New Tools for a New Era of Scenario Planning

The newly created Consortium for Scenario Planning will help planners to make better use of new scenario planning tools for land use and transportation decisions.

1 minute read

November 13, 2017, 12:00 PM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Intersection

evening_tao / Shutterstock

The Lincoln Institute of Land Policy recently announced the creation of the Consortium for Scenario Planning, "an initiative to bring together urban planners, software developers, researchers, and others from the public, private, academic, and nonprofit sectors to build capacity for better land use and transportation planning."

Scenario planning has been a tool used for planning and other policy fields for decades, but the rapid pace of data and software innovation in recent years has redefined the practice. According to the Lincoln Institute, the new Consortium for Scenario Planning is intended to build on that technological progress.

To supplement and inform the future work of the Consortium, the Lincoln Institute recently published a white paper written by Robert Goodspeed titled "An Evaluation Framework for the Use of Scenarios in Urban Planning."

Armando Carbonell, senior fellow and chair of the Department of Planning and Urban Form at the Lincoln Institute, recently gave a TED talk at TEDxbeacon Street on the subject of scenario planning in 2016.

Monday, November 13, 2017 in Lincoln Institute of Land Policy

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Large brutalist building and skyscrapers viewed from middle of wide street in downtown Houston, Texas.

Research Links Urban Design and Human Happiness

An emerging field of ‘neuroarchitectural’ research is revealing how building facades and urban design impact the human brain and body.

January 3, 2025 - Wired

Graphic illustrating street with various lanes designed in Streetmix.

Reimagining Your Street

How to use free online tools to redesign your local streetscape.

January 3, 2025 - Urbanism Speakeasy via Substack

Sprawl

Research: Sprawl Linked to Poverty

Low-income families living in high-sprawl neighborhoods are limited in their access to education, jobs, and other amenities, often trapping them in a cycle of poverty.

January 6, 2025 - Science Blog

Aerial view of Olympia, Washington with state cpaitol dome in foreground on a somewhat cloudy day.

Washington Lawmakers Eye Rent Stabilization

Democrats are pushing for a statewide rent stabilization bill that would give renters some protections while offering more flexibility for landlords than blanket rent control policies.

January 14 - The Urbanist

Eaton Canyon trailhead in Los Angeles County on a cloudy day.

Wildfires Devastate LA Outdoor Education Spaces and Schools

The current Los Angeles wildfires have destroyed schools and outdoor education spaces like Eaton Canyon, displacing families and disrupting vital learning and community resources while highlighting the region’s vulnerability to natural disasters.

January 14 - AP News

Close-up of person on bike wearing backpack riding on city street.

Research Affirms Safety of ‘Idaho Stop’

Allowing cyclists to treat stop signs as yield signs does not negatively impact safety and can help people on bikes more effectively navigate roadways.

January 14 - Streetsblog California

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.