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Planetizen: The Urban Planning, Design, and Development Network

• Turning an Eye on Big Brother June 17, 2013
  Ever wonder just how many prying eyes are watching you as you amble down a city street? A new app seeks to develop a comprehensive catalog of Big Brother's presence by documenting the locations of security cameras covering a city's public spaces. […]
• Bike Lobby Flexes Its Muscles June 17, 2013
  Did you chuckle when the WSJ's Dorothy Rabinowitz said "the bike lobby is an all-powerful enterprise”? Well, "[t]he bicycle lobby is real," say Byron Tau and Caitlin Emma, who explore the increasing clout of those fighting for bike infrastructure. […]
• Discovery of 'Lost Recipe' for Ancient Concrete Provides Foundation for Future Cities June 17, 2013
  Portland cement doesn't come close to matching the resiliency of the concrete created by ancient Romans. After years of research, scientists believe they've unravelled the ingredients and production techniques that made Roman concrete so superior. […]
• Where’s the Heat Going? Global Warming Lull Befuddles Scientists June 17, 2013
  Despite record levels of greenhouse gas emissions, global surface temperatures have risen at a much slower rate over the past 15 years than the 20 years prior. Scientists are struggling to explain a warming plateau. […]
• Iowa Gov. Rules Out Taxes, Fees, and Tolls to Fund Transportation Projects June 17, 2013
  To the chagrin of many state legislators, Gov. Terry Branstad opposes new revenue measures to fund transportation projects, as he believes he is following the wishes of his constituents. Tax cuts, not increases, are on his agenda. […]
• To Compete, Phoenix Must Grow Up, Not Out June 17, 2013
  As Wellington 'Duke' Reiter notes, for the past several decades Phoenix has shown it expertise in horizontal growth. But, as development heats up again after the Great Recession, he says the city's growth must be managed to increase density. […]
• Elite Citadels: The Global Growth of the Gated City June 17, 2013
  Gated communities were once confined to specific neighborhoods or suburban areas, but as the global financial sector grows, entire cities are becoming gated enclaves where the 'one per cent' network and drive national policies, says Simon Kuper. […]
• Has Toronto Built Too Much Too Fast? June 17, 2013
  As Toronto's condo building boom has transformed the city, it's also helped to transform Canada's housing market. There are warning signs, however, that a surplus of housing in the city threatens to destabilize Canada's entire economy. […]
• Chicago's $218 Million Unfinished Basement June 17, 2013
  Greg Hinz tours the unfinished 'superstation' under Block 37 in the central Loop, built by the Chicago Transit Authority at a cost of $218 million. It would cost an estimated $150 million to complete, a sum that's unlikely to be raised anytime soon. […]
• How Will the Government Manage China's Great Urban Leap? June 17, 2013
  Ian Johnson explores a pivotal moment in China's development, as the country seeks to migrate 250 million rural residents to cities in the next 12 years. Observers speculate on how a comprehensive urbanization plan will achieve this transition. […]