NASA presents compelling images and movies from space showing the impacts of growth and sprawl.
"...Researchers have been able to look at urban sprawl from monitoring the emission of light from cities at night... Another interesting discovery was that urbanization seems to elongate the growing season while still reducing overall productivity. Vegetation greens up earlier in the spring and takes longer to fade out in the fall but it tends to have lower peak-season productivity than nearby areas unaffected by urbanization. This could be demonstrating a profound link to the urban heat island effect, and it has implications in climate change, particularly in the Northern Hemisphere where urban development is most intense."
Thanks to Ambar Mukherjee
FULL STORY: Urban Growth Seen from Space

Good Planning Under Bad Leadership
Planners must sometimes work under bad leadership. Here are suggestions for responsive planning in challenging political environments.

Amtrak Cascades Line Breaks Ridership Record
The route linking Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver, BC served nearly one million riders in 2024.

Legendary Parking Guru Donald Shoup Dies at 86
Urbanists are mourning the loss of a dynamic voice for parking reform and walkable cities.

LA County Leaders Seek to Increase Penalties for Rent Gouging
Landlords who raise rents sharply after disasters could face fines of up to $50,000.

How ‘Anti-DEI’ Efforts Impact Sustainable Transportation Studies
Research into accessibility, transit equity, and traffic safety is losing federal funding at an alarming rate.

River Seine ‘Teeming’ With Life
Decades of restoration efforts are yielding positive results as dozens of species of fish return to the once-polluted waterway.
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.
City of Brookings
City of White Salmon
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
M-NCPPC Prince George's County Planning Department
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service