A legacy of discriminatory planning exacerbated the low-density sprawl that's been so hard for Los Angeles to roll back.

The Los Angeles stereotype is insane commutes and unwalkable streets. The stereotype is not completely unfounded, because of when the city was growing. "Social inequality is baked into the regional land use laws characterized by low-density sprawl that has contributed to car dependence," Emily Han writes for The American Prospect. The sprawl makes it particularly hard to grow public transit. "Long distances between home and work complicate walking and biking, while the absence of a high-frequency transit network also encourages driving," Han writes.
But many are looking to change that reality. "A walkable city means building more workforce housing, a robust bike network, and reliable transit that puts homes and employment in closer proximity," Han writes. Some road diets have been put in to slow drivers, but they've faced serious opposition, "despite the fact that road diets reduce fatalities, these projects have also generated considerable political controversy."
FULL STORY: The Continuing Quest for a More Walkable Los Angeles

Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Walmart Announces Nationwide EV Charging Network
The company plans to install electric car chargers at most of its stores by 2030.

New State Study Suggests Homelessness Far Undercounted in New Mexico
An analysis of hospital visit records provided a more accurate count than the annual point-in-time count used by most agencies.

Michigan Bills Would Stiffen Penalties for Deadly Crashes
Proposed state legislation would close a ‘legal gap’ that lets drivers who kill get away with few repercussions.

Report: Bus Ridership Back to 86 Percent of Pre-Covid Levels
Transit ridership around the country was up by 85 percent in all modes in 2024.
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