Government / Politics
The Top 20 Urban Planning Successes of All Time
An interesting post appeared on the Public Servant Blog a few days ago. The list includes Amsterdam, Eugene, Oregon; Ponce Center City, Puerto Rico; and the city of Philadelphia among others.
Reinventing Government in the Wiki Age
Beth Novick, author of Wiki Government, says that today's technology invites us to "rethink not only our democratic institutions, but our democratic theory."
Seattle Considers Transportation Tax District
Seattle has a long list of transportation projects on the drawing boards, but little money to bring them into reality. So local officials are considering a plan to create transportation taxing districts to help fund the projects.
Vancouver Businesses Opposing Bike Lane
Officials are planning to install a second major separated bike lane in downtown Vancouver. Local business owners are trying to stop them.
El Paso's Smart Water Management
Despite a growing population and limited amounts of rainfall, the city of El Paso, Texas, has been able to effectively manage its water supplies -- and reduce use.
All-Ages Design in Toronto
Designing cities for all age groups means designing places where everyone from kids to seniors can feel safe walking, according to this column. Groups in Toronto are calling on mayoral candidates to get behind that idea.
Connecting Coders and Cities
Urban Omnibus talks with Jennifer Pahlka of Code for America, a group looking to get the youth involved in developing computer programs and applications that help improve urban areas.
Berkeley's BART Tunnel Should Be Model For Peninsula Rail Opponents
San Mateo County, hotbed of opposition to high speed rail, including numerous lawsuits, might be better served by following the 1960s Berkeley example in passing a bond to tunnel the train through the impacted cities, suggests local editor.
After Years of Delays, San Francisco's Bike Plan Hits the Street
Delayed from implementation for four years, San Francisco's bicycle plan has been legally ruled into action. The first lanes are being painted.
Downtown Improvement District Lives Up To Name
This column from MinnPost praises the year-old Downtown Improvement District in Minneapolis for helping to revive the city's downtown core and give people a reason to walk.
Canadian Politicans: Come to Your Census!
In this op-ed for the Globe and Mail, four leading Canadian scholars argue that the Harper government's unilateral decision to scrap the long form census should be put to a vote in the House of Commons.
Hopeful Progress in Brazil's Slums
Redeveloping the slums of Rio de Janeiro has been on the city's agenda for decades. Despite the many challenges, some new efforts seem to be paying off.
Cycling in Toronto Leaves Much to Be Desired
Toronto Star architecture critic Christopher Hume blasts the city's lackluster bicycle planning efforts, calling them disjointed.
An Olympic Gamble for Community Revitalization
East London is the home of the city's poorest and most overlooked neighborhoods. It's also home to the site of the 2012 Summer Olympics, which officials hope will revive the struggling area.
Budget Crisis Taking Toll on City Services
State and municipal governments across the United States are facing an unprecedented financial crisis, prompting many of them to cut back drastically on public services in order to reduce costs.
French Utopia Devolves
Born from the 1968 riots, a carefully planned community in France has been steadily taken over by crime and unrest, prompting some to question whether its utopian ideals actually work.
Adam Smith's Economic Principles Reduce San Francisco Parking Congestion
After years of preparation, San Francisco has implemented a new system that will adjust the price of parking spots according to supply and demand.
Score One For Livability
Senator Dodd's Livable Communities Act passed a milestone on August 3 by passing the Banking Committee on a party line vote: 12-10. Known as a "smart growth planning" bill, it would integrate transportation with housing and economic planning.
San Francisco Bike Plan Ban Lifted
A 4-year legal battle over whether SF's bike plan was in compliance with the state's environmental law has been settled - the city has the go-ahead to resume planning and implementing new bike facilities designed to increase bike riding.
L.A.: 'Most Politicized' Planning In The World
An all-star panel of architects, developers and journalists convened to offer advice to L.A.'s new planning director.
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
