North Carolina
Why Your Cell Phone is the Most Promising Transportation Planning Tool
Emily Badger reports on the growing importance of the cellular phone, and particularly their location tracking capabilities, as the next most essential transportation planning tool.
Freight-Oriented Development To Be Implemented Along the Red Line
In Charlotte, N.C, planners are looking at ways to appeal to freight users. In addition to transit-oriented development, their plan is to allow freight trains to run on the same tracks as passenger trains promoting the use of the Red Line.
To Fund New Plan, Voters Willing To Pay Higher Taxes
A passing of a a half-cent sales tax increase dedicated to transit in Durham County shows that voters are willing to invest for new public transportation options. This is the first step towards upgrading North Carolina's mass transit system.
Supporting One Appalachian City, Grassroots Thinking and Creativity
Natalia Echeverri profiles Asheville, NC, a town that that has transformed itself into a grassroots-oriented, local creative hub. One highlight? A recycled "design-build" studio constructed in 10 weeks.
Real Estate Rebound Gaining Ground in Select Cities
Bay City, Michigan, which has seen seven consecutive months of rising home prices, is one of 25 metro areas seeing a rebound in their real estate market despite a slow economic recovery, Morgan Brennan reports for Forbes.
A Local's Guide to Asheville
For a recent contest, Good magazine asked its readers to submit guides to the interesting and unique parts of their city. The winning entry is a guide to Asheville, North Carolina.
Charlotte's Big Unemployment Problem
Joblessness in the Charlotte region is high, and has been for a while. This review of unemployment figures shows a long-term problem.
Tom Low's Vision for De-Sprawling Charlotte
With foreclosure rates high and car-dependent development spreading, Charlotte might want to start listening to new urbanist Tom Low, according to this article.
Tribal Peoples Get Energy Audit
The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians recently got advice from a sustainability consultant on ways the tribe could cut their energy use be more sustainable.
Raleigh Developer Thinks PRT is "Fun"
Developer John Kane of Raleigh, North Carolina rode the personal rapid transit (PRT) system at Heathrow, and decided it would be a perfect fit for Raleigh's North Hills area.
Light Rail Among Cuts in Proposed North Carolina Budget
A new budget proposal in North Carolina could pull all funding for a long-planned extension of Charlotte's light rail system.
Smart Grid Industry Booms in North Carolina's Triangle
The Triangle (The Raleigh-Durham area) has managed to attract a cluster of nearly 60 companies working on smart grid technology and infrastructure.
Cities at Risk from Political Budget Cuts
Mary Newsom comes away from a conference on cities concerned that the gains of the past decades in cities - improved transit, downtown revitalization - could be destroyed by budget cuts.
Rezoning "Sprawleigh"
That's the nickname earned by Raleigh, North Carolina, due to its fast and unrestricted growth over the past decade. The city is planning an extensive rezoning for its 2030 plan, which TIME Magazine calls "ambitious".
Courtin' Participation With a Bluegrass Music Video
To kick off its Legacy Plan update process, the Winston-Salem and Forsyth County, NC planning board made a music video featuring an original song, a bluegrass band and some familiar scenes.
Is the Professionalization of Planning a Bad Thing?
Daniella Fergusson believes that a case in Raleigh, North Carolina proves that some agencies use the professionalization of planning to promote "pay to play" policies.
Re-Zoning for a Future Population Averse to Single-Family Homes
As demographics shift and housing preferences of younger buyers lean away from single-family housing, much of the single-family-home-zoned areas in Charlotte will need to be rethought, according to this editorial.
North Carolina Hopes to Lure Extra Rail Money
As states return money aimed at high speed rail projects, officials from North Carolina are hoping to scramble up some of this newly available funding to augment existing projects.
Christmas Downtown is Saved
Downtown Elizabethtown, North Carolina is in the middle of a huge redevelopment project, and customers were avoiding the mess causing a blue Christmas for shopowners. City Hall stepped in and put a hold on revitalization, and Santa is back in town.
Census Proves That Downtowns Are Coming Back
Earlier this week, the new American Community Survey data was released. Daniel Nairn writes that the new data show "a reversal of the 20th century story of urban decline."
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
