Government / Politics

California Aqueduct

Future of California's Climate Agenda in Peril

Legislation to reauthorize the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 is in peril due to 'a powerful bloc of business-friendly Democrats' who are uneasy about its impact on businesses, particularly Big Oil, due to higher energy costs.

August 8, 2016 - CALmatters

Hollywood Blvd

Los Angeles' Chief Technology Officer Helped to Connect City on Transit and Transparency

Chief Innovative Technology Officer of Los Angeles, Peter Marx, recently stepped down. But first, he offers some lessons learned during his tenure, which included an L.A. mobility app and a successful open data initiative.

August 7, 2016 - The Planning Report.

Ann Arbor

Southeast Michigan Regional Transit Plan Back From the Dead

The board of the Southeast Michigan Regional Transit Authority found a compromise and managed to get a regional transit plan onto the ballot for voters to consider in November.

August 4, 2016 - Detroit Free Press

Yellowstone

The National Park System Welcomes the 21st Century

The National Park Service is evolving its role to keep pace with a changing world.

August 4, 2016 - ASLA The Dirt

Tea party

Does Sprawl Make People Libertarian?

Criticizes the idea that suburbanization has made Americans more libertarian.

August 4, 2016 - Michael Lewyn

Detroit Motor Bus

A Call to Action After Detroit Suburbs Kill Regional Transportation Plan

A $4.7 billion regional transportation plan died at the hands of suburban interests around Detroit last week. An op-ed describes the action as the same kind of racial disharmony that defined the mid- and late-20 century.

August 3, 2016 - Detroit Free Press

Trump Announces $500 Billion-Plus Infrastructure Plan

The Republican nominee for president announced the early sketches of a sweeping infrastructure investment program—touted as at least doubling the program proposed by the Clinton campaign.

August 3, 2016 - Bloomberg Politics

Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge

Massachusetts Governor Says No to Vehicle Mileage Traveled Fee Pilot

A year ago Massachussetts looked like it could be one of the next states to adopt a vehicle mileage fee program. Not likely under this governor. Baker opposes an amendment that allows the state to apply for federal grant funding to study VMT fees.

August 3, 2016 - The Republican

Red Light Camera

Red Light Cameras Receive Endorsement from Influential Governors' Group

Calling it 'mind boggling' that municipalities are removing 'proven safety tools,' the Governors Highway Safety Association strongly endorsed the use of the controversial red light cameras to 'to improve safety for all road users.'

August 2, 2016 - Governors Highway Safety Association

To Bring Water to the Village, Teach Villagers About Water

In Nicaragua, villagers' access to freshwater resources is sometimes impeded by a gap in coordination between the self-governing indigenous communities present there. WaterAid worked with locals in one village to change just that.

August 1, 2016 - Doggerel

Hillary Clinton

Planetizen Week in Review: August 1, 2016

Political junkies, map nerds, and transit fans all got plenty of big news to digest during the last week of July 2016.

August 1, 2016 - Planetizen

A Side-by-Side Comparison of Infrastructure Policy Platforms

The Republican and Democratic parties both claim to understand the importance of infrastructure, but they show support in vastly different ways.

July 28, 2016 - the transport politic

Colosseo in Rome as seen from Via dei Fori Imperiali on a Sunday when traffic is cut off.

Walkability Reaches a Tipping Point

With the rise of globalization, and urbanization, people are rethinking how cities should be structured in terms of transportation and mobility. Is it possible to reconfigure auto-centric cities into pedestrian-friendly spaces?

July 26, 2016 - Doggerel

Trump Tower

Trump to Cities: You're Dead to Me

Donald Trump invokes the darkest days of urban decay and crime to appeal to his base. The facts speak to an urban triumph that has led to greater national prosperity and higher standards of living for tens of millions of Americans.

July 26, 2016 - Josh Stephens

Effort Underway to Halt Pennsylvania's Gas Tax Increase

Pennsylvania has the nation's highest state gas and diesel taxes, 51.4 cents per gallon and 65.1 cents per gallon, respectively. Both are scheduled to increase up to 10 cents on Jan 1. A bill has been introduced to halt all future fuel tax increases.

July 26, 2016 - Land Line

Philadelphia DNC

Talking Points for an Urban Agenda at the Democratic National Convention

Next City has released what it's calling an "urbanist's guide" to the Democratic National Convention.

July 26, 2016 - Next City

Cleveland

Planetizen Week in Review: July 25, 2016

The Republic National Convention dominated the news last week, and for good reason. There was also eye candy for New York transit advocates and lots of new housing research to enjoy.

July 25, 2016 - Planetizen

Gas Station SUVs

Republicans Reveal an Anti-Urban, Anti-Public Transit Platform

The Grand Old Party platform calls for an end to using gas taxes for public transit as well as other non-road purposes like "bike-sharing," opposes increases to the 23-year-old gas tax, and would eliminate the U.S. DOT Livability Initiative.

July 21, 2016 - Progressive Railroading

Vote

Participatory Budgeting Catching on in the U.S. and Canada

A new report from Public Agenda tracks the spread of participatory budgeting, and provides guidance for implementing such processes for maximum benefit to public engagement.

July 20, 2016 - Governing

San Francisco

San Francisco Shifts Maintenance Burden for Street Trees Back to the City

Three proposed legislative measures would undo one of the more obvious signs of the recession, and return the responsibility for street trees to the city.

July 20, 2016 - San Francisco Chronicle

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.

Associate/Senior Planner

Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development

Senior Planner

Heyer Gruel & Associates PA

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.