Urban Design

Continuing to ask the questions that don't seem to occur to his salaried colleagues in the local media, Atlantic Yards Report's Norman Oder has recently been digging in to the critical issues of traffic and parking around Forest City Ratner's massive urban renewal plan for Prospect Heights, Brooklyn.

London Mayor Ken Livingstone:"Cycling is the fastest, cheapest, most healthy and environmentally friendly way to get around London, which is why we are investing almost £20 million this year to improve cycle facilities in the capital. The number of cyclists on our roads has doubled since 2000 and we've already exceeded our cycling targets five years ahead of schedule, on top of achieving a shift from car use to public transport. I will now be looking at setting tougher targets so we can continue to build on this success and encourage many more cyclists in London."

Call on Mayor Bloomberg to "take control" of city streets.

Jane Jacobs: A Public CelebrationWednesday, June 28 at 5:00 pm, rain or shine. Washington Square ParkMeet in front of the Arch, site of Jacobs' first victory over Robert Moses.

Below are excerpts from "EcoPolis," a fascinating article in New Scientist Magazine exploring what it will take to design and build eco-friendly cities in the 21st century as urban population growth explodes. Not surprisingly, much of the story focuses on the role of the automobile in the city. (Unfortunately, to read the entire article you have to pay a fee online or buy the magazine)