HSmith's blog

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High Gas Prices means questioning the "Drive 'til you Qualify" Syndrome

The front page of the Chicago Tribune Metro Section had an article highlighting the Center for Neighborhood Technology's research linking housing affordability and transportation.

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NPR Takes a Peek at How New Daleville is doing

This morning NPR had a piece updating Witold Rybinsky's book that he talked about at CNU XV called "Last Harvest" Longtime CNU member and CNU XV host Jason Duckworth is quoted at length.

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Attention AICPers seeking CM credits

If you are AICP and want to receive credits for attending CNU XVI please visit www.planning.org, and login. The sessions that are registered for credit and you can sign up there.

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Norman Garrick releases new parking study

CNU Board member and his student Wesley Marshall released a new study on the benefits of Street Parking for downtowns.

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Market Says: Planned Growth is the Key to Success

Building on the Developer Plenary at CNU XVI on staying afloat despite the market turmoi, the Chicago Tribune reports in this article

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CNU London Transportation Summit Gets Off to Fast Start

Today's 2007 Transportation Summit hosted by the Prince's Foundation for the Built Environment opened with a

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CNU London Transportation Summit Gets Off to Fast Start

Today's 2007 Transportation Summit hosted by the Prince's Foundation for the Built Environment opened with a s

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What to do at 2am on a Saturday? Bike all over Chicago of course!

Summer is all about long days and balmy nights, so why not enjoy it on the bike? Saturday I took part in one of my favorite events of the summer. The Chicago Friends of the Park LATE (long after twilight ends) ride. This is a 25 mile ride through the streets from 2-6am beginning downtown and ending with sunrise and breakfast on the lake. We met up at the Art Institute at 1:00am along with a growing batch of cyclists. It reminded me a bit of a zombie movie--only everywhere pedestrians were turning into cyclists. First I just saw a few cyclists, then several others biking all over downtown meeting up with friends, and adjusting their headlights and helmets and gathering near Grant Park, then more and more gathered. Two friends and I plus 9,000 other riders took to start line about 1:30am. There was a band and they were giving out McDonald's ice coffee and snacks to keep us awake.

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Congestion Charge for Downtown Chicago?

For those of us who want to promote public transportation and put more money into public transit I wouldn't have picked this headline but it did make the front page and seems to be sparking a great debate. The Sun Times front headline in huge letters proclaims

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Driving is taking its toll in the Chicago region

Ironically at the start of Bike to Work Week here in Chicago, the Chicago Tribune leads it's front page with a story

"The pay's fine, but how's the drive?" showing how people are reconsidering their quality of life in favor of shorter commutes, and choosing less costly commutes close to home.