Government / Politics
Deadly Highway Guardrail Design Questioned
After five deaths, several states have stopped installing FHWA-approved guardrails which have been said "to turn into spears" when hit by vehicles. An Oct. 20 jury verdict awarded $175 million to a whistleblower to be paid by the rail manufacturer.
Green Belts Cure Sprawl, Cause Problems
Touted as a solution to mindless suburban expansion, the vast green belts around U.K. cities create new challenges. Among them: less affordable housing, longer commutes, and dubious environmental benefits. What happens if these spaces get developed?
Is It OK to Charge Pedestrians and Bicyclists to Cross Toll Bridges?
The Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District might charge pedestrians and cyclists using the bridge in a plan to keep the district, which also runs buses and ferries between San Francisco and Marin and Sonoma counties, solvent.
Report: Cities Not Yet out of the Fiscal Woods
A report by the National League of Cities finds that although fiscal conditions are improving for most cities, they have a long way to go to achieve full recovery amid a sluggish economy.
Obituary: William J. Ronan, Founder of New York's MTA
One of the most important officials in New York State transportation history died Oct. 15: William J. Ronan, who took on Robert Moses to form the country's largest, most diversified transportation agency, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
A Conservative Argument against 'Suburban Primacy'
Charles Marohn argues against the staunch conservative defense of suburbs (famously voiced by Joel Kotkin) by showing how suburban development falls short of conservative ideals and cities, on the contrary, embody them.
Going Viral, but Not in a Good Way
Republicans and Democrats have connected failures to control spread of Ebola to the other guys’ actions. We’re requiring stressed-out bureaucracies to perform out-of-the-box with zero tolerance in arenas of mind-boggling complexity.
The Incredible Climate Mitigation Potential of Compost
Research has shown that the world's largest land use, grazing, holds enormous potential when linked with composting, to dramatically reduce the carbon content of the atmosphere through sequestration while concurrently restoring degraded rangeland.
The New Transit User Fee: Real Estate Rent
Driven by a need to meet growing costs amid unstable federal subsidies, metropolitan transit agencies are eying their properties, particularly parking lots, as money makers from new residential and commercial development.
Freight Rail Conundrum: Speed vs. Safety
Safety would win hands down for passenger rail, but for-profit railroads have a bottom line to consider. Regulators have proposed reduced train speeds, opposed by railroads, to prevent fiery derailments that have resulted from shipping shale oil.
Participatory Budget Prompts Mixed Feelings in Paris
A poll gave Parisians direct say over which projects the city government will implement with a new participatory budget. Some city residents relished the opportunity to express their preferences. Others raised concerns.
California Supreme Court Rebuffs High Speed Rail Opponents
The California Supreme Court gave a green light to the state's embattled High Speed Rail Authority to begin issuing $8.6 billion in voter-approved bonds by rejecting the appeal by Central Valley opponents of the project.
Underfunded, Deadly Road Infrastructure in Texas
Bloomberg News investigates a rash of road deaths in the Midland-Odessa region, attributing the fatalities to underfunded road infrastructure, increased population, and truck traffic. A November ballot measure may provide some relief.
Another Call for the Legalization of Los Angeles Street Vendors
Mark Vallianatos outlines the legal history and vehemently supports Los Angeles' estimated 10,000 street vendors selling everything from fruits to frozen treats.
The Middle Class Fights for Survival in Lima, Ohio
An article surveys Lima, Ohio's long-term residents, politicians, and economy to weave a narrative tracing the ups and downs of the shrinking small town.
In Defense of Uncertainty in the Development Approval Process
While streamlining and anti-NIMBYism are in vogue, Murtaza Baxamusa reminds us what's really at stake.
Poll: What are the Most Important Skills for Planning Staffers?
In the second in a series of posts, PlannersWeb recently posted the results of a poll asking: "What are the skills you’ve found most important in serving on a planning commission?"
Chicago Considers Raising Parking Taxes to Pay for Potholes
In need of 80 additional employees to keep up with the city's pothole repair deficit, Mayor Rah Emanuel is proposing that the city raise taxes parking.
A Comprehensive Accounting of Economic and Environmental Performance: Who's in?
For the last several decades, North American cities have used growth as a primary economic engine. Increasingly less dense new growth is subsidized by the more dense core, but requires a growth rate that is not supportable in the long term.
Philadelphia Mayor Nutter Touts Planning Legacy
Mayor Michael Nutter believes that his administration leaves "a template for how future development unfolds in Philadelphia" as one of its legacies.
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.
EMC Planning Group, Inc.
Planetizen
Planetizen
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
