A compendium of the most discussed examples of news and commentary regarding the election of Donald Trump as President of the United States—but only what's directly relevant to the fields of planning and urban design.
It's been a world full of hot takes, propaganda, fake news, and fear mongering—from all sides of the political spectrum—since Donald Trump was elected. There has also been insightful commentary and careful journalism.
But it's been hard to piece the useful narratives together and parse out the valuable lessons that will be of use as we decide how participate in the work of planning and building the future of the country and the world over the next four to eight years. Here's a list of some of the most relevant and valuable stories that we've encountered in first week of this strange new time.
- "How to Start Thinking About What a Trump Presidency Means for Cities," by Anthony Flint for CityLab. (Also detailed by Planetizen contributing editor Casey Brazeal.)
- "Tracking Your Questions on the Trump Transition," by Gracie McKenzie for CityLab.
- "Most people are wildly underestimating what Trump’s win will mean for the environment," by David Roberts and Brad Plumer for Vox.
- "Urban Laboratories of Democracy," by William Fulton for the California Planning & Development Report.
- "Calexit in Reverse," by Josh Stephens for the California Planning & Development Report.
- "What a Trump presidency means for New Urbanism," by Lynn Richards for the Congress for New Urbanism's Public Square.
- "Beware Donald Trump’s Infrastructure Plan," by David Dayen for New Republic.
- "Cities in the Age of Trump," by Zach Shaner for the Seattle Transit Blog.
- "What Trump Could Mean for Seattle," by Erica C. Barnett for The C Is for Crank.
- "No, Trump Won’t Be 'Good For Cities,'" by Erica C. Barnett for The C Is for Crank.
- "Trump transition team begins minority outreach with 'new deal for Black America,'" by Reena Flores for CBS News.
- "AIA pledges to work with Donald Trump, membership recoils," by the Editors of The Architect's Newspaper. (Also detailed by Planetizen.)
- "Watch: Robert Ivy issues second apology for tone-deaf post-election memo," by the Editors of The Architect's Newspaper.
- "'Let us not be complicit in building Trump’s wall!': US architects battle over helping Donald Trump," by Anne Quito for Quartz.
Read the full story: President Donald Trump
Transportation Secretary's Resignation Announcement Greeted With Derision
Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao became the first cabinet secretary to announce her resignation due to the storming of the Capitol by Trump supporters, but at least one high-profile member of congress has derided the announcement.
Trump's Legacy: Climate Change
The Biden administration and effects of time will erase some of the consequences of the Trump administration's methodical dismantling of the nation's environmental regulation. But climate change will be around longer than any of it.
What Biden's Win Could Mean for Land Use, Transportation, and Climate
Campaign in poetry and govern in prose, the saying goes. Now that the reality of a Biden presidency is settling in, what does it mean for how the United States plans its future?
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Amtrak, CN end decades-long dispute with eight-year agreement
The new operating agreement establishes an updated framework for the companies to work together, including processes to resolve disputes.
Judges permit Denver to divert 77,000 acre feet from the Colorado River for reservoir expansion
Overuse and climate change have caused the Colorado River’s water levels to plummet.
Northwest rail fans eager for Sept. 30 debut of Amtrak’s Airo fleet
Get ready for that new train smell and more seats. But they won’t go faster or run more frequently on the Cascades route in Washington and Oregon.
NYC DOT wants faster, more permanent street upgrades
The city is examining ways to build more concrete infrastructure without getting entangled in 'decades-long' projects.
'Something we’ve never seen before:' rising utility rates could strain city finances nationwide
Data centers, climate change and other factors have caused utility rates in the United States to increase by 38% since 2020.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
KFH Group Inc.
Greater Baltimore Committee
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello