Exclusives
BLOG POST
Republicans, Democrats, and Transit
Depending on how the issue is phrased, support for public transit can be bipartisan.
FEATURE
Winter Is Coming—Capitalize on It
Outdoor dining programs have provided relief for local restaurants and retailers, while offering an oasis of social life for residents. The winter months will challenge that momentum, but creative, flexible approaches can save the day again.
FEATURE
2020 Election Results for Transportation and Land Use
Thinking beyond the presidency: Here's an Election Day 2020 roundup of election issues related to planning, urban design, and the built and natural environments.
BLOG POST
Coronavirus and the Future of Cities: A Final Pre-Election Tour of the Issues
This is Planetizen's seventh collection of articles on the subject of the future of cities in the wake of the pandemic, and how cities and communities are changing plans to respond to the many changes that world has experienced in 2020.
FEATURE
Searching for the 'Urban Mystique'
An excerpt from a new book by Josh Stephens, "The Urban Mystique: Notes on California, Los Angeles, and Beyond," published by Solimar Books.
BLOG POST
From Eco-Districts to Green Justice Zones
A great challenge facing urban planning in the short- and long-term future is how to complete green infrastructure and development without spurring gentrification and displacement.
FEATURE
'The Affordable City' Offers Solutions for the U.S. Housing Affordability Crisis
An excerpt from the new book by Shane Phillips, "The Affordable City," published by Island Press.
BLOG POST
Are Pedestrians Moving to Danger?
Over the past decade, pedestrian and auto collisions have become more lethal for pedestrians. Could this be caused by carless households moving to pedestrian-hostile places?
BLOG POST
A Bipartisan Case for Mass Timber—Combating Wildfires and Developing Local Economies
What’s good for our forests and planet can also be good for our jobs, communities, and the economy. That’s why we’re writing this together—an ex-Democratic political operative and an ex-Republican staff member who want to see mass timber flourish.
FEATURE
Seeing the Street
A San Francisco-based design studio describes the thought process behind an effort to push outdoor lighting design beyond the lowest common denominator allowed by bureaucracy and status quo thinking.
PLANOPEDIA
What Is a Specific Plan?
Specific Plans are unique to the state of California, but come up frequently in media coverage of planning. Understanding the purpose of Specific Plans can also open a window to understanding of how planning works all over the country.
BLOG POST
3 Cities That Will Thrive Post-Pandemic—and 2 That Might Struggle
The most promising cities after COVID won't necessarily be the same that were ideal before.
PLANOPEDIA
What Are Complete Streets?
Complete Streets prioritize the safety and mobility of all users instead of the speed of cars and flow of traffic. After a century of prioritizing automobile travel, the concept of complete streets offer a chance to make streets a place to be used and enjoyed rather than glimpsed through a windshield.
BLOG POST
Do We Know Any More About the Future of Cities Than We Did in April 2020?
The conversation about how the pandemic might alter the direction of planning and urbanism, unlike the spread of the coronavirus, has remained steady since March.
BLOG POST
As U.S. Transportation Infrastructure Holds Back Economic Recovery, It's Time for Change
Opinion: Six months into the pandemic, the state of the U.S. economy reveals that the planning profession can support struggling Americans by focusing on transportation and the land use patterns that enable mass transit.
BLOG POST
An Excellent New Book: Right of Way
In Right of Way, Angie Schmitt explains why U.S. pedestrian fatalities have increased in recent years.
BLOG POST
How COVID Impacts the Future of Light Rail in Austin
The budget for Austin’s massive transportation plan was cut by nearly a third in the wake of the pandemic, but a tax rate increase to help pay for it is still on the ballot for November.
FEATURE
An Academic Debate With Very Real Consequences: Land Use Regulations and the Cost of Housing
An article from the journal Urban Studies is inspiring debate and controversy over a year after publication, presenting opposing opinions on fundamental questions about how land use regulation affects the housing market.
BLOG POST
4 Urban Planning Fails We Need to Correct in 2020
Here are four urban planning fails that should be near the top of the list as professionals assess what to address in 2020 and 2021.
FEATURE
The Hypocrisies and Troubles of Local Control
President Trump has opinions about the sanctity of local control that don't agree with his other opinions about local control. This is a cautionary tale.
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
KFH Group Inc.
Greater Baltimore Committee
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
