Minnesota
TOD: An Architect's View
The American Institute of Architects discovers that architects are finding work redesigning stations, and that a new focus on transit is driving development.
Minneapolis Launches Public Bicycle Share
Minneapolis follows Denver in launching it's public bicycle sharing program today. The bicycles will provide a fast, convenient and carbon neutral means of getting around and are based on the highly successful Parisian scheme.
Erasing a Sense of Place
PRAIRIEFORM argues that the central problem of modernist architecture is the way the buildings erase the sense of place inherent in the location where they are built.
Six States' Attempts To Increase Fuel Taxes
A new 21-page report evaluates the efforts of ID, NH, MA, MN, OR, and VT to raise state fuel taxes from 2006-2009. Why did only two succeed? This analysis looks only at how the debates were played out in print media in each of the states.
Seattle's Backyard Cottages Encouraged
Don't call them granny flats or inlaw units! These are separate units that can only be built on lots of 4,000 sq. ft. minimum. Only 50 have been built or permitted since the trial began in 2006. The goal is to bring affordabllity to SFH neighborhoods
Riverfront Easement Provokes Debate
In Red Wing, Minnesota, the city is seeking to turn 200-acres of marshes and forests into a permanent conservation easement. A citizen group has complained that locking down the land forever is a bad idea.
Smart Parking
A comparison of Brainerd, Minnesota's downtown parking and that of the planned town of Celebration, Florida shows what a big difference a parking plan can make.
Portland Demoted to America's Second Most Bike-Friendly City
The city of Portland is in a state of shock after being de-throned as America's most bike-friendly city.
Mall of America Weathering Recession Surprisingly Well
Foot traffic is up 3.5%, and even sales are up a little at Minnesota's megamall. Retail Traffic Magazine gleans some lessons from the Mall's success.
EPA Plots Plan to Restore Great Lakes
With heavily polluted waters and eroding shorelines, the Great Lakes are undergoing a rapid deterioration in health. The Environmental Protection Agency has unveiled a 5-year plan to restore the lakes.
Twin Cities-to-Chicago Rail Plans Released
The state of Minnesota has released its final plans for a high-speed rail route connecting the Twin Cities to Chicago.
Historic Preservation vs. Revitalization?
In Willmar, Minnesota, city officials were not pleased when a mandated environmental review concluded that the 68-year old airport building they wanted to demolish was historically significant.
Minneapolis-St. Paul Residents Get A New Commute
$320 million dollars and 13 years after construction began, the Northstar commuter rail began running today between Big Lake and Minneapolis.
Forbes Picks Safest Cities in U.S.
Forbes Magazine jumps into the fray once again with their list of "America's Safest Cities." Violent crime, workplace deaths, fatal crashes and natural disasters are all a part of the data considered.
When Going Green Is Less Important Than Saving Green
A new HVAC system for a building in Minnesota that was expected to meet high environmental standards was going to come in at almost three times its originally estimated costs. So city officials are delaying.
Midwest Governors Coordinate to Seek High Speed Rail Funding
At the Midwest High Speed Rail Summit today in Chicago, an agreement was struck between eight states to work cooperatively to achieve Recovery Act funding to develop the Chicago Hub High Speed Rail Corridor - also called the Midwest corridor.
Anti-Transit Bias Revealed in Museum Exhibit
Conrad DeFebre of Minnesota 2020 went to an exhibit about transportation at the Minnesota History Center titled "Going Places: The Mystique of Mobility" and found an overt bias against transit.
Rising Costs of Farmland Affecting Suburban Growth
As farmland prices skyrocketed, so did the cost of growing a suburb.
How Long is the Waiting List for Rental Assistance?
For low-income people in the Mankato, Minnesota area, there might be no hope for assistance from government vouchers.
Sioux Tribe on Buying Spree
Fuled by casino cash, the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community is buying up sections of Scott County, Minnesota at a rate that has local planners spinning.
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
