Exclusives
FEATURE
The Wave of Transit ‘Fiscal Cliffs,’ Explained
Covid and inflation played a role. But for many agencies, the crisis goes much deeper.
FEATURE
Public Restrooms: The Hidden Infrastructure of Civic Trust
Want to know if a city is thriving? Start with a bathroom break.
FEATURE
106 Years Ago She Predicted Today’s Housing Crisis. What if we’d Listened?
In 1919, Edith Elmer Wood drew the connection between ratcheting minimum housing standards and an inevitable crisis of homelessness. Her predictions have proved eerily accurate.
BLOG POST
Meet the Columnist Behind our new Limited Series: Transit Planning 101!
Between now and December, Chicago transit planner — and operator! — Joshua Woods will bring Planetizen readers back to school for a deep dive into what it takes to keep the bus running. Literally.
BLOG POST
Wow, These Bus Stops are Close Together! The Case for Bus Stop Balancing.
Appropriate bus stop spacing keeps the bus moving and ensures people get where they need to be in a reliable amount of time.
FEATURE
The “Hundred Mile” Yard Sales That Turn Rural Highways into Treasure Trails
From Kentucky to Florida to Washington State, a delightful culture of impossibly long yard sales helps communities thrive.
BLOG POST
Vehicle Miles Travelled, Level of Service, and a Soon-to-be-Insolvent Transportation Trust Fund
Level of Service and the gas tax have served our transportation needs for a long time. Now, it’s time for a change.
BLOG POST
Geographers Aren’t Going Anywhere
Microsoft says AI renders my profession obsolete. They couldn’t be more wrong.
FEATURE
Cities Can be a Sensory Nightmare. Minnesota is Trying to Change That.
A state-wide effort to build 10,000 sensory-friendly spaces aims to set a new standard for inclusive design.
BLOG POST
August Must-Reads: Top 10 Articles From Last Month
In suburban Houston, cities are scrambling to expand water infrastructure to serve new communities. But can sprawl be part of a workable solution to the housing crisis?
FEATURE
In Defence of Vision Zero — a Traffic Engineer’s Perspective
Traffic engineers have long suffered the reputation that all we care about is moving cars. The reality could not be more different.
BLOG POST
Does Historic Preservation Really Define a “Successful” City?
One common argument against new housing is that a successful city is an historic city. The data says otherwise.
BLOG POST
When Lewis Mumford Came to Santa Fe
Urbanist Lewis Mumford visited Santa Fe in 1962–63, and four conversational essays followed. Mumford’s observations are still relevant today.
BLOG POST
In Planning, the Possibilities With AI are High. So are the Stakes.
Planning history tells us that public trust is both fragile and essential. With AI, the time to set the right course is now.
BLOG POST
A Reality Check on Crime, Safety, and Transit
While Duffy and Nadler battle it out in a shouting match, the data is clear: transit is safe.
FEATURE
San Francisco is in a “Doom Loop.” A Legendary Artist and Burning Man Founder Knows how to Revive it.
Artists made San Francisco what it was. They might just be the key to its future.
BLOG POST
Parking: The Dark Matter of the Urban Universe
Parking regulations affect our lives and communities in many, often mysterious ways. These impacts are often overlooked, resulting in bad policies. It's time to apply urban planning magic: fewer driveways and better managed public parking.
FEATURE
Texas Rural Communities Could Lose Billions From Renewable Energy Tax Credit Cuts
Texas produces more solar and wind energy than anywhere in America — and the tax revenue from it pays for rural schools, hospitals, law enforcement and more. The One Big Beautiful Bill threatens that.
FEATURE
Dear Cities: Let’s Make FIFA Count
The first-ever pan-North American World Cup offers urban planners a unique opportunity: to undo the legacy of failed promises and show that mega events can actually benefit the cities they visit.
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.
