The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

BLOG POST

<img src="http://www.cities21.org/bc-ms01th.jpg" alt="Cities21 proposal for PRT at Microsoft Campus" align="right" />So Steve Raney, directory of the nonprofit transit advocacy group <a href="http://www.cities21.org/">Cities 21</a>, emailed me a pre-packaged blog entry, including images and a proposed blog title, about a proposal his organization is circulating for a personal rapid transit (PRT) system on the Microsoft campus in Redmond, WA. The visualization on the site were, in fact, fascinating, and a great introduction to how well PRT can work as a transit alternative.

June 23 - Chris Steins

Margaret Carlson argues that President Bush's strategy of "denial" about global warming may have reached a turning point.

June 23 - Bloomberg

Seattle's Green Line monorail is projected to cost over $11 billion to build.

June 23 - The Seattle Post-Intelligencer

BLOG POST

In Adam's spirit of "tweaking" fellow bloggers, (Hi All) I'd like to emphasize Adam's last point - "Is it still a utility if no one utilizes it?"<br /> <br /> For all of the talk about municipal wireless, particularly in my hometown of Philadelphia, I've always been concerned about the ultimate use of the investment despite the fact I agree that anti-municipal broadband laws are detrimental to the flexibility of any City to serve their population. I'm reminded of an interview posted on <a href="http://www.muniwireless.com/archives/000635.html">Muniwireless</a>

June 23 - Scott Page

While plans to rebuild at Ground Zero go through yet another revision of security measures, one commentator asks when is enough too much?

June 23 - Slate

Municipalities are making arrests under 'aggressive panhandling' laws despite freedom of speech concerns.

June 23 - The Christian Science Monitor

The city of Newton, Iowa is hoping the NASCAR-sponsored track will bring in much-needed revenue.

June 23 - Des Moines Register

Google apparently plans to use trucks equipped with lasers and digital photographic equipment to create a realistic 3D, online version of San Francisco and other major US cities.

June 23 - Silicon Valley Watcher

Fairfax County, VA is considering requiring a developer to provide incentives for users not to drive at a proposed Transit Oriented Development.

June 22 - The Washington Post

Plans to temporarily house over 44,000 tons of nuclear waste at the Skill Valley Reservation in Utah are pushing forward, despite Utah officials' objections.

June 22 - The Salt Lake Tribune

An interview with Seattle mayor Greg Nickels, who is leading a city-based climate change movement.

June 22 - Grist Magazine

The U.S. economy is being artifically buoyed by the housing market; stalled or slumping housing sales will harm the economy.

June 22 - The San Diego Union-Tribune

A proposed bill that would limit greenhouse gas emissions is the center of a struggle between the Senate and the President.

June 22 - The Los Angeles Times

Desertification will be impact hundreds of thousands worldwide.

June 22 - Nature

Turn your gaz-guzzling car, truck, or SUV into a zero-emissions vehicles with no special equipment.

June 22 - CNN

The hybrid service is already a hit in Las Vegas. With the promise of FTA start-up funds, can cities like Houston be far behind?

June 22 - The Houston Chronicle

Defense workers near the Pentagon told legislators they would rather quit their jobs than move further out to the suburban fringe.

June 22 - The Washington Post

The carpooling practice of picking up strangers might be facing extinction if a new bill is signed that will allow single-drivers access to HOV lanes.

June 22 - The Washington Post

BLOG POST

Mostly I'm posting this just to maliciously tweak my fellow blogger Charles Kaylor. Hi, Charles!<br /> <br /> It seems that not everybody <em>wants</em> free WiFi downtown. At least, not everybody in Orlando, Florida, which according to the <a href="http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/orl-locwifi21062105jun21,0,6347590.story">Orlando Sentinel</a> is cranking down the valve on the urban teat. Or something.<br /> <br /> <blockquote>Sunday marked the last day of a pilot program that allowed those in certain downtown "hot spots" to access the Internet free of charge. The test program was initially supposed to last six months, but the city kept it going 17 months.<br /> <br /> City officials said the service worked well -- as many as 200 people using laptop or hand-held computers could log on at once to check e-mail or surf the Web from a wireless zone bordered by Orange Avenue, Eola Drive, and South and Robinson streets.<br /> <br /> The problem: Few people were interested.<br /> <br /> Despite daydreams of working and browsing the Internet while lounging on a bench at Lake Eola Park, only about 27 people a day, on average, accessed the free service. City officials said they couldn't continue to justify the $1,800-a-month expense.</blockquote>

June 21 - Anonymous

The Seattle Monorail Project has released the final plan to build an elevated train for public review.

June 21 - The Seattle Times