Infrastructure
The Park That Could Swallow Manhattan
What would be the Millennium Reserve is currently "underused and post-industrial land" and is expected to cost about $17 million to construct. At about 140,000 acres, it's approximately ten times larger than Manhattan.
Want Your City to Thrive? Get More Bandwidth
Jobs of the future will be located in areas with some of the fastest bandwidth in the world -- and American is in sorry shape, writes columnist Thomas Friedman in The New York Times.
Hawaii's Light Rail Close to Breaking Ground
After decades of planning, a 20-mile light rail line in Honolulu is set to begin construction this March, despite persistent concerns over the project's cost.
Midwest HSR Gets $186 Million Boost
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced that the money will be going to the Illinois Department of Transportation to continue work on its high-speed rail project.
The Case Against Skyscrapers in Delhi
Planners and development experts explain why modeling Delhi after cities like Singapore, Hong Kon and Mumbai is misguided and dangerous.
Manhattan Parking Reforms Loom
After a flawed parking study on Manhattan's core last fall, the NYC Department of City Planning have released a revised version that calls for an end to parking minimums, especially those linked to affordable housing.
Learning from State-Level Infrastructure Banks
The idea of a federal infrastructure bank has been developing for years, and some say it may be the best way to ensure the country is able to build and repair its necessary infrastructure. But a review of state-level banks shows room for improvement.
Who Willl Foot the Bill for CA's Flood Plan?
Tens of billions of dollars are to be side aside for a plan to protect against flooding of the San Joaquin River basin. Cities wonder if this "broad road map" is enough to protect those truly at risk, and, of course, who pays for it.
China Clears Path for Controversial Dam
To the ire of environmental critics, the Chinese State Council has moved some bureaucratic roadblocks to likely enable the building of a $3.8 billion dam.
2012's Big Urban Projects
Will Doig takes us through some of the biggest projects to look out for across the nation this year, proving that cities are neither as cash-strapped nor as unimaginative as we perhaps thought.
Touring San Francisco's Parklets: A New Urban Trend
Parklets are a new urban trend spreading to cities all over the world. It's an idea born in San Francisco, and the San Francisco Chronicle's John King takes a tour of each of the city's new mini-parks
Six Trending Urbanist Themes for the New Year
Chuck Wolfe analyzes his 2011 articles which appeared on Planetizen and in other sources, and derives his urbanist trends to watch for in 2012.
Private and Public Converge in Toronto's 'Information Pillars'
New street furniture is being installed in Toronto, but locals are already sick of it. They're called "information pillars" and are supposed to offer helpful directions and info to pedestrians, but critics complain that they're mostly advertisements.
CA HSR Plan B: Amtrak
If high-speed rail fails, 130 miles of track will have to go to Amtrak. But critics say that the backup plan comes with no guarantee that Amtrak would even have to use the tracks and is, therefore, a useless backup plan.
An Invitation to Sprawl?
New legislation by the Maharashtra State Governments would allow private land owners to apply for city boundary expansions as a tool to ease congestion.
Henderson, NV Awarded $3.5M HUD Challenge Grant
The largest regional plan in Clark County history, Henderson will be using the funds to more sustainably link transportation, land use, and people. Guy Dawson reports.
Alleys for People?
Can the community of Long Beach, California use examples from much larger places like San Francisco and East Village to reclaim its extensive public alleys?
Report Touts Economic Benefits via Maine Transportation Projects
The report put out by TRIP, a Washington, DC non-profit sponsored by insurance companies and transportation labor unions, highlights about 50 trips that are likely to generate economic growth when completed.
After Funding, Highway Projects Go Untracked
After the Big Dig, the most expensive highway projects are subject to more rules, but use of funds is largely up to the states, who may come back for more money pending planning and design issues that arise.
Security Perimeter Design Gets A Facelift
For almost a decade, security features have been added to the perimeters of important public buildings without regard for aesthetics, and now are being 'beautified,' across the nation.
Pagination
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.
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Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
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Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service