carolina bills itself as the "good growth state." But as North Carolina's population heads toward 10 million, the state's low-density pattern of development is straining the infrastructure.
California Planning & Development Report
New York Regional Plan Association Advocates 'America 2050' Plan
According to RPA Executive Director Robert Yaro, global competition requires that the United States focus on regions for future infrastructure investment.
The Planning Report
Bandwidth-Oriented Development
26 April 2008 - 8:56am
So how do you permit and build a 4,000-mile undersea communication cable system? And why do we care?
Two Things People Hate: Density and Sprawl
26 March 2008 - 2:13pm
We’ve been conducting public meetings for years. And it used to be easier. Present the plan. Discuss the plan. Talk about how your plan is better for the neighborhood/community/city/region and provide the conclusion. But things have changed.
