The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Cloudy Outlook for Solar Energy in Britain

The Economist argues that heavy reliance on solar power as an alternative energy source will not help Britain meet its greenhouse-gas reduction targets in 2050 due to operational and financial infeasibilities.

July 5 - The Economist

Obama's Mileage-High Ambition

The Obama administration is proposing new mileage and emissions standards for U.S. vehicles. By 2025, American automakers will have to manufacture cars that achieve 56.2 miles per gallon (mpg).

July 4 - The New York Times

Tent City of Protest

The center of protest in Yemen's capital city of Sana'a has turned into a massive tent city, with more than 4,000 tents and a variety of services, public spaces and pop-up industries.

July 4 - Der Spiegel

America's Most Livable City Needs Improvement

Portland leads the nation is sustainability and in fact, may be responsible for starting this movement, but its economy remains mediocre and it is one of America's least diverse cities. Urbanophile's Aaron M. Renn explains why.

July 4 - Urbanophile

BP Bankrolls $1 Billion to Restore Texas Wetlands

Created by President Obama in response to the BP oil spill last summer, the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Task Force is now working on a project that restores the flow of sediments to wetlands in Texas. Funding from BP helps facilitate the costly process.

July 4 - USA Today


Cities Ready for Climate Change

This top 10 list from Grist highlights the global cities best prepared to handle climate change.

July 4 - Grist

More U.S. Cities Launching Bike Sharing Programs

More American cities are following successful European cities' leads and launching their own bike sharing systems.

July 3 - McClatchy


The Private Sector Approach to the Public Sector

This short series from <em>Next American City</em> looks at the emerging trend of entrepreneurs applying their own private-sector business savvy to the world of local government.

July 3 - Next American City

Less Green for Climate Change Critics

Based on the company's annual worldwide giving report, ExxonMobil has significantly reduced grants for climate change research from $3.4 million in 2005 to $800,000 in 2010. But why?

July 3 - The New York Times

Redevelopment Plans Shaken Up as California Cuts Budget

Urban redevelopment plans to slow or stall in California, as Governor Jerry Brown slashes the budgets of redevelopment agencies in the state.

July 3 - The Sacramento Bee

Squeezing Juice from Brownfields

Communities across the country are trying to reuse contaminated brownfields as sites for the production of clean energy.

July 3 - Yale Environment 360

Stress in the City

A new study looks at how growing up and living in cities can affect how people process stress.

July 2 - Per Square Mile

Comparing the Greening of Cities

A new tool comparing cities in the U.S. and Canada tracks improvements in the way cities are greening, and also highlights areas where improvement is needed.

July 2 - The Atlantic

National Mall Undergoes a Facelift

The grass is always greener on the other side of the Washington Monument. But not for long. Landscape renovation of the elongated field at the eastern end of the site begins in September and will be completed a month before the 2012 elections.

July 2 - The Washington Post

Injured Cyclists Team Up to Fund Fix for Heavy Accident Area

An accident-prone section of bike path in Seattle has prompted dozens of lawsuits and resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars in payments to injured cyclists. Now the cyclists themselves are trying to fix the infrastructural problem.

July 2 - The Seattle Times

The 'Great Migration' in Reverse

African Americans in the North are reversing the trend set by their parents and grandparents by migrating back to the South. This post from Grist looks at the impact on communities and urbanism.

July 2 - Grist

Swim Fan: Public Space in the River

Amanda Burden's High Line has elevated public space to new heights. "+Pool" design trio want to submerge it under water, specifically in the East River that runs through NYC.

July 1 - Metropolis Magazine

Detroit Finalizes Light Rail Route

The City of Detroit has finalized the route of a planned light rail line traveling down one the of the city's main corridors and linking to downtown.

July 1 - The Detroit News

Greenest Cities in North America

Of the 27 high-ranking cities, repeat offenders like San Francisco, NYC, Seattle, and Denver earned top spots. Conspicuously absent from the list is Portland.

July 1 - USA Today

Asking Locals What To Do With Abandoned Buildings

Artist Candy Chang has taken an old building in Fairbanks, Alaska and turned it into a public idea board that asks locals what they think should be done with it.

July 1 - Fast Company

Post News

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.

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.