North America
Putting Alternative Fuel Stations on the Map
Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Energy released an interactive map displaying thousands of alternative fuel stations around the nation.
Will Postcarbon Cities be More Kid-Friendly?
The post-carbon city will require dramatically different planning. Why not plan them with children in mind, writes Jason McLennan?
NIMBYs, For Better or Worse
NIMBYism served a purpose once, says Scott Doyon, preventing all sorts of heinous projects from being built. But eventually, it became about stopping ALL change. Doyon has some recommendations for changing course.
Andres Duany Promotes "Agrarian Urbanism"
A new book by New Urbanist architect Andres Duany offers a blueprint for adding agriculture at all levels of development.
"No Net Loss" for Third Places?
Amid the dissolution of Borders bookstores in urban centers, Chuck Wolfe urges policymakers and the private market to assure "no let loss" in the spirit of natural resource protection to assure third places remain available in American cities.
Placemaking Is Key To Job Creation, Says Politician
In a post at Project for Public Spaces, a politician from Spokane, WA is quoted as saying the way municipal governments could spur job growth is by building public spaces where people want to live, work, shop and invest.
Ranking the Most Walkable Cities in the US
Each year Walk Score ranks the top cities for walking, according to its own walk score methodology. In 2011, NYC placed #1. See the rest of the top 10!
VMT Has Peaked In Cities, Says New Report
An Australian study indicates that in large cities in Europe, North America and Australia, driving has 'peaked' largely due to congestion causing a limit to commuter's travel, known as the Marchetti wall.
Fusion Businesses as Indicators of Urban Change
Chuck Wolfe explains how the fusion of laundromats and dining are evidence of the evolving city and the ongoing need for regulatory reform.
MIT Develops New Fuel, Dubbed "Cambridge Crude"
A post at The Polis Blog asks the question, "how might Cambridge Crude change cities?"
Health Concerns For Urban Cyclists
A new Canadian study should be of interest to any urban cyclist concerned about his/her health. The study shows what is apparent to most cyclists already - smoking tailpipes, especially from diesel trucks and buses, can have serious health impacts.
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).
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.
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.
Bike Projects Putting Americans Back to Work
Based on cost estimates data of 58 projects from 11 cities across the U.S., research shows that bicycle infrastructure creates more jobs per dollar spent than projects that focus exclusively on road infrastructure.
Marketing 101: How to Brand Public Transit
Campaigning blindly to encourage people to relinquish cars and take public transit is not enough. Policymakers need to develop business school marketing strategies to brand their campaigns, experts say.
Urbanism and Kids
Scott Doyon, a parent and an urbanist, argues that the suburban model isn't doing kids any favors. But, he says, designing urban areas that are kid-friendly is still a challenge.
The True Cost of Solar Power
By the numbers, solar energy comes with a hefty price tag in comparison to other sources. But energy experts claim that the overall value to society offsets the initial high production cost.
'The Johnny Appleseed of Walk-able Communities'
Walkability guru Dan Burden's long-preached message of pedestrian-focused planning is increasingly becoming policy in cities across the country.
Density, Closer to the Ground
Vancouver, Canada, famous for its dense downtown development, is changing tack slightly with a transit corridor from downtown to the airport, bringing building heights down mostly to 4 to 12 stories.
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
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
