February 2004

Philadelphia Daily News Students in the Philadelphia area are increasingly being endangered by motor vehicles, in part due to ignored traffic and safety standards. (February 2)

Atlanta Journal-Constitution A survey finds that Atlanta commuters will leave their cars at home and use public transportation if they knew it would get them to their destination faster than their car. (February 3)

Philadelphia Inquirer After a year-long debate over which communities to fund, the state is giving to both suburban and rural towns who are trying to slow development, and urban areas that are trying to attract it. (February 4)

Philadelphia City Paper The Fairmount Park Commission approved the sale of a parcel of public land for an apartment building, raising concerns over the loss of public space. (February 4)

Times Union James Kunstler, noted author and urban planning critic, draws attention to architectural blunders with his monthly column. (February 7)

Rapid City Journal The proposed budget cuts the U.S. Department of Agriculture discretionary spending to $19.1 billion, an 8% drop. (February 11)

Business Wire The Food Trust, which sponsors farmers markets in the area, attributes the rise in sales to awareness of the benefits of fresh, locally grown food, and great customer service. (February 11)

Albuquerque Tribune Once the jewel of the city, Roosevelt Park has fallen into a state of disrepair. The Mayor hopes to restore the park by 2006. (February 11)

The Observer As London is marking the one-year anniversary of its congestion charging plan, many other cities around the world are looking to replicate it’s success. (February 15)

Press-Telegram A 1.2 acre plot of land located next to a car wash and behind a strip mall may become a much-needed green space in a congested business and residential area. (February 15)

San Francisco Gate Some recognize the danger in the notion that architecture is primarily an intellectual exercise. (February 19)

Philadelphia Inquirer Some merchants at Reading Terminal Market are worried that the Fair Food Project’s practice of labeling their products “humane” imply that other products from market vendors are not. (February 19)

Washington Post Robert J. Smith is proposing to shelve all expansion projects, including a new rail line from Washington DC to Dulles Airport, and instead focus on improving and maintaining the existing system. (February 19)

Philadelphia Inquirer A nonprofit group is exploring turning an abandoned viaduct into an elevated park. (February 20)

The Olympian The City has been discussing the need for more parks for over a decade, and will now hire a consultant to find out whether voters would support a parks measure this fall. (February 24)

New York Times The double rows of pickup trucks that have been used as security measures in the Wall Street area are being replaced with retractable posts and barricades that resemble small bronze sculptures. (February 25)

Seattle Times The new permanent home of the Woodinville Farmers Market may someday be a part of a 100-acre farm/park that would feature agricultural attractions aimed at blending Woodinville's farming tradition with its growing tourism industry. (February 26)