James Brasuell, AICP is the former editorial director of Planetizen and is now a senior public affairs specialist at the Southern California Association of Governments. James managed all editorial content and direction for Planetizen from 2014 to 2023, and was promoted from manging editor to editorial director in 2021. After a first career as a class five white water river guide in Trinity County in Northern California, James started his career in Los Angeles as a volunteer at a risk reduction center in Skid Row. Prior to joining Planetizen, James worked at the Cal Poly Pomona College of Environmental Design, as an editor at Curbed LA, as editor of The Planning Report, and as a freelance contributor for The Architect’s Newspaper, the Urban Land Institute – Los Angeles Chapter, FORM, KCET, and the California Planning & Development Report.

Friday Funny: The Onion Says the Subway Is Reserved for Amazon Employees Now
A totally fake news story, intended to satirize, not provide any factual information, makes fun of how much New York City's political leadership gave to Amazon to make sure HQ2 would call the Big Apple home.

Microtransit to Fill Transit System Gaps in Birmingham
With very little of its residential population or employment centers accessible by public transit, Birmingham is looking to microtransit to potentially reduce single-occupancy vehicles use in the city.

San Francisco Approved an Expanded Central SoMa Plan
The Central SoMa Plan, which sets development goals for a key swath of Downtown San Francisco, got bigger as it moved through a lengthy approval process.

Delays, Cost Overruns Shorten L.A. Metro's Gold Line Extension
The first light rail line to extend beyond Los Angeles County into the Inland Empire has had to rethink its construction schedule in response to skyrocketing costs.

5 D.C.-Area Infrastructure Projects Jumpstarted by Amazon
Amazon's decision to locate half of its HQ2 location in Northern Virginia kicks the state into gear on transportation projects. More funding could potentially be on the way.