The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

The New York Times takes a humorous look at the America's love affair (and breakup) with the mall over an Orange Julius at the Mall of America.

February 9 - The New York Times

For decades, people have been talking about how driverless cars would make highway traffic a thing of the past. Randal O'Toole asks, where are they?

February 9 - The Antiplanner

FEATURE

February 9 - Tim Halbur

While demand has increased, the weakening economy is drying up operating revenues for municipal public transit services, and the billions of dollars promised in the federal stimulus package - intended for capital projects - won't help either.

February 8 - New York Times

A recent study by the World Resources Institute for Maryland's upcoming Purple Line project sided with BRT. WorldChanging asks researchers Greg Fuhs and Dario Hidalgo how they came to side with buses.

February 8 - WorldChanging

BLOG POST

<p> New Orleans is still struggling, especially its hard-hit Lower Ninth Ward. The economic recession has been bad news for development all over the world, and it&#39;s really not helping things down in New Orleans. The federal government&#39;s broke, states are cutting costs, and local government is practically bankrupt. But even in tough times, there is one place where business always seems to be good and money&#39;s always flowing: the movie industry. Maybe New Orleans should look to Hollywood as a means to recovery. It has the money, it has the incentive, and it&#39;s proven that it actually has the power to make it happen.<br />

February 8 - Nate Berg

Attendees packed the room for the presentation of the Seaside Prize to James Howard Kunstler and to hear new urbanist luminaries discuss the current state of the economy.

February 8 - The Walton Sun

In the new version of Google Earth, you can compare aerial imagery from the past with current development on the site.

February 8 - DigitalUrban

Cincinnati City Council has approved $50,000 in funding for the development of neighborhood-based form-based codes. The funding is the first step of 'Smart Code' implementation throughout several Cincinnati neighborhoods.

February 8 - Building Cincinnati

Ron Loveridge, the mayor of the Inland Empire's largest city, Riverside, details how regional and local leaders are working to recover from the effects of the foreclosure crisis.

February 7 - The Planning Report

This piece from <em>Streetsblog San Francisco</em> looks at the city's recently announced plans for a bike sharing program and why the 50-bike pilot is likely to fail.

February 7 - Streetsblog San Francisco

Though the use of new portable greenhouse techniques, one farmer is looking to extend his local food growing season year-round -- in Northern Vermont.

February 7 - The Christian Science Monitor

In response to an essay on restricting outdoor advertising in L.A., designer and lawyer Lawrence Barth argues that putting these decisions into the hands of groups -- whether city- or activist-led -- can lead to unintended consequences.

February 7 - Design Observer

This slideshow from <em>Treehugger</em> offers visions of the future of cities -- from decades ago and today.

February 7 - Treehugger

Affordable housing initiatives have stalled with the collapse of the market in tax credits which fund construction. Advocates are resting their hopes in the stimulus bill to turn things around.

February 6 - Christian Science Monitor

The patterns of leafcutter ants are not unlike vehicular traffic patterns, yet they never get stuck in traffic or get in accidents. This article shows what we can learn from them, and why we probably never will.

February 6 - Wired Science

An investment group that bought the Queen Mary had big plans to redevelop the parking lots and moribund area around the grand ship. The difficult economy, however, appears to be jeopardizing those plans.

February 6 - California Planning & Development Report

The chairman of the Twin Cities' Metropolitan Council announced Monday plans to use federal stimulus money to fund the bus system rather than "shovel-ready" projects for which they were intended.

February 6 - Pioneer Press

A new study shows that New York City is losing is middle class, and quick. However, says one planner, the findings, though detailed, don't give the big picture.

February 6 - Crain's New York Business

As long as temperatures, population, and industrialization continue rising, the earth's water supply is in big trouble, as mapped here by German researchers.

February 6 - BBC News