The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

As some cities in the Rust Belt depopulate, they present opportunities to develop into new bike utopias. This op-ed from <em>The New York Times</em> argues Detroit is a perfect example.

July 7 - The New York Times

Empty lots are scattered throughout San Francisco, sites of would-be towers that have been temporarily put off by the building bust. Instead of letting these lots sit empty until construction, some are finding ways to utilize them in the meantime.

July 7 - San Francisco

The Economist looks at the looming battle between Congress and the Administration over whether to proceed now on transportation reauthorization or delay it 18 months, and concludes that the bottom line will be the funding mechanism.

July 6 - The Economist

By 2100, vast stretches of the Mississippi Delta will be lost to sea level rise, according to a recent study. More than 5,000 square miles could be lost, including much of New Orleans, researchers say.

July 6 - The Christian Science Monitor

World Watch magazine's "Vital Signs" section highlights global bicycle production and documents trends in cycle transportation, noting effects of energy costs and commodity prices.

July 6 - World Watch

The CA Attorney General wants cities to take their housing obligations seriously - so much so that he has joined a 2006 lawsuit against the Alameda County suburb of Pleasanton over a 'housing cap' of 29,000 units approved by its voters in 1996.

July 6 - CBS Broadcasting

The 96th Street Station of the New York Subway is a bustling, noisy place. Artists and MTA staff are hoping a sound installation of nature sounds will calm the urban scene.

July 6 - The New York Times

The Federal Department of Transportation has sent a request to borrow $20 billion from the Treasury to compensate for shortfalls in the Highway Trust Fund.

July 6 - CQ Politics

<em>The New York Times Magazine</em> profiles Will Allen, the urban farmer from Wisconsin who recently received the MacArthur Foundation's "genius" grant for his work in agriculture.

July 6 - The New York Times

This piece from <em>Grist</em> looks at the use and abuse of the sustainability buzzword "LEED".

July 6 - Grist

Environmentalists in Berkeley and Oakland are realizing that the inner-city development they protested in the past is actually more eco-friendly than the alternative.

July 6 - East Bay Express

FEATURE

Our nation's roads must be greener, says David Wenzel of HNTB. A green road is one that is designed, built and maintained in a manner that protects and enhances the environment, lessens the impact on its surroundings, and encourages mass transit.

July 6 - David Wenzel

Winners have been announced in an open competition to design what could become a permanent, sea-based, autonomous living facility.

July 6 - Bustler

The Los Angeles Times has created an interactive game where you can make the hard choices in where to cut the State's expenditures.

July 5 - The Los Angeles Times

A controversial effort to develop a modern art museum in San Francisco's Presidio has come to an end.

July 5 - San Francisco Chronicle

As Houston considers extending its urban boundaries, planners and locals struggle with the proper techniques for ensuring good development without zoning.

July 5 - Houston Chronicle

A new study from UC Irvine in Los Angeles concludes that women who live within 1.9 miles of a major roadway increase their risk of premature birth by 128%.

July 5 - Treehugger

High speed rail advocates in Chicago have released a study that says building a 220-m.p.h. train between Chicago and St. Louis is an achievable goal.

July 5 - Chicago Tribune

Steve Mouzon explains how to think about cities and towns as living species, and how that perspective should guide the practice of planners and architects.

July 4 - Living Urbanism

Terrapin Run LLC proposed a 4,300 home development in Allegheny County. Local officials decided that the project was not in keeping with environmental or smart growth objectives for the area, and the developer answered with a lawsuit.

July 4 - Baltimore Sun