The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

In his State of the Union address, President Obama touted his "all of the above" energy policy which was bemoaned by some environmental groups who are upset with his embrace of natural gas as a "bridge fuel" to a clean energy future.

January 30 - Huff Post Green

A HUD funded project has provided the city of St. Louis with a fine-grained map of residential real estate conditions across the city. Officials are hopeful the data will better guide the distribution of precious community development dollars.

January 30 - St. Louis Post-Dispatch

With the National Flood Insurance Program deeply in debt, homeowners are struggling to afford new insurance rates resulting from legislation passed in 2012. The House could still block the Senate bill that would delay more rate increases.

January 30 - The Hill

In the aftermath of recent pedestrian fatalities, a lot of attention has been placed on lowering speed limits across New York City to improve safety. But the city's former traffic commissioner argues that other approaches would be more effective.

January 30 - New York Daily News

BLOG POST

You’re being monitored. Everything you are is tracked and stored in a data centre. How do you feel about these digital and physical forms of regulation? Do they make you jittery? Do you feel more secure? Are you a wiser consumer?

January 29 - Steven Snell

San Diego's downtown street grid features smaller blocks than almost all other major U.S. cities. Small blocks mean more intersections, less distance between them, and a lot of interrupted bipedaling. Bill Adams reviews some potential fixes.

January 29 - UrbDeZine.com

In prior State of the Unions, President Obama has put forth bold plans for building high-speed rail, tackling climate change and transitioning to alternative energy sources. Facing an obstinate Congress, he outlined a more modest agenda last night.

January 29 - Los Angeles Times

BLOG POST

If we really want more people to use transit, and we think it's a worthwhile goal to subsidize people's commutes, why go through all the trouble of tax deductions and employer control? Why not just subsidize transit passes directly?

January 29 - Shane Phillips

The new law is for any bike rider who has ever paused to wonder if drivers on the road even understand the meaning of the traditional right turn hand signal.

January 29 - Associated Press via Detroit Free Press

Two years overdue, Congress has released a draft of the new five-year Farm Bill, which the House quickly passed. Traditionally a signal of Congress’ willingness to preserve the status quo, this version includes a few changes in spending priorities.

January 29 - The Washington Post

Drivers are still trapped on Atlanta area roadways and students are still stranded at schools nearly 24 hours after a winter storm paralyzed the city.

January 29 - The New York Times

Hoping to bypass the Sacramento Superior Court's twin rulings in November that crippled the Calif. High Speed Rail Authority's ability to tap $10 billion in state bond funds, Gov. Brown has petitioned the state Supreme Court to overturn the rulings.

January 29 - The Sacramento Bee

Chinese and Indian cities are known for having some of the most polluted air in the world. You've likely heard about Beijing's severe smog; but in Delhi, where pollution levels are regularly higher, the hazardous air gets little notice. Why?

January 29 - The New York Times

Recent research calls for policies to incentivize affordable housing in the urban cores of shrinking cities like Buffalo and Cleveland, lest gentrification drive low income residents away from the resources and efficiencies found in urban density.

January 29 - PhysOrg

For the first time in over 50 years, streetcars are on their way back to the nation’s capital, where long-term, the city will build 37 miles of tracks. D.C. planners are citing Portland as the model for an expected rush of development investment.

January 29 - The Washington Post

Is there a relationship between carless households and density of college graduates? Derek Thompson of The Atlantic connected the dots using Michael Sivak's latest 'peak car' study and saw a relationship between the two variables.

January 29 - The Atlantic

FEATURE

Aside from inspiring a classy wardrobe, what can urban planners learn from characters like Don Draper and Peggy Olson? What cues should urban planners and policy makers take from the field of advertising to help pitch planning ideas?

January 28 - Georgia Sheridan

With the "Green City, Clean Waters" initiative already underway, a recent grant from the U.S. EPA will help Philadelphia evaluate best practices for building and maintaing its urban watershed.

January 28 - Triple Pundit

In a move to increase speed, the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) is looking to cut some stops from its streetcar and bus routes, rousing debate over whether less is really more - particularly in consideration of elderly and disabled riders.

January 28 - The Toronto Star

Climate controlled public places where the elderly, cost-conscious and indigent are welcome to spend a few hours are hard to find. Tensions have erupted at McDonald’s restaurants in NYC between customers seeking a refuge and business interests.

January 28 - The New York Times