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.
Planning and Teaching in Southern California
Elizabeth Gallardo is a planning associate with the city of Los Angeles, working as part of an ambitious effort to update the city's numerous community plans while also teaching planning courses at a nearby university.
Maryland and Virginia to Increase Capacity on the Legion Bridge Across the Potomac
Maryland and Virginia have decided on a plan to widen the American Legion Memorial Bridge, connecting the Northern Virginia suburbs of McLean and Great Falls with Maryland’s Montgomery County.
Street Murals for Traffic Safety
Despite efforts by federal regulators to curtail painted crosswalks, Cincinnati is moving forward with a unique program to paint murals on streets to slow traffic.
$900 Million in BUILD Transportation Grants Announced
The U.S. Department of Transportation this week announced $900 million in BUILD grant funding for transportation projects around the country, supporting a similar focus on rural and highway projects as in previous rounds of spending.
Free Transit Under Consideration in Kansas City
The idea of free transit is sold as a benefit to the environment and the city's most vulnerable residents in this editorial by the Kansas City Star.