Massachusetts

The six finalists in an open competition to design Boston's next subway map have been revealed, and the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA) is asking the public to weigh in on the winner.

September 13, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

With the goals of accommodating growth, expanding the city's middle class and supply of affordable housing, and moving college students out of private housing, outgoing Mayor Thomas Menino has unveiled a $16.5 billion housing strategy for Boston.

September 11, 2013 - WBUR

Somerville, a 4.2-square-mile city outside of Boston, has successfully attracted young, educated people, but many worry what an influx of 'hipsters' will do to the small city.

August 31, 2013 - The Boston Globe

With growth ten years ahead of estimates, Boston's Innovation District is in need of some fresh ideas to help stave of death by traffic asphyxiation. Local roads and mass transit are already stretched to capacity during the evening commute.

August 20, 2013 - The Boston Globe

As the culmination of the Big Dig project that sunk Boston's elevated Central Artery, the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway was envisioned as one of the world's premier parks. Though plans have been curtailed, the park has become a beloved space.

August 19, 2013 - The Boston Globe

25 years ago, the conversion of 1950's era public housing into a mixed-income community on Columbia Point in Boston provided the template for the federal government's Hope VI program. How has this seminal project withstood the test of time?

August 11, 2013 - Architect

Mexico City, Melbourne, and Vancouver are just some of the cities that have struggled to get citywide bike-sharing systems off the ground due to local laws mandating the use of bike helmets. A new helmet vending machine could help break the impasse.

August 5, 2013 - PSFK

Utilizing an online tool that compares images from Google Street View, researchers have built a better understanding of the 'small, often imperceptible reasons' that make some streets and places feel safer than others.

July 31, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

In an unusual move for governors loath to increase gas taxes, Mass. Governor Deval Patrick vetoed a bill not because it would raise and index gas taxes by three cents, but because the increase may not be big enough if Rt. 90 tolls are eliminated.

July 23, 2013 - Boston Examiner

Where the Boston area's water supply once gushed, pedestrians and bikes will now flow thanks to a plan to repurpose the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority's aqueducts as public spaces.

July 16, 2013 - The Boston Globe

For the first time in more than five decades, Boston's Charles River has been deemed clean enough for a swim. The first approved community swim since the 1950s that was held on Saturday represents a milestone for the city's famous "dirty water".

July 15, 2013 - Boston.com

A controversial affordable housing project proposed for Somerville, Mass. diffused community opposition by coordinating with the for-profit developer of an adjacent parcel. Could the partnership provide a template for moderating NIMBYism?

July 10, 2013 - Rooflines

A narrow approach to land use policy makes it difficult for communities to assess, and consider, the full impact of new big-box stores. But on Cape Cod, a regional planning framework allows the hidden consequences of big boxes to inform decisions.

July 2, 2013 - Grist

The premise behind the energy benchmarking laws found in many cities is that they will induce owners to increase the efficiency of their buildings. But a new report questions whether the investment in data collection leads to changes in energy use.

June 26, 2013 - Governing

The Boston Redevelopment Authority wields supreme power over the city's land use decisions, a position unique in American cities. Is it time to disband this relic of planning and development from a different era?

May 30, 2013 - Boston Magazine

With New York City's embrace, the dream of revamping the iconic blue-and-white handicapped symbol is becoming a reality. As NYC adopts "a more active representation of people with physical limitations," activists hope the change has a broader effect.

May 22, 2013 - The Chronicle of Higher Education

In the quest to improve efficiency and effectiveness, "smart" technologies are helping cities become more intelligent machines. But a growing chorus fears the side effects of increased privatization, surveillance, and technological sophistication.

May 20, 2013 - The Boston Globe

From Dallas to Denver, Las Vegas to Oklahoma City... and now tiny North Adams, Mass. The wildly successful Better Block model has primarily spawned projects in large urban areas, but small towns are starting to pay attention.

May 9, 2013 - North Adams Transcript

In the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombings, Eric Jaffe explores how cash-strapped cities will handle terrorism. "The short answer is public surveillance cameras. The long answer is smarter public surveillance cameras."

May 8, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

BioMap2 is designed to guide strategic biodiversity conservation in Massachusetts over the next decade by focusing land protection and stewardship on the areas that are most critical for ensuring the long-term persistence of rare and native species.

April 27, 2013 - Terrain.org: A Journal of the Built + Natural Environments