Infrastructure

London "Die-In" Draws 1,000 Cyclists

Last Friday night, more than 1,000 Londoners staged an unusual protest against the official response to a spate of fatal accidents involving cyclists.

December 2, 2013 - The Guardian Bike Blog

VMT Fee "Inevitable", Claims Minnesota DOT Chief

MnDOT Transportation Commissioner Charles Zelle needs to fill a $12 billion gap over the next 20 years. The most common question he's asked: "Can it be done without raising fees or taxes?" He stopped by The Mankato Free Press for an interview.

November 30, 2013 - The Mankato Free Press

Can Parking Apps Help Save the Mall?

Across the United States, brick-and-mortar stores are engaged in an existential war with online retailers. The newest weapons in the battle for customers are technologies that make the search for a parking spot a cinch.

November 30, 2013 - The New York Times

Cincinnati Streetcar Showdown Set for Monday

A critical City Council vote over the future of Cincinnati's streetcar is scheduled to take place on Monday, the day after Mayor-elect John Cranley's swearing-in.

November 29, 2013 - Cincinnati.com

Transit, Biking and Walking are Big Winners in Pennsylvania Gas Tax Increase

Gas tax increases can mean more road funding, period, particularly where constitutional restrictions prohibit spending gas tax revenues on other modes, as exists in Pa.; yet all modes will benefit from the 28-cent gas tax increase legislation.

November 29, 2013 - Streetsblog

Black Friday Ops

When millions of Americans venture forth from their food comas tomorrow to their nearest mall, the shopping environment may have changed from last year. By design, most shoppers are unlikely to notice the increased security measures.

November 28, 2013 - The New York Times

Healthy School Food Initiative Nourishes L.A.'s Economy

A push by the Los Angeles Unified School District to increase its supply of healthy and locally-produced foods is paying dividends for area farmers and businesses.

November 26, 2013 - Los Angeles Times

Ten Billion Dollar Tally for Fixing S.F.'s Transportation Infrastructure

What would $10.1 billion in transportation-directed funding buy San Francisco? Not as much as you might think. That's what a Task Force has determined it will take to modernize the city's existing infrastructure.

November 26, 2013 - sfgate.com

Will Washington State Be Next to Increase its Gas Tax?

With Pa.'s Republican governor signing a dramatic gas tax increase bill on Monday, will Washington state follow in their footsteps in forging a bipartisan deal between the Republicans who control the Senate and the Democrat majority in the House?

November 26, 2013 - The Seattle Times

Cities Pursue Different Paths to One Goal: Safer Streets

In the face of rising pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities, the District of Columbia's police department began deploying automated photo enforcement technologies while San Francisco took a multi-agency, collaborative planning approach.

November 26, 2013 - Transportation Nation

Has CA's High-Speed Rail Been Dealt a Mortal Blow?

In issuing two stinging decisions on Monday, a superior court judge has erected significant obstacles to the construction of California's high-speed rail project. His invalidation of the project's financing plan has put its future in doubt.

November 26, 2013 - Los Angeles Times

Chicago Infrastructure Bank's Low Balance Challenges its Founding Vision

When it was launched by Mayor Emanuel and Bill Clinton, the Chicago Infrastructure Trust was promoted as an innovative model for how U.S. cities could fund improvements. But after a year and a half, the bank is struggling to fulfill its promise.

November 26, 2013 - Governing

College Towns Provide a Master Class in Bike-Friendliness

New data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that college towns are even better at encouraging bicycle commuting than the most notable big cities (Portland, Seattle, etc); even when excluding commuting for school. What's their secret?

November 25, 2013 - BikePortland.org

12 Bold and Bizarre Visions for Cities

There's no shortage of bold and bizarre ideas for how to make our future cities more livable, sustainable, and efficient. Whether many of these ideas are feasible is another story.

November 24, 2013 - Future Cities

Mapping New York's Toxic Legacy

In bright blues, greens, and reds, an interactive map developed by property information website Property Shark documents New York City's cornucopia of polluted properties. Check the map to see if you might be living next door to a leaking oil tank.

November 23, 2013 - Fast Company Co.Exist

Synchronized Street Repairs Save Chicago Residents Money and Aggravation

Tell me if this sounds familiar: A city repaves a crumbling street only to dig it up again 9 months later to replace an aging water main. Chicago's new Project Coordination Office (PCO) is intended to prevent such unnecessary and costly headaches.

November 23, 2013 - Governing

California Ballot Measure Will Propose New Fee to Fund Roads

Would you be willing to increase the annual license fee you pay on your vehicle if the funds were to go to road repair and expansion? That's the question Californians will be asked to decide if the Road Repairs Act qualifies for the Nov. 2014 ballot.

November 22, 2013 - Capitol Alert (Sacramento Bee blog)

5 Principles for Creating Safer Streets

Through diligence and innovation, New York has been able to make the city's streets the safest of any big city in America. This month, it published a guide to help livable streets supporters anywhere replicate its success.

November 22, 2013 - STREETSBLOG.ORG

Super Sharrows: "Feel of a Bike Lane" or Wasted Paint?

New "sharrows on steroids" are being tested In the Allston neighborhood of Boston. Are the markings - parallel dashed lines bracketing a bicycle icon - a legitimate improvement on the controversial practice or "an underwhelming innovation"?

November 22, 2013 - Boston.com

The Promise and Peril of Eco-Crowdfunding

Officials in Oregon, New York, and California have embraced crowdfunding as a way to push forward with environmental projects in a time of constrained budgets. Though the emerging tool is attractive to many, others see danger.

November 21, 2013 - Governing

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.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.