Help me with this Urban Planning problem. I live in your typical bedroom community on the perimeter of a large metropolitan area. We have about 30,000 residents and a lot going for us in terms of community and location. We're going to get hooked up on the regions new commuter rail system, but it's on the far side of the community and I don't see it getting much use without a feeder system of some kind. Our regional mass transit system sucks otherwise; so we're on our own to develop an intra-community system that will keep our community vibrant, green, and support commuter rail. [more inside]
posted by IndigoSkye on Aug 22, 2008 - 14 answers

Why are there certain intersections in Manhattan that do not have "Walk/Don't Walk" signs? [more inside]
posted by nomad73 on Feb 22, 2008 - 7 answers

Are there any books that take a Freakonomics like approach to explaining and analyzing urban sprawl? [more inside]
posted by stedman15 on Feb 6, 2008 - 14 answers

Master's Degree in Urban Planning: now, later, or never? I'm in my third year of law school, and I've realized (after taking on a pile of debt) that I don't really want to practice law. I think urban planning is the right field for me. Should I rush to get applications in now to start a program next fall, or should I enter the workplace and try to apply next year? Or should I skip the urban planning degree and start applying for planning jobs with my JD? [more inside]
posted by stopgap on Nov 23, 2007 - 15 answers

I am an aspiring urban planner who lives in the U.S. I am wondering what urban planners would do differently if they could start from scratch and cost wasn't an issue. For example, it is been proven that round-abouts are far safer than your typical intersections found in the U.S. So, as an urban planner, I would recommend roundabouts. Would all cities be built on a grid system? Would all cities have bullet trains or car-pool lanes? Underground power-lines? Phone-charging stations? What would you do differently if you rebuilt Los Angeles or Miami?
posted by kaizen on Sep 28, 2007 - 41 answers

What are some city neighborhoods that follow an alphabetical-order street-naming convention like the north/south streets in Boston's Back Bay (from east to west: Arlington, Berkeley, Clarendon, etc.) or the east/west streets in San Francisco's Richmond and Sunset Districts (north to south: Anza, Balboa, Cabrillo, etc.)? [more inside]
posted by letourneau on May 21, 2007 - 37 answers

i'm looking for a master's Urban Planning program that incorporates significant amounts of radical urban sustainability, healthy communities/liveable streets, 'alternative' energy use, sustainable design, public/alternative transportation, and other transformative ideas. info/advice/experiences? thanks.
posted by entropone on Mar 30, 2007 - 11 answers

I need help coming up with a clever and not-too-obvious name for my new blog on urban planning. [more inside]
posted by lunalaguna on Jun 14, 2006 - 31 answers

I'm having trouble tracking down information about a movement in Dada-ist Art I heard about a few years ago. From what I remember Dadaist idealism inspired a group of artists to contemplate the organic development of urban environments. Art, using the defined structure of the city, to reflect the chaotic order which arises from nature. Did this century old movement exist or has my brain made it up?
posted by 0bvious on Apr 26, 2006 - 10 answers

Gifts for an uncle (in India) into urban planning? Software? [more inside]
posted by amtho on Oct 27, 2005 - 5 answers