North America
The Next Big Thing: "Sit-able Cities"
Supported by imagery of human urban conduct, Chuck Wolfe argues that walkable is good, but sit-able is better—and that "it’s time for the next big focal point and the next big idea, the 'Sit-able City'."
New Outreach Tools Reshape the Relationship Between Citizens and Government
Driven by an explosion of online tools, cities across the country are looking beyond the traditional public hearing to rethink how to increase citizen involvement in decision-making and reshape the relationship between citizens and government.
Who'll Fix the Suburbs?
Two new books proffer the end of the suburbs and the salvation of dense urbanity. But the suburbs are "not about to shrivel," says Justin Davidson. So who should be responsible for fixing suburban dysfunction?
Why Affordable Housing is an Environmental Issue
Improving our cities and suburbs is just as important to environmental sustainability as regulating pollution or conserving undeveloped land, argues Kaid Benfield.
10 Cities Most at Risk From Natural Disasters
Natural disasters affect millions of people each year, and cost between $60 billion and $100 billion worldwide. Here are the 10 global cities most at risk.
Smart Meters Spill Your Secrets and Utilities Respond
The millions of smart meters and grid sensors in operation across North America are providing a flood of information that utilities are still struggling to process. But changes in operations are already emerging, and potential uses grow by the day.
Cities Hit Back at 'Patent Troll'
City transit authorities are fighting back against a notorious non-practicing entity, or patent troll.
What is a "Community"?
As communities based on proximate and personal relationships decline, the application of term "community" multiplies. Anand Giridharadas looks at the hijacking of the word and what its new applications say about our contemporary culture.
Is There Such Thing as an "Urban Freeway"?
Freeways are disconnected, unwalkable, and have limited access; they are the antithesis of "urban." So we should probably use a different term to describe them, argues Alex McKeag.
4 Steps to Building Bike Lanes in Your City
Want to encourage city leaders to hop on the biking bandwagon and expand cycling infrastructure where you live, but don't know where to start? Kristin Smith lays out four key steps for joining the "pedal-powered, green lane movement".
The Suburbs Are Deficient Because We Made Them That Way
With their unhealthy environments, unsustainability, and relatively poor return on investment, "the suburbs" are an easy target for criticism. But suburbs aren't inherently inadequate, says David Levinson, they suffer from poor postwar urban design.
Does Obama's Keystone XL Decision Still Matter?
John Upton notes some startling changes among Gulf oil refineries - the ones that had been clamoring for the Keystone XL pipeline to be built in order to access Canada's oil sands. It's been two years - and the oil is flowing - with or without it.
From Suburbs to "Urban Burbs"
Eric Jaffe of The Atlantic Cities talks with writer Leigh Gallagher about her new book, The End of the Suburbs: Where the American Dream Is Moving, and her opinions on the rapidly evolving American housing market.
How Parking Rules Raise Rents
Alan Durning details the negative effects that parking requirements have on housing affordability.
California Refineries Prepare For Canadian Crude
Canadian oil is headed to two California oil refineries thanks to the collaboration of Union Pacific and Canadian Pacific railroads. Valero Energy's Benicia and Wilmington refineries are improving rail facilities in preparation for the deliveries.
The World's 10 Best Connected Cities
A new report out this week has ranked the Top 10 "Internet Cities" around the globe, based on a set of five criteria: connection speed, availability of citywide WiFi, openness to innovation, support of public data, and security/data privacy.
Janette Sadik-Khan Previews NACTO's Street Design Guide
Janette Sadik-Khan, NYC DOT Commissioner and president of the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO), discusses NACTO's mission and forthcoming Street Design Guide: a "permission slip" for cities to change their streets.
Proposed Energy Reforms in Mexico Could Reverse Oil Production Decline
Mexico, the world's 9th largest oil producer and first to nationalize its oil production, has seen steep production declines as the state-owned oil company lacks capital resources and expertise. Constitutional reforms would entice private investment.
Streetmix Socializes Street Design
OK, so we missed this relaunch for our just-published list of the Top Websites. Another remarkable venture from the fellows at civic tech leader Code for America, Streeetmix is an impressively user-friendly and attractive tool for designing streets.
Second Transcontinental Pipeline May Succeed if Keystone XL Fails
As the Keystone XL pipeline project remains mired in political muck, a second pipeline project is quietly moving toward approval.
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.
City of Albany
Harvard GSD Executive Education
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
