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.

Rio's New Metro Crosses the Finishing Line Just in Time
It was a photo finish for Line 4—one of the signature infrastructure projects of the 2016 Summer Olympics—designed to transport passengers between Ipanema beach and the Olympic Park and Village.

Calculating the Positive Externalities of Reduced Car Ownership
Car registration statistics from Multnomah County show passenger vehicle ownership is less popular among its growing number of residents. The residents forgoing cars have done themselves a favor in more ways than one.

Congestion Pricing Requires a Careful Balance
Congestion pricing is an economic tool for a difficult, complicated problem, and must be calculated carefully to avoid unintended consequences.

Uber Suffers Setback in China
A deal between Uber and Didi Chuxing, in big news for the future of transportation network companies around the world and Uber's place in an evolving marketplace.

Study: Uber Doesn't Reduce Drunk Driving Fatalities
The debate about the benefits of transportation network companies, like Uber, continues.