Humor

Underground train platform with colorful mosaic wall with people pulling luggage at O'Hare Airport in Chicago, Illinois.

Costumed Chicagoans try to 'Catch That Train' in new viral trend

Residents are donning costumes and running to board CTA trains in a whimsical nod to the age-old problem of missing your train.

June 13, 2026 - Chicago Tribune

Green and white bus with number 666 stopped to pick up passengers in Poland.

In Poland, you can ride bus #666 to Hel

FlixBus is resurrecting a marketing gimmick that garnered backlash from religious groups.

June 6, 2026 - BBC

Tom hanks stands in front of film posters at premiere of The Phoenician Scheme in New York CIty.

Listen to Tom Hanks’ Song That's an Ode to the New York Subway

The actor penned a song praising the 7 train.

November 21, 2025 - Page Six

US and Texas flags flying in front of Texas state capitol dome in Austin, Texas.

Texas Bills Could Push More People Into Homelessness

A proposal to speed up the eviction process and a bill that would accelerate enforcement of an existing camping ban could make the state’s homelessness crisis worse, advocates say.

May 1, 2025 - The Texas Tribune

Multifamily housing under construction.

Why Housing Costs More to Build in California Than in Texas

Hard costs like labor and materials combined with ‘soft’ costs such as permitting make building in the San Francisco Bay Area almost three times as costly as in Texas cities.

April 14, 2025 - San Francisco Chronicle

Closed black wrought iron gate in front of gated residential community with large palm trees along sides of street.

Friday Funny: Gated Community Doubles Down

The Onion skewers suburbia.

April 12, 2024 - The Onion

A boat floats on a bright green Chicago River lined by skyscrapers.

An Urbanist’s Guide to St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations

Festivities in these five U.S. cities and towns honor Irish and Irish American culture with an urban planning twist.

March 15, 2024 - Mary Hammon

Rat shaped indentation on pavement, filled with coins

Chicago Rat Hole Becomes Viral Urban Sensation

The rodent-shaped sidewalk imprint has captured hearts and imaginations on social media but has proven a headache for neighbors.

January 30, 2024 - Hyperallergic

Blurred image of Christmas lights at nighttime draped over Christmas market in Tallin, Estonia.

Planning for the Snow and an Open Right of Way

The Planning Commission Podcast presents their Chrismas episode.

December 27, 2023 - The Planning Commission Podcast

A group of friends laughs and celebrates with beers on a rooftop with Downtown Los Angeles in the background.

Friday Fun: Best Cities for Rooftop Dining and Drinking

Just in time for summer’s last hurrah, a list of cities with a reputation for rooftop entertainment.

September 1, 2023 - RoofGnome

Vast, empty parking lot with blue sky and bright sun in background

Friday Funny: How Much Parking Does That Parking Spot Need?

The Onion takes parking requirements to their logical conclusion.

May 5, 2023 - The Onion

 Red brick homes with blooming wisteria in foreground in Arlington, Virginia

Lawsuit Challenges Arlington County Zoning Reforms

A lawsuit brought by residents charges the county with failing to follow statutory procedures and provide accurate information about recently passed ‘missing middle housing’ reforms.

April 25, 2023 - The Washington Post

Round sign on building with white CTA logo on blue background

Friday Funny: Chicago Transit Has Imposter Syndrome

The Onion posits that the CTA’s failures stem from a debilitating fear of having riders rely on them.

April 7, 2023 - The Onion

Woman in car stuck in traffic, leaning on her elbow in frustration

Friday Funny: Tired of Walkability? Try the ‘15-Hour City’

Worried that a 15-minute city will restrict your freedoms? Welcome to the alternative.

March 10, 2023 - McSweeney's

Rural Traffic

Should We Continue to Ignore Induced Vehicle Travel Costs?

A recent Planetizen blog claims that urban highway expansions reduce traffic congestion and benefit everyone. That must be a joke! Most planners now recognize that such projects tend to be economically wasteful and contradict community goals.

February 26, 2023 - Todd Litman

Gray chemical cloud seen from a distance from train derailment in Palestine, Ohio

Friday Funny: ‘Deregulation Works’

A tongue-in-cheek piece from The Onion calls the disastrous train derailment in Ohio a “deregulation success story.”

February 17, 2023 - The Onion

Coronavirus Social Distancing

Friday Eye Candy: Covid-19, Then and Now

The New York Times compared images from readers portraying similar scenes in 2020 and 2022.

January 6, 2023 - The New York Times

A group of protests with signs and drums walk down the street.

Songs About Places 2022: Songs of Protest

An annual list of songs about the places we call home, the places we miss, and the places we visit. In 2022, one of the most conspicuous songs about places took a stand on an ongoing moral crisis.

December 27, 2022 - James Brasuell

Video Games

City-Building Video Games for Planners

Hopefully you got one of these games as a gift today. If not, don’t worry. There are a lot of other occasions to celebrate—maybe try the day after Christmas?

December 25, 2022 - Bloomberg CityLab

Rendering of Juneteenth Museum

The Best, Worst, and Most Questionable in 2022 Architecture and Design

A list of innovative projects, intriguing design, and flummoxing failures.

December 6, 2022 - Medium

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.

Transportation Planner I

KFH Group Inc.

Director, Strategy and Research

Greater Baltimore Committee

Senior Planner

Eagle County Government

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.