New Book Release
MIT Press  

Book Abstract
Today's urban riverfronts are changing. The decline of river commerce and riverside industry has made riverfront land once used for warehouses, factories, and loading docks available for open space, parks, housing, and nonindustrial uses. Urban rivers, which once functioned as open sewers for cities, are now seen as part of larger watershed ecosystems. Rivertown examines urban river restoration efforts across the United States, presenting case studies from Los Angeles; Washington, D.C.; Portland, Oregon; Chicago; Salt Lake City; and San Jose.

Each case study in Rivertown considers the critical questions of who makes decisions about our urban rivers, who pays to implement these decisions, and who ultimately benefits or suffers from these decisions. In each case, authors evaluate the ecological issues and consider urban river restoration projects in relation to other urban economic and environmental initiatives in the region. Rivertown is a valuable resource for urban planners and citizen groups as well as for scholars.

To purchase the book or read sample chapters please visit:  

The Open Planning Project founder Mark Gorton in NY talks with "Gridlock Sam" Schwartz about about history of DOT in NYC, car-free Cental Park, and general transportation policy. It gives a great history of the evolution of transportation thinking and policy in NY over the last 40 years.

Running time: approx. 10 mins.

On PBS' "NewsHour with Jim Lehrer" this week, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters said that instead of raising taxes on gasoline to renew the nation's sagging infrastructure, Congress should examine its spending priorities -- including investments in bike paths and trails, which, Peters said, "are not transportation."

PBS has the full transcript, along with video of the interview. 

With support from the Federal Highway Administration, New York City will be the first locality in the United States to test painted bus lanes, the cityï¾’s Department of Transportation announced today.

As part of a trial period, existing bus lanes on East 57th Street, from Second to Fifth Avenues, and on Fordham Road, from University Avenue and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard to the Grand Concourse in the Bronx, are being painted terra cotta, a deep red like the color of bricks. If the experiment works, officials hope that more motorists will stay out of the lanes, which are used during the morning and evening rush, on weekdays.

Organic vegetables? Check.

Jams and jellies? Check.

Crafts and baked goods? Check.

E-mail orders? Better check.

Before heading out to set up their stands each week, some area farmers' market vendors go online, looking for last-minute customer requests for fresh fruits and vegetables, cut flowers and herbs.

Many farmers' markets now have their own Web sites, some simply listing time, place and a contact. But others are extensive, with page after page of market items and vendor information.

Customers of the Scottdale Producers Association, which runs farmers markets in Scottdale and Connellsville, can now order sweet corn, salsas and jam over the Internet and browse vendors' postings. Customers can pre-order, much like they used to at the corner market, and their order will be awaiting them at the market of their choice.

Tom Bailey, of the Scottdale Producers Association, said the small market has only a handful of on-site vendors. The association hopes to bring more local products to area residents by offering the purchase of farm-fresh produce, meats and baked goods online.

Farmers markets are important, nationwide outlets for agricultural producers.  The popularity of these markets continues to rise as more consumers discover the joys of shopping for unique ingredients sold direct from the farm, and the pleasure of buying familiar products in their freshest possible state.

More than 4,300 farmers markets across the country offer consumers farm-fresh, affordable, convenient, and healthy products and also serve as integral links between urban, suburban, and rural communities.

For more information on National Farmers Market Week or to search for a market in your area click on the link below.