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: Take the Bus That's Also a Bike
Or maybe it's the bike that's also a bus?
What It's Like to Ride the New Expo Line to Santa Monica
For a bit of fun, take this animated ride on the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority's new Expo Line extension.
Beverly Hills Planning for Self-Driving Shuttles, Connecting to Transit
A city known for its opposition to transit might be on the cutting edge of first-last mile technology innovation.
Native American Population Almost Back to 1492 Levels
An estimated 5 million Native Americans lived in the area that would become the United States when Christopher Columbus arrived in 1492. After reaching a low in the late 19th century, the Native American population has almost fully recovered.
Friday Eye Candy: See Boston's Invisible Poems
The "Raining Poetry" art installation hides poetry in plain sight—the words of poets like Langston Hughes are stenciled on sidewalks around Boston and only revealed when water is added.