The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Infographic of the Day: The Many Moods of NYC

Launched in August 2011, Wyst is a social media app that allows users to tag locations in New York City with an emoticon. After a year of collecting data, Wyst has compiled enough info to publish its first Mood Map of NYC.

October 3 - The Architect's Newspaper

Denver Considers How to Heal Neighborhoods Decimated by I-70

Something will be done to help Denver's Elyria and Swansea neighborhoods recover from decades of decline brought by the construction of I-70. Will a plan to bury the interstate be replaced with an ambitious proposal to reroute the road entirely?

October 3 - The Denver Post

Traffic Fatalities Accelerate Nationwide

After six consecutive years of decline, traffic deaths are rising dramatically across America, reports Ashley Halsey III.

October 3 - The Washington Post

ARTmageddon Reveals a Changing Los Angeles

Warnings over the traffic nightmare that could result from the closure of the 405 freeway last weekend in L.A. prompted a city-wide celebration of the local, artistic, and walkable treasures of the city.

October 3 - Fast Company Co.Exist

Atlanta Criminalizes Walking

The high-profile case of Raquel Nelson, who was arrested when her four-year-old son was killed as she attempted to cross the street with him, and another recent episode demonstrate the Atlanta region's abysmal attitude toward pedestrians.

October 3 - Streetsblog D.C.


A New Frugality Invades Las Vegas

Frugality is probably not the first word one would associate with a city known for sin and excess. But in the wake of the global financial crash, Matthew Garrahan examines how Las Vegas is pursuing a conservative path to recovery.

October 3 - The Financial Times

New Golf Course for the Bronx Seems Like an Odd Use of NYC's Land and Money

As the level of golf participation falls, a new course is rising in a park in the Bronx with the assistance of $97 million in public funds. Is a notoriously expensive, and elitist, sport the best use of land in a borough with a 30% poverty rate?

October 3 - The New York Times


Building a More Meaningful 'Best Cities' List

While we're sure the ever-popular "Best City" lists serve some nebulous purpose, a new metric seeks to identify and evaluate America's metro areas by a more comprehensive understanding of how well they're achieving "complete communities."

October 2 - The Atlantic Cities

Can Strategic Urbanism Heal Broken City Governance?

Alex Steffen, a "leading voice in planetary futurism," muses on what he believes could be a way to move beyond NIMBYism and incremental urban planning, to provide an antidote to fundamentally broken city governance.

October 2 - Planetary Thinking

Denver Bike-Share: Progressive Urbanism or Elitist Folly?

As Denver B-Cycle, the country's first large-scale municipal bike-sharing program, seeks to expand with 27 new stations, one city councilman is objecting to the plans with concerns that the system is skirting poor and minority neighborhoods.

October 2 - The Denver Post

After 25 Years, Poundbury's Revolutionary Traditionalism Still Divides

Designed by architect Léon Krier, and spearheaded by Prince Charles, the 'model village' on 400 acres outside of Dorchester, England was begun 25 years ago. As Graham Norwood reports, its success is still a matter for debate.

October 2 - The Financial Times

The Politics of Zoning Reform: Targeting Your Communications

Zoning reform is a political campaign. Coder Susan Henderson talks about audience dynamics, with a special focus on how to communicate with property owners and the developer community.

October 2 - PlaceShakers

Do You Smell Cigarette Smoke?

Smoking is physically harmful to smokers and non-smokers alike, but what about its impact on public space? Nate Berg reports on a new paper in Urban Studies based on interviews in Singapore -- where smoking has been regulated since 1970.

October 2 - The Atlantic Cities

Honduran Charter City Loses Its Compass

An experimental plan to build a new charter city for 10 million people in Honduras has lost a key element, its expected chairman and chief founder, Paul Romer.

October 2 - The New York Times

Why Some Cities are Using Eminent Domain to Save Mortgages

Some cities are fighting back against the mortgage crisis, using eminent domain to seize and write down troubled mortgages, keeping homeowners in their homes and keeping local economies afloat, writes Peter S. Goodman.

October 2 - Huffington Post

The Fallacy Behind the Downtown Growth Story

Wendell Cox delves into the latest numbers from the U.S. Census Bureau that have prompted some to herald a return to America's downtowns, and argues that reports of such population growth are vastly overblown.

October 2 - New Geography

Cash-Strapped City? Chinese Capital to the Rescue!

Despite heated political rhetoric on the national stage, the Toledo mayor courts Chinese investors.

October 2 - The Financial Times

For Cycling Advocates, One Question Reigns: Got Networks?

As the level of sophistication in cycling infrastructure increases, the value of networks becomes even more apparent.

October 1 - PlaceShakers

Private Vehicles Become Europe's Newest Form of Public Transportation

Amid widespread economic crisis, and raising environmental awareness, Europeans are embracing ride-sharing services in staggering numbers, reports Eric Pfanner.

October 1 - The New York Times

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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.

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.