Exclusives

Complete Street Vancouver

BLOG POST

Economically Successful Cities Favor Space-Efficient Modes

Cities are, by definition, places where many people and activities locate close together. Their economic success and livability benefits from policies that favor space-efficient modes (walking, cycling, ridesharing and public transit).

March 10 - Todd Litman

A collaborative art project

FEATURE

10 Lessons in More Engaging Citizen Engagement

With cities seeking to involve diverse voices in city-making to get beyond “the usual suspects,” Vancouver urbanists Brent Toderian and Jillian Glover examine how cities in their region are finding new ways to increase civic participation.

March 5 - Brent Toderian

The Little Prince Meets the Big City

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The Little Prince Meets the Big City

When considering city life, we often look to Jane Jacobs or William H. Whyte. But an exhibit commemorating the 70th anniversary of the children's classic “The Little Prince” at New York's Morgan Library surprises as a field guide for urban living.

March 3 - Hayley Richardson

Conservation Subdivision

FEATURE

Clarifying the Conservation Subdivision Design Approach

After a recent scholarly article raising questions about the definition of conservation subdivisions, Randall Arendt, author of "Conservation Design for Subdivisions" and "Growing Greener," wrote the following response.

March 2 - Randall Arendt

The red carpet at the Oscars

BLOG POST

And the Feel-Good Oscar Goes To...

Discussing some of the most pro-urban movies ever made.

March 1 - Michael Lewyn


Destruction Derby

BLOG POST

Yet Another Driver Subsidy: Inadequate Car Insurance Minimums

Insurance coverage hasn’t kept up with the cost of medical care and property damage caused by crashes. And whether we drive or not, when someone can’t pay for the damage they’ve done, we all have to pick up the tab.

February 28 - Shane Phillips

A sign for pedestrians and cars

BLOG POST

How Useful is Walkability: Are You Oriented to Walk?

The physical requirements for walkability—like narrow streets and wide sidewalks—aren't always enough to compel the activity of walking. How can we reorient toward the primal activity of walking?

February 26 - Steven Snell


Toll Roads

BLOG POST

Road Tolls Are Fair and Benefit the Poor

Many people assume incorrectly that road tolls and parking fees harm poor people. In fact, they are usually less regressive than other funding options, and benefit poor people overall, particularly if some revenues are invested in alternative modes.

February 26 - Todd Litman

Democratic Donkey & Republican Elephant Logos

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Urbanists Left and Right

Conservatives are becoming more visible within the smart growth movement; they differ in some ways both from liberal smart growth activists and from conventional conservatives.

February 23 - Michael Lewyn

BLOG POST

A City that Takes its Planning Seriously (or Not)

Portland is a city that's often better known by the representations of it—like the television show Portlandia—than as an actual working city.

February 21 - Jess Zimbabwe

A word cloud of Planetizen phrases

FEATURE

What Is Popular Planning? 13 Years of Planetizen

A chronicle of the evolution of popular planning, drawn from data collected from the long history of Planetizen as a forum for discussion and reporting.

February 20 - Ken Steif

Sunnyside Queens

BLOG POST

Affordable Housing in New York City—What’s Next

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has set a lofty goal of creating or preserving 200,000 units of affordable housing in New York City. How can the mayor's team deliver on that promise?

February 20 - Edward Poteat

Caution

BLOG POST

For or Against Smart Cities: Where Should Planners Stand?

Are we using technology to plan for utopias? Or are we luddites who are ignoring an inevitable future? Should we be for our against smart cities? Two recent books take on this debate.

February 19 - Jennifer Evans-Cowley

McMansions

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Drive Till You Disqualify: Will Businesses Continue Hiring Super-Commuters?

Workers with long commutes are more likely to be be tired and stressed at work, and businesses are learning that they often make for less productive employees.

February 14 - Shane Phillips

Crime Watch

BLOG POST

One Failure of Suburbia

Are suburbanites less fearful of crime than city-dwellers? Maybe not.

February 13 - Michael Lewyn

Two young girls carry water on the train tracks that run through the Kibera Slum

FEATURE

Our Fragile Emerging Megacities: A Focus on Resilience

The number of megacities is expected to double over the next decade, and many of these growing cities are far from resilient. The solution: frugal engineering and local knowledge.

February 12 - Kevin C. Desouza

BLOG POST

Change Management: Do Planners Lead Or Follow?

The world is changing, and so must we. Do we wait for external influences to force change, or can we lead our organizations to do better?

February 11 - Todd Litman

Pier 25, Hudson River Park, Tribeca

BLOG POST

24 Hours in Manhattan's Winter Landscape

It is probably fair to say that most people think urban landscapes are at their best in the warm months. They may be right. But after a recent tromp through a frigid Manhattan, I am reminded how great cities can be in winter.

February 10 - Mark Hough

Public Meeting

BLOG POST

Why Definitions Are Less Important than Discussions

To be pedantic, or to participate, is the question.

February 9 - James Brasuell

Busy Crossing Street

BLOG POST

Legalize Jaywalking

Anti-jaywalking laws are based upon questionable assumptions.

February 7 - Michael Lewyn

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

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