District of Columbia
Washington D.C. Getting a Giant Greenhouse
A company called BrightFarms is developing a 100,000 square-foot greenhouse on a vacant lot in Washington D.C. The farm will provide jobs for locals and reduce the environmental footprint of the food sourcing process.
Is it a Suburban Exodus Yet?
A new report finds that suburban areas are losing residents to urban areas like New York City and Washington D.C., even well past the point when people would have traditionally made the choice to return to the suburbs.
Capital Beltway Peak Toll Tops $11
Use of the 495 Express Lanes, a HOT variable toll, has been fetching a pretty penny this year for commuters looking to escape the notoriously congested Capital Beltway. The ongoing experiment in commute pricing should recede before a tipping point.
Growth Slowing in Washington D.C.
After a decade of incredible growth, a tightening job market has finally slowed the domestic migration into Washington D.C.
Latest to Open the Roads to Driverless Cars: Washington D.C.
Following actions by the federal government and a few states, the nation’s capital recently published a set of rules regulating the operation of driverless cars.
Back to the Drawing Board for Eisenhower Memorial Design
The National Capital Planning Commission voted this week to reject a design by Gehry Partners for a memorial to Dwight D. Eisenhower planned for the National Mall in the nation’s capital.
D.C. Business Owners Say Streetcar's No Silver Bullet, but Could Spur Growth
With D.C.'s first streetcar since 1962 about to begin service (any day now), how are business owners along the corridor holding up?
''D.C.'s High Line" Could Transform the Banks of the Anacostia
The proposed elevated park across the Anacostia would be a first for D.C. The group backing it has launched a national design competition to design a bridge that fosters economic development, promotes community health, and cleans the river.
Virginia Expanding its High-Occupancy Toll Lanes
Despite installing many innovative traffic management schemes over the years, the 41 miles of highway between Fredericksburg, Virginia and Washington D.C. are snarled by some of the worst traffic in the country. Can HOT lanes change that?
Web-Tool Maps Real-Time Deforestation
A new web-based program, Global Forest Watch, provides access to almost real-time visualization of forests around the world.
D.C.’s Height Limits: Are You Ready for Some Football?
Congress is working on increasing height limits in Washington D.C. Rep. Darrell Issa (R-California) based pitching increased the limits by appealing to that fundamental American passion: football.
Congress Inching Toward Small Changes to D.C. Height Restrictions
A strange scene this week: members of Congress discussing height restrictions in one of the country's largest urban centers. In the end, a House committee approved a bill that would loosen D.C.’s century-old Height of Buildings Act.
Construction Starting on Southwest Waterfront Project in D.C.
After receiving a $220 million capital infusion, the developers of a 27-acre waterfront redevelopment proposal in Washington D.C. will break ground on the long-awaited project on March 19.
The Organizations Behind the Growth of Biking in D.C.
Adrienne LaFrance surveys the bike scene in Washington D.C.—from co-ops to bikeshare programs to social groups.
Two Examinations of the Transit-User Experience
A pair of recent articles examine what it’s like to use public transit every day, year after year. One examines the mechanics of on-time delivery and service—the other, the unwritten rules of ridership.
D.C.’s Code Rewrite Doesn’t Remove its 'Zoning Straightjacket'
The City Block examines the ongoing zoning code update in Washington D.C. relative to a zoning code tradition of maintaining restrictions on growth.
Questioning Private Investment in HOT Lanes
The 495 Express Lanes opened in Virginia in November 2012 and have yet to meet ridership projections. That might not be a problem when built by the public sector, but the road is a $1.4 billion investment by the Australian firm Transurban.
Is A Small, Urban Wal-Mart Too Little Too Late?
Recent reports have revealed weaknesses in the big box business model. Will Wal-Mart’s new urban stores be as successful as its outdated model?
Church Parking a Key Campaign Talking Point in D.C.
D.C. mayoral candidates are making big promises about easing parking restrictions on Sunday in response to reports that churches are fleeing the capital for locations in Maryland due to difficulties with parking.
Exit Interview: D.C. Planning Director Harriet Tregoning Departs for HUD
During Tregoning's seven years at the helm of the Washington, D.C. Office of Planning, she pushed the city to adopt smart-growth policies touching all aspects of life--not just land use, but transportation, the economy, and more.
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
