Infrastructure

New York City From New Jersey

Funding Approved for Key Rail Connection Between New Jersey and New York

The Portal Bridge is a key component of the larger Gateway Program that includes tunnels under the Hudson River. Fixing the Portal Bridge across the Hackensack River will provide tremendous relief to NJ Transit and Amtrak commuters.

December 10, 2020 - New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy

Parking

Parking Reform: Dynamic Pricing Expected Soon in Arlington County, Virginia

The dynamic, demand-based pricing is on its way to Northern Virginia.

December 10, 2020 - Arl Now

Highway Construction

Highway Boondoggles Continue as the Pandemic Stresses Budgets at Every Level of Government

U.S. PIRG has released the latest edition of the Highway Boondoggles report, the sixth edition of the report published since 2014.

December 10, 2020 - U.S. Pirg

Ogden, Utah

Transit Capital Investments Planned in Utah

Utah finds itself in a unique situation, with money to spend on expanding transit capacity at a time when many transit agencies are plotting layoffs and service reductions.

December 9, 2020 - The Salt Lake Tribune

Queens, New York City

Life With Climate Change: A 100-Year Storm Every Year

The extreme weather events and sea-level rise of the relatively near future will overwhelm storm and flood infrastructure with startling regularity, according to new research.

December 9, 2020 - Earth.com

Maryland

Zoning Changes Would Allow Transit-Oriented Multi-Family Development in Montgomery County

Montgomery County, Maryland wants to put its zoning where its transit is—it's just the latest in a string of transit-oriented land use reforms for the famously suburban county.

December 9, 2020 - Bethesda Magazine

Senior Pedestrians

Insights From the Latest Livability Index

The latest edition of the AARP Livability Index reveals the U.S. regions with more of the kinds of neighborhoods that offer quality of life benefits for residents of all ages.

December 9, 2020 - Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University

California State Capital

Evaluating CEQA: The Controversial Law Turns 50

The California Environmental Quality Act, commonly referred to as CEQA for short, has been influencing planning and development in California for 50 years, creating a constant source of controversy and criticisms from both sides of the debate.

December 8, 2020 - California Planning & Development Report

Amazon Warehouse

Business Booming, Amazon Plans Big Real Estate Expansion

Amazon is moving more moving more products than ever, and the company is expanding its physical footprint to keep up with the trends.

December 8, 2020 - The Boston Globe

Montgomery County

Montgomery County Charts a New Path with 'Thrive 2050'

A new plan under development in Montgomery County, Maryland plots a course change for the famously suburban county.

December 8, 2020 - Greater Greater Washington

COVID-19

Nine Months Later: How the Pandemic Is Changing Communities

Planetizen shares the latest in a series of compendia tackling the effects of the pandemic, now and in the future, for cities and communities.

December 8, 2020 - James Brasuell

Light Rail Transit Rendering

Environmental Review for Light Rail Through The Valley Approved

The B Line subway includes two stops in the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles, but other than that, commuter rail and buses are the only options for transit. New light rail plans could change that.

December 7, 2020 - The Source

Hospital Signs

The Pandemic's Most Critical Health Metric Just Shut Down Most of California

Gov. Gavin Newsom, who issued the nation's first stay-at-home order to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus, issued a new order to prevent hospitals in the nation's most populous state from being overwhelmed with COVID patients.

December 7, 2020 - Office of Governor Gavin Newsom

New Orleans

New Orleans Planning a Pedestrian-Friendly Makeover of the French Quarter

Pedestrian improvements are planned as an economic development opportunity in one of the most pedestrian-friendly places in the entire country—the French Quarter of New Orleans.

December 7, 2020 - WDSU

Silver Line

To Dream the Impossible Transit Dream

The dream of high-quality, zero-emission transit in all large U.S. cities is possible.

December 6, 2020 - Urban Institute

Beltway Traffic

Connecting Maryland and Virginia By Transit

Bethesda and Tysons, in Montgomery County, Maryland, and Fairfax County, Virginia, respectively, look like neighbors on a map, but they lack a direct transit route. That could change.

December 4, 2020 - Greater Greater Washington

Septic Tank

Lack of Septic Systems Spell Disaster for Low-Income Alabama Residents

Low-income Alabama residents who can't afford the cost of a functional septic tank run the risk of heavy fines and even arrest in addition to extremely unsafe conditions.

December 3, 2020 - The New Yorker

Portland, Oregon

Columbia River Crossing Back From the Dead With a New Name and Potential Changes

2021 will be a big year for planning on the Interstate Bridge Replacement project, née Columbia River Crossing, that will connect Washington and Oregon across the Columbia River.

December 3, 2020 - The Urbanist

Washington

City Council Rejects Rezoning Approved by Planning Commission, Planning Staff

It's a tale as old as time: A plan to rezone ten acres of land in Spokane splits the public and the City Council from the opinions of the city's planning staff and Planning Commission.

December 3, 2020 - The Spokesman-Review

Lake Michigan

Lessons From the Viral Video of Lake Michigan Taking Out a Bike Commuter

Climate change will only increase the frequency of incidents like the one captured by a television news station in Chicago earlier this week.

December 3, 2020 - Bicycling

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.

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.