The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

The Unseen Space: Signal Space

With a growing demand for wireless internet, mobile communication networks may encroach on public space, writes Michael Chen, adjunct assistant professor at the Pratt Institute School of Architecture.

July 7 - Urban Omnibus

Zoning Around Transit Stations in NYC Getting Downzoned, Study Shows

New York City's Dept. of City Planning says that it is committed to fostering transit-oriented development. But in neighborhood after neighborhood, the city is downzoning around the corner from the subway, argues Noah Kazis.

July 6 - Streetsblog

The End of the Great American Highway

The American highway is in shambles, and there is not enough money to fix it, reports Zach Rosenberg of Car and Driver Magazine.

July 6 - Car and Driver

Female Cyclists the Minority in New York City

Male cyclists outnumber females cyclists in New York City three to one. New York City lags behind Copenhagen, Amsterdam and Portland, Oregon, in female ridership.

July 6 - The New York Times

US DOT To Distribute $527m in Next Round of TIGER Grants

The US Department of Transportation will begin accepting applications for the transportation grants on August 22nd.

July 6 - Governing


The Soon-to-be Glamorous and Cutting Edge LAX

The addition of the Bradley terminal and modernization projects across LAX are pushing the airport back into relevance, Dan Weikel reports for the Los Angeles Times.

July 6 - Los Angeles Times

Suburbs or Cities: Which Has More Crime?

A Brookings Institute report shows that the difference between crime in the suburbs and cities has drastically decreased, and argues that the current drop in crime rates weakens the correlation between ethnic groups and crime.

July 6 - The Brookings Institution


Historic Preservation: The Reality Show

A new series from the BBC tracks six homeowners trying to convert historic (or just plain old) buildings into modern homes.

July 6 - The Telegraph

A New Look for the London Tube

Designer Mark Noad has created a new, more geographically accurate map of London's extensive subway system, "The Tube." Noad tips his hat to the classic, but says more lines have emphasized the inaccuracies.

July 6 - Mark Noad

A Transit Pilgrimage to Los Angeles

When Colorado transportation officials sought an example of effective bus rapid transit to visit while developing a system of their own, they headed to an unexpected source.

July 6 - Daily Camera

Repurposed Railyard Becomes Award-Winning Park

The City Parks blog looks at Santa Fe Railyard Park and Plaza, one of the winners of this year's Rudy Bruner Awards for Urban Excellence.

July 6 - City Parks Blog

Shrinkage Moving Too Slowly in Rust Belt Town

Rust Belt poster child Youngstown, Ohio made waves almost a decade ago with its revolutionary plan for "controlled shrinkage." But progress has been slow in a political system still wired for growth.

July 5 - Streetsblog Capitol Hill

Sustainable Practices Find a Home in the Americas

Whether in Cupertino, Calif. or Curitiba, Brazil, cities are starting an aggressive move toward sustainability in the Americas. In this evolution, technology, citizen involvement and innovation will play a role transforming cities, Leon Kaye writes.

July 5 - Guardian

Beverly Hills Committing $350k to Keeping Subway Out

The City Council of Beverly Hills has been outspoken against the MTA's plans to run a subway under the city. This Thursday, they're considering pulling together $350 thousand to fund their opposition.

July 5 - Canyon News

Are Western Cities Immature?

Dennis Hincamp says Logan, Utah, where he lives, has an identity crisis when it comes to development, swinging wildly between pro-growth to NIMBY. He sees this as indicative of the relative youth of many cities in the American West.

July 5 - The Salt Lake Tribune

BLOG POST

Managing Your Academic Adviser

<p> <span><span style="font-size: small"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman">It’s the middle of summer and few people are thinking about the return to school. However, in the coming month or two new students will need to start interacting with their faculty adviser. The following tips can help make it a productive relationship.</span></span></span><span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small"> </span></span> </p>

July 5 - Ann Forsyth

The Environmental Impact of New Cars

The new "Eco-Drive Index" offers a mode of comparing the average monthly environmental impact by an individual U.S. driver who has purchased a new vehicle that month.

July 5 - TheCityFix.com

Cash for Transit Independence

The DOT awarded a billion and a half in grants to transit projects on the Fourth of July. Eric Jaffe has the lowdown on projects from Connecticut to Colorado.

July 5 - The Infrastructurist

70's-Era Personal Rapid Transit System Still Operating in West Virginia

The only true PRT in the United States, the system serves 15,000 students of West Virginia University each day when school is in session. Some even credit the school's growth to the effectiveness of the PRT.

July 5 - Governing Magazine

Answer for California's Problems: Divide and Conquer?

County of Riverside Supervisor Jeff Stone proposes breaking up California in order to form a new "State of South California."

July 5 - Los Angeles Times

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