The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

The imminent closing of the Virgin Megastore in New York City may be a sign that the traditional music store will soon be extinct.

March 13 - Salon.com

Metropolitan regions are the most important factors in supporting prosperous economies. For national economies to succeed, metropolitan regions must succeed, according to this article from the <em>Brookings Institution</em>.

March 12 - The Brookings Institution

Officials in Southern California cities that had hoped to trade off their share of federal stimulus funds for transportation projects to other cities have been denied by Congress, which is calling on municipalities to use the money as intended.

March 12 - The New York Times

BLOG POST

<p> There’s just one problem with academia. Sometimes it can be so … academic. </p> <p> In the interest of getting out into the world, I’m writing this post from Nawlins (nee New Orleans), where 16 other Penn planners and I are spending our weeklong spring break <strike>doffing our tops for beads and booze</strike> doing pro bono city planning work. For most of us, it’s been nothing short of a paradigm shift—and the week ain’t over yet. </p>

March 12 - Jeffrey Barg

Cities are increasingly taking on a larger share of new residential development, according to a new analysis by the Environmental Protection Agency.

March 12 - USA Today

Vancouver is following the example of American cities such as Portland and Seattle in allowing backyard chicken coops.

March 12 - The Globe and Mail

BLOG POST

<p> If you’re working in the transportation industry, you know there are basically two ways to contribute to the amazing shift in perspective going on in our country towards livable streets: Advocacy or Consultancy.  On one hand, you can work with a non-profit organization or advocacy group to push the envelope and make a stir.  This is the perceived over-the-top approach because the norm is so far away from where things could really be.  For example, in a saner world, the Critical Mass bike rides that have long rubbed New York City Police the wrong way would not be necessary because thousands of bicyclists would already be respected and given appropriate space on city streets.  But someone has to scream “Wake Up!”  On the other hand, you can choose to work “from the inside

March 12 - Ian Sacs

San Pedro, CA is the scene of a battle between developers and locals, and local neighborhood councils are using increasingly sophisticated organizing tools to bring residents to the table.

March 12 - The Los Angeles Times

This piece from <em>The Economist</em> looks at human-caused waste, how different economies generate it differently, and how they deal with it.

March 12 - The Economist

A tent city is burgeoning in Sacramento, Calif., prompting local officials to consider whether such an encampment should be made permanent, with plumbing and all.

March 12 - The New York Times

Treehugger recently heralded fuel-producing algae the hottest green technology going. GOOD Magazine takes a clear-eyed look at the promise and the pitfalls.

March 12 - GOOD Magazine

As part of a larger series, NY Times guest blogger Eric A Morris talks about traffic in LA, and how the city's structure affects ease of transportation.

March 12 - Freakonomics - NY Times Blog

Pittsburgh's public art program has resulted in a number of new, contemporary works in public spaces, ranging from a futuristic mural called 'Yesterday's Tomorrow' to a giant, seated rabbit.

March 12 - Pop City Magazine

BLOG POST

Livable streets proponents look back on 2008 as the year some of the movement’s best laid plans became mainstream. Bicycle sharing systems launched in both Washington DC and Montreal. Auto-dependent Charlotte saw its LYNX light rail surpass 2025 ridership projections, while Seattle also beat ridership projections on its snazzy new Streetcar. And New York City and Portland continued to reclaim space for less auto-centric uses—witnessing 35% and 25% growth respectively in bicycle mode share.

March 11 - Mike Lydon

Some cities in Los Angeles were caught cutting deals to sell shares of their federal stimulus funds to the highest bidder. The MTA has put the kibosh on any money swapping.

March 11 - The San Gabriel Valley Tribune

Though challenged with facing a multi-tiered government, Nicholas Sarkozy has nonetheless devised one of the most ambitious plans ever for Paris. To reimagine this bolder, greener "Grand Paris," he has put 10 teams of architects and planners to work.

March 11 - AFP

Since the creation of the Interstate highway system, Americans have never ridden public transportation as heavily as they did in 2008. This year, however, the upward trend will probably not continue.

March 11 - The New York Times

Ray LaHood rejected raising the gas tax, then President Obama rejected a vehicle-miles-traveled fee. What's left is "out-of-the-box" ideas like tolling and public-private-partnerships.

March 11 - The Wall Street Journal

As money-poor mega-developments become less feasible to construct, builders may soon have to revert to developing at a smaller scale--a strategy that makes still more sense economically.

March 11 - Greater Greater Washington

Car-free for more than 15 years, Chicago opened its dying pedestrian mall on State Street to vehicular traffic in 1996, with huge success. Should Boston planners and officials consider a similar strategy for its Downtown Crossing?

March 11 - The Boston Globe