Government / Politics
Is Transportation Infrastructure The Basis Of A North American Union?
Plans to construct a trans-Texas highway corridor have theorists speculating that this transportation infrastructure is the first step in a secret plan to create a North American union between the U.S., Mexico, and Canada.
Outsourcing City Hall
Four unincorporated communities in Atlanta have become new cities...and outsourced neary all government services to private corporations.
Push For Light Rail, BRT On Bridge Replacement Meets Resistance
The city of Minneapolis wants plans for the collapsed Interstate 35W to include the possible future implementation of space for light rail and bus rapid transit. The state department of transportation, however, has a differing vision.
Flood Victims Call On Government To Limit Flood Plain Development
Residents of a British town that was recently flooded gathered to demonstrate against governmental housing plans that do not advise against building in flood plains.
Honolulu Traffic Best Dealt With Incrementally
This editorial from the Honolulu Star-Tribune looks at Oahu's traffic issues and how the baby steps proposed by the Honolulu City Council may be more effective than grand-scale transit plans.
Federal Government Encourages Car Use While Fighting Congestion
Despite the federal government's recently-awarded grants to support toll roads and other measures to reduce traffic congestion, many subsidies still exist that encourage car use.
Measure 37 Causes Billboard Blight In Oregon
An unintended effect of Measure 37 -- Oregon's controversial 2004 land use law -- is that homeowners are allowed to build giant billboards on their property. Some have, and local officials are hoping a new ballot measure will address the issue.
Mike Davis Discusses Dubai
In this interview, urbanist Mike Davis talks about the rapidly growing emirate of Dubai.
Bridge Collapse May Clear Budget Roadblocks
A history of speedbumps have hindered transit funding in Minnesota, but after the Interstate 35W bridge collapse, the state's roads may finally get the maintenance money they need.
Tax Breaks Fueling Luxury Condo Development In Gulf
Investors are taking advantage of tax breaks offered for developing and buying property in hurricane-affected areas of the Gulf region, such as the hot condo market that has sprung up next to a college football stadium in Alabama.
Officials Vote No On 'Flawed' Incentive, Propose New System
Two Roanoke City Councilmembers explain why they voted against an $880,000 city grant to a local developer and propose a more objective approach to offering development incentives.
Budget Woes Cut Quality of Life In Toronto
More than $83 million will be slashed from Toronto's annual budget, and many, including the mayor, predict a sharp cut to services and the city's general quality of life.
How Tucson Can Learn From Portland
Civic leaders and city officials in Tucson recently traveled to Portland to get advice about how to improve their city while dealing with an expected population boom. The trip highlighted the big differences between the two cities.
Street Vendors Face Ousting In Mexico City
Half a million street vendors fill the squares of Mexico City to make their living. The mayor wants to wipe out the vendors, whose businesses contribute no taxes to the city. But the vendors have their own organization that opposes the city's plans.
Building Restrictions Pit Builders Against City
City officials in a Boston suburb are once again trying to approve building restrictions that would cut down the size of new houses in the city. Builders' groups are lobbying the city to find a compromise.
Measure 37's First Case Still Unsettled
Preparations are underway to take Oregon's land use legislation Measure 37 back to the ballot this November, but the property rights case that became the face issue still remains unsettled.
Advocates Upset Over Proposed Changes To Affordable Housing Policy
Housing advocates in Sacramento are up in arms over proposed changes to the city's housing policy that would shift responsibility for building affordable units from the developer to the city -- changes they say will limit the policy's effectiveness.
Bush Nixes Gas Tax Increase For Bridge Repair
The chair of the House Transportation Committee had barely released his call for an increase in the federal gas tax to fund bridge repair when President Bush stated he would oppose it, claiming not more money but better priorities is the answer.
L.A. Joins California Cities In Park Smoking Ban
Joining the ranks of Sacramento, San Francisco, and San Diego, the city of Los Angeles has approved a ban on smoking in public parks.
Federal Disaster Planning Shuts Out Local, State Officials
State and local officials are angered over being left out of disaster planning measures, after the Bush Administration adopted a unilateral approach that concentrates planning authority in the White House.
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
