Terrorism
Building Secure Yet Welcoming Public Spaces
Strategies for securing public spaces from vehicle attacks and other acts of terrorism without sacrificing accessible, vibrant urban places.
Homeland Security Grants Aim to Harden Transit
Amtrak and a range of big city transit agencies have received federal grants to upgrade their security in the face of terrorism.
Another Use of Motor Vehicle as a Weapon Leaves 10 Dead, 16 Injured in Toronto
A van driver apparently deliberately mowed down pedestrians on sidewalks and intersections in the North York area of Toronto on Monday. The suspect is in custody. The incident is reminiscent of a similar scene last May in Times Square, Manhattan.
New York to Spend $50 Million on 1,500 Protective Bollards
New York City officials, including Mayor Bill de Blasio, are responding to a wave of terrorist attacks and other tragic events with a proposal to build protective bollards around the city.
Bikeway Terrorism Was Both Foreseeable and Preventable
The horrific carnage caused by a terrorist on Halloween, killing eight cyclists and injuring 12, was preceded by a similar, though unintentional, bike fatality in 2006 on the same bikeway.
Citi Bikes Ingrained in Gotham, For Better or Worse
Six of the eight victims of the deadliest act of terrorism in New York since 9/11 were riding Citi Bikes. The same day, a bus driver was charged in the death of the bikeshare's first fatality. Two more Citi Bike-related deaths occurred this year.
Pedestrians and Cyclists: The New Norm For Terrorist Targets?
Eight people enjoying the Hudson River Greenway in lower Manhattan on Tuesday in the shadow of the World Trade Centered were intentionally mowed down and killed by a driver in a rented pickup truck, following an ISIS playbook that targets pedestrians
Can Planning Offer a Line of Defense Against Terrorism?
Planning for resilience might mean more than preparing for climate change, according to this opinion piece. Urban terrorism, in its current, tragic form, will require planners to prepare for the worst.
Pedestrian Barriers Installed on London's Bridges Endanger Cyclists
In the wake of two terrorist attacks on London bridges that killed pedestrians, concrete barriers were installed on three crossings to prevent repeat rampages. The only problem is that they were installed in bicycle lanes.
Saving Lives: Including Sidewalk Bollards in Street Design
Countless lives were likely saved by a strategically placed bollard on W. 45th Ave. which stopped a motorist who had driven three blocks on city sidewalks, mowing-down as many pedestrians as possible, from entering the Times Square pedestrian plaza.
A Deadly Crash Is an Accident Because it Isn't Terrorism
Cable news networks interrupted broadcasts on Thursday morning with breaking news: a vehicle had just driven three block on the sidewalks in Times Square, New York, resulting in massive casualties. Anchors asked, "Was it terrorism or an accident?"
On the Risk of Terrorist Attack on Public Transportation in the U.S.
The administrator of the Transportation Security Administration says public transportation systems in the United States are relatively safe from terrorist attack. His reasons for that assessment might surprise.
When Terrorists Attack Transit
The city of New York responded to Tuesday terror attacks in Brussels by increasing security a frequent target of terrorists: transit stations.
Rail Stations Shortchanged as Homeland Security Focuses on Airports
Rail travelers are not subject to the same degree of security measures as air travelers according to security experts, reports Ron Nixon for The New York Times. Yet far more travel by rail than plane, and rail has been a terrorist target abroad.
Security Issues Raised for U.S. Commuter and Intercity Trains
Friday's foiled attempt by an alleged terrorist to massacre civilians on a Paris-bound, high-speed Thalys train has raised fears that a similar attack could be launched on one of America's lesser-speed trains. Are current security measures adequate?
Terror On-Board European High-Speed Train
Massacre on a Paris-bound train was averted in France on Friday due to the courageous actions of three Americans, one in the Air Force another in the Oregon National Guard, who rushed and subdued a Moroccan man armed with an AK-47 and a handgun.
Op-Ed: Terrorism Fears Cloud Los Angeles Stadium Debate
With as many as a half-dozen groups vying to develop an NFL stadium in Los Angeles, things were bound to get ugly. And they did. A report warns of a possible terrorist attack at one stadium site. The report's publisher? Backers of a rival stadium.
Skyscraper Envy?
Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) expressed irritation that Chicago is no longer a world-class city when it comes to building heights. The issue arose during a Senate floor discussion on the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act. Chicago's Willis Tower ranks #11.
Is the 9/11 Memorial a 'Dead Space' in Lower Manhattan?
The grand opening of the 9/11 memorial and museum is derided by critics as a cold, uninviting public space, and 'ritualizing grief on a loop'
How to Encourage Terrorism
Shutting down cities as a response to terrorism makes such violence more rewarding and thus more tempting.
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
