Infrastructure

Austin Pedestrians

Vision Zero Is Largely a Failure in the United States. Why?

From NIMBYism to entrenched traffic engineering culture, a variety of complex obstacles have prevented Vision Zero advocates from achieving the movement’s goals in the U.S.

April 13, 2022 - Bloomberg CityLab

Toddler walking on street

How Japanese Cities Enable Toddlers To Roam Independently

A TV show featuring young Japanese children going on errands on their own highlights the differences between Japanese and American urban design that enable even toddlers to safely navigate big cities.

April 13, 2022 - Slate

Protected Bike Lane

Protected Bike Lanes Deliver Numerous Benefits, Study Says. But Is it Enough to Change State Law?

Advocates in Philadelphia are pushing state lawmakers to finally pass a law to make it easier to install protected bike lanes on state routes.

April 13, 2022 - PlanPhilly

MARC train going through the Gaithersburg, Maryland train station

Maryland Legislators Override Governor’s Veto to Support Regional Rail Investments

The latest round of Gov. Larry Hogan v. public transit goes to the latter.

April 13, 2022 - The Washington Post

Suburban Neighborhood

Resilience Planning for Suburban Growth

Whether or not the suburban shift accelerated by the pandemic continues, policymakers can implement climate resilience strategies and guide sustainable growth in both cities and exurbs.

April 12, 2022 - Brookings

Floating offshore wind turbines

Proposed Offshore Wind Project Could Be the West Coast’s Largest

If approved, the plan to build a 2,000-megawatt facility off the coast of Washington State would be a milestone for floating offshore wind production in the United States.

April 12, 2022 - Energy Wire

The exterior and main entrance of the United States of America Embassy in London. The building is modern and sleek.

The Net Zero Building Boom Is Ready to Scale

While the cultural and infrastructural changes necessary to eliminate carbon emissions from the transportation sector still seem far-fetched, scaling up a net zero building boom is “eminently possible.”

April 12, 2022 - Bloomberg

Oil extraction pumps in winter landscape in Russia

European Union Takes Initial Step to Ban Russian Energy Imports

After a second day of talks in Brussels, ambassadors to the European Union agreed to ban coal imports from Russia as evidence of widescale atrocities committed by Russian troops in Ukraine surfaced after their withdrawal from the outskirts of Kyiv.

April 11, 2022 - The New York Times

Rendering of slip lane with corner island

The Trouble With Slip Lanes

Right-turn lanes can make traffic flow more smoothly, but make roadway conditions more dangerous for pedestrians and other road users on non-motorized vehicles.

April 11, 2022 - Next STL

People biking across the Queensboro Bridge

New Bike Lanes Coming to Long Island City

Three new bike lanes will help connect the region's bikeway system and improve safety on the city's roads and bridges.

April 11, 2022 - Streetsblog New York City

Pedestrian Safety

Report: U.S. Pedestrians Keep Dying at Higher Rates

Pedestrian deaths rose again in the first half of 2021, according to research from the Governors Highway Safety Administration.

April 10, 2022 - Governors Highway Safety Association

Rural bus stop

How Rural Transit Systems Are Doing More With Less

With limited resources and dispersed service areas, rural transit systems are turning to technology to provide on-demand service and improve transit options for residents.

April 8, 2022 - Smart Cities Dive

Broadband cable spool in rural area

Making Broadband Investments Count

As connectivity becomes increasingly important to everyday life, policymakers at all levels can take action to streamline broadband infrastructure projects and improve internet access for all communities.

April 7, 2022 - Fortune

Man plugging cable into home modem

Housing Providers Build Bridges Over the Digital Divide

Internet connectivity has become as important as basic utilities, but millions of people who live in affordable housing still lack access to devices and connections. Housing managers are finding innovative ways to fix that.

April 7, 2022 - Shelterforce Magazine

Bus Priority Zones

New York City Council Pushing for Major Investments in Bus and Bike Lanes

The $3.1 billion requested by the New York City Council to build 500 miles of new bus lanes and 500 miles of protected bus lanes isn't included in New York Mayor Eric Adams's proposed budget.

April 7, 2022 - AMNY

Higgins Avenue in downtown Missoula, Montana

Tactical Urbanism Takes Hold in Missoula

Community organizations are taking action to transform the city and pave the way for permanent infrastructure improvements.

April 6, 2022 - Missoula Current

Saint Louis gateway arch and Kiener Park

Free Electric Shuttles Launch in St. Louis

On-demand electric shuttles bring a new transit option to downtown St. Louis.

April 6, 2022 - St. Louis Public Radio

Second Avenue Subway

Opinion: Second Avenue Subway Should Come With Zoning Changes

Increasing density in the neighborhoods surrounding the new subway stops would bring more affordable, transit-adjacent housing to East Harlem and boost ridership.

April 6, 2022 - Gotham Gazette

View of Cedar City, Utah

Utah Valleys Square Off in an Old-Fashioned Water War

The Central Iron County Water Conservancy District wants new sources of water so communities in the Cedar Valley in Utah can continue to grow. It's a story as old as the American West.

April 5, 2022 - The Guardian

Hillside home construction in the Porter Ranch neighborhood of Los Angeles, California.

Study: How California Can Shift Away From Car-Oriented Development

While the state continues to rely on driving as a primary means of transportation, fighting climate change and the worsening housing crisis means implementing policies that encourage infill development, higher density, and public transit.

April 5, 2022 - OC Register

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.