Government / Politics

Ground has broken on Honolulu's long-planned rail system, but locals still worry that the new transit won't lure new development to town.

February 24, 2011 - The Honolulu Star Advertiser

The Mayor of Tel-Aviv has called the new Master Plan a "constitution for the city," yet local officials have stated they will not comment on the plan until after it is approved by the city council.

February 23, 2011 - Sustainable City blog

Transportation consultant and analyst Ken Orski looks into the transportation provisions of President Obama's proposed 2012 budget and beyond and notices some major shortfalls - and poses questions to the administration as to how they will be funded.

February 23, 2011 - InfrastructureUSA

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced yesterday that the city will begin to utilize QR (quick response) codes on all building permits, providing more access to information for New York residents.

February 23, 2011 - TechCrunch

A federal appeals court upheld a federal district court ruling that the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, the Bay Area's transportation planning and funding agency, does not discriminate against minorities in the way it funds buses and trains

February 22, 2011 - San Francisco Chronicle

A brand new capital city is being planned for the recently approved new country of South Sudan. Juba, the region's current capital, is seen as too chaotic to serve as the new country's capital.

February 22, 2011 - Sudan Votes

Neal Peirce expounds on the increasing power and importance of cities, a dominant message in the new book "Triumph of the City" by economist Edward Glaeser.

February 21, 2011 - Citiwire

Scotia, California may be the nation's last remaining company town. The entire city could be headed to market this year.

February 21, 2011 - Newsweek

Maryland's Governor O'Malley, heading into his 2nd and last term, wants to leave behind a legacy of environmental improvement, including new smart growth policies to limit building in rural areas.

February 19, 2011 - Washington Post

Cities' financial challenges are leading directly to fundamental governance challenges, including questions that are not normally part of budgetary discussions. The consequences for city life and municipal functions may be substantial.

February 18, 2011 - Nation's Cities Weekly

As more and more people move to cities, they will be the focus of much policy and investment. But the suburbs should not be forgotten, argues Mary Newsom. They should be fixed.

February 18, 2011 - The Charlotte Observer

A grassroots online campaign has already raised more than $50,000 to build a statue of the science fiction character RoboCop in Detroit. The effort's organizers call it an art project with the goal of urban regeneration.

February 18, 2011 - The Detroit Free Press

The idea of a federal infrastructure bank has been floating around Washington for years, and has recently gathered significant support. But with debates underway about the federal budget, some wonder whether the idea stands a chance.

February 18, 2011 - National Journal

The city of Pittsburgh has released a new plan focusing on revitalizing the Allegheny Riverfront, with proposed new housing, retail and public spaces.

February 17, 2011 - The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Salt Lake City, Utah has rapidly expanded its public transit system. In this Q&A, Mayor Ralph Becker talks about making those investments and how well they have worked.

February 17, 2011 - U.S. News And World Report

A new book suggests that airports can be the driving factor that creates vibrant global cities in the future. This review from Metropolis holds some doubts.

February 17, 2011 - Metropolis

In Canada, the mayors of two of the country's biggest cities are at the opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to cities and urban issues.

February 17, 2011 - The Toronto Star

The migration away from the city was accelerated by the recent recession, as explosive growth of suburbs far outside of Chicago resulted in some counties growing by as much as 35%.

February 17, 2011 - The Wall Street Journal

Florida Governor Rick Scott has announced that he will refuse $2.4 billion from the federal government to complete the Tampa-Orlando Intercity Rail Project.

February 17, 2011 - the transport politic

When you look at Obama's $3.73 trillion, 2012 budget proposal, with EPA down 11% and HUD down 16%, one department stands out - transportation, increasing 68%. Yonah Freemark looks at some of the details in his transportation budget proposal.

February 16, 2011 - theTransportPolitic