Government / Politics

Electric Vehicle Charging

What California Would Lose if the Infrastructure Plan Fails

The state is poised to gain nearly $1 billion from the federal plan for projects ranging from electric vehicle charging stations to bike lanes and zero-emission bus fleets.

August 5, 2021 - L.A. Magazine

Single-Family Housing Development

This Washington City Quietly Eliminated Single-Family Zoning

Walla Walla's 2018 zoning reforms included adaptive reuse, reduced parking requirements, and more relaxed rules for accessory dwelling units.

August 5, 2021 - The Urbanist

Houston Light Rail Transit

Houston Plans New Downtown Bus-Only Lanes

The lull in commuter traffic during the pandemic gave Houston's transit agencies time to implement new projects and redesign downtown roads to better accommodate transit users.

August 4, 2021 - The Houston Chronicle

Apartments for rent signage

Cincinnati Tenants Can Still Access Rental Assistance Funds

Organizations in the city are working to distribute remaining rental assistance to tenants and landlords.

August 4, 2021 - WLWT

Transit Line

Guaranteed Transit Funding Lacking in New Infrastructure Bill

Lauded by the administration as a historic amount, the transit funding promised in the revised bill lags far behind projected needs.

August 4, 2021 - CleanTechnica

School Buses

Congress Shortchanges School Bus Electrification in Infrastructure Bill

Greening school buses, which represent the bulk of America's mass transit, would reduce children's exposure to harmful diesel emissions and remove millions of tons of greenhouse gas emissions from our roads.

August 3, 2021 - Streetsblog USA

Public Toilet

Opinion: Keep Public Toilets at L.A. Homeless Encampments

The city is planning to remove the hundreds of public toilets and hand-washing stations installed during the pandemic. But the need for them isn't going away.

August 3, 2021 - Los Angeles Times

California Central Valley

California Lawmakers Debate Killing High Speed Rail Funding

The cost increases and delays on the Central Valley project have some state lawmakers wondering whether funds should go toward local transit systems instead.

August 3, 2021 - CALmatters

Bike Lane

How 'Bicycle Friendly' is Gainesville?

Despite a recent designation from the League of American Bicyclists, one writer argues that the city's infrastructure is failing to protect pedestrians and cyclists from dangerous car traffic.

August 3, 2021 - The Gainesville Sun

Climate Change Protest

The Climate One-Two Punch

Like a boxer, cities are wielding their one-two punch in the fight against climate change. One punch aims to protect people from the oppressive heat, while the second punch strikes at the source of global warming by reducing overall GHG emissions.

August 2, 2021 - Robert Fischer

Masked Passengers at Rainway Station

Delta Variant's High Transmissibility Prompts CDC to Issue Masking Correction

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, acting on new data that it had yet to publish, changed its masking guidance on July 27 to reflect the prevalence of the virus in specific counties rather than basing it on a person's vaccination status.

August 2, 2021 - The Washington Post

Portland Transit

Fighting Climate Change Requires Serious Transportation Reform

The federal government can encourage public transit use and electrification through reforms in transportation systems and land use policies.

August 2, 2021 - Center for American Progress

nyc. subway.

Subways Are Becoming Flood Zones

While cities race to protect their subway infrastructure from more intense flooding, some experts argue that more investment is needed in more resilient street-level infrastructure.

August 1, 2021 - New York Times

Coronavirus Skies

The California Dream is Becoming Less Achievable

Anti-growth forces have made it close to impossible for many young people and newcomers to gain the upward mobility that has defined the state's success.

August 1, 2021 - The Atlantic

Basement Apartment

High Housing Costs Could Keep Inflation Rising

After last year's precipitous drops, rents are rising again in cities around the country, which could signal sustained inflation.

August 1, 2021 - New York Times

Chicago Transit

Chicago's New Strategic Plan for Transportation Prioritizes Equity and Accountability

The plan calls for safer streets, more equitable distribution of resources, and expanded community engagement.

August 1, 2021 - Streetsblog Chicago

Toronto Freeway

Does Highway Removal Make Cities Healthier?

Highway removal can improve the air quality and health of the immediate environment, but displacement and gentrification threaten to exclude former residents from the benefits.

July 30, 2021 - NextCity

 on I84 in Northern Oregon…one hand on the wheel and one on the shutter, at 75 mph

In Extreme Heat Waves, Cities Need 'Social Resilience' to Help the Most Vulnerable

This summer's heat waves wreaked havoc on physical infrastructure, but also highlighted vulnerabilities in our social support systems.

July 30, 2021 - The Washington Post

Walkable Urban Commercial District

The Complexities of the '15-Minute City'

What does a '15-minute city' truly mean–and how achievable is it in the U.S.?

July 29, 2021 - Governing

Car Share

Opinion: Boost Public Car Share to Reduce Private Vehicle Ownership

Research shows that consistent access to shared cars drastically reduces car ownership rates, but U.S. regulations often impede success for private fleets.

July 29, 2021 - Streetsblog New York City

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

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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.

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