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.

New York to Plan a Network of ‘Greenway’ Corridors for Bike and Pedestrian Improvements
New York City Mayor Eric Adams has the federal funding to launch a new, equity-focused bike and pedestrian planning initiative.

Europe Building a Post-Car Future
While the United States mobilizes to transition to electric cars, cities and countries in Europe are transitioning to fewer cars.

Interest Spikes for Active Transportation Grants in Washington State
Applications for active transportation grant funding through a pair of Washington state programs more than doubled, in terms of funding requests, from 2020 to 2022.

St. Louis Had Enough of the Federal Government’s Crosswalk Paint Policy
St. Louis is not the only city to decide that the Federal Highway Administration’s policies against brightly painted crosswalks. The evidence is on the side of the resistance.

Texas Announces $85 Billion in Road and Highway Construction Projects
Texas recently announced a historic commitment to automobile infrastructure.