Accessibility

Americans With Disabilities Act

Google Doodle Commemorates Those Bumps on the Edge of the Transit Platform

Today's Google Doodle celebrates an important component of accessibility and mobility for the visually impaired.

March 18, 2019 - Google

Chicago ADA Access

Comic Reveals the Difficulties of Navigating the World With Special Needs

A comic strip called "Spinning Our Wheels' explores the difficulties of navigating Chicago with a special needs child.

March 12, 2019 - Chicago Reader

Mobility

Bikeshare Programs Lack Accessible Options

City bikeshare programs are failing to provide equal access for disabled residents, the Times reports.

December 20, 2018 - New York Times

New York Street

Thumbs Down to Planning Rules of Thumb

In planning, a number of common principles of practice are widely accepted. However, an alternative set of guidelines can better serve as information and decision-making tools.

December 11, 2018 - City Commentary

MTA Riders Using Wheelchairs Face Problems Even on Wheelchair Accessible Buses

It's not enough for buses to be equipped with lifts or unfolding ramps, bus drivers need to know how to operate the ramps and they need to work. Often they don't.

July 6, 2018 - City Limits

Wheelchair Accessible

New York MTA Will Spend $600 Million on Disabled Access Improvements

New York's Transit system has long lacked facilities to allow wheelchair users access to many of their stations.

May 3, 2018 - Crain's New York Business

Valley Metro

Phoenix Light Rail Stop Designed with Access in Mind by the People Who Need It

The non-profit Ability360 worked with members of its community, not only to advocate for a new light rail station, but to design a station that would fit the disabled community's needs.

January 11, 2018 - Streetsblog USA

Commute

Four Steps for Making Accessibility a Tangible Part of the Planning Process

Although there is a strong push for accessibility as a key metric in transportation and land use planning efforts, there is still a long way to go in putting theory and intentions into practice.

December 29, 2017 - Next City

Disable Access

Accessibility Barriers Continue to Plague Some Metro Systems

Most metro systems in the United States tend to score high on accessibility, while European systems have mixed results.

September 28, 2017 - The Guardian

ADA Ramp

Google Expands Wheelchair Access Mapping

Offering prizes and status, Google wants to motivate Maps users to add information about wheelchair accessibility.

September 14, 2017 - CityLab

Bus

Transportation for Everyone

An efficient and fair transportation system must serve diverse users. The "Transportation for Everyone" rating system evaluates transport system diversity and, therefore, its ability to serve all community members.

July 13, 2017 - Todd Litman

Downtown Houston pedestrians

The Struggle for a Walkable Houston

Houston is fighting itself on walkability. While some build sidewalks and benches, parking minimums and outdated policies hold the city back.

July 5, 2017 - Urban Edge

Wheelchair Accessible

Disability Activists Sue New York MTA

Two class action lawsuits take New York’s inaccessible metro system to task.

May 1, 2017 - New York Times

Wheelchair accessible home

Growing Old at Home

Changing demographics and preferences in eldercare have millions planning to age in place, this will have big implications for our communities and our policy makers.

January 6, 2017 - CityLab

Houston Light Rail

Moving from Moving Cars to Moving People

After a three quarters of a century of building to accommodate cars and not people, it's going to take big changes to get the transit system the United States needs, argues a Next City editorial.

October 20, 2016 - Next City

Accessibility

Pushing for Universal Access in the New Urban Agenda

The New Urban Agenda, which sets a new global strategy for sustainable urbanization, still has shortcomings regarding universal access for people with special needs.

October 5, 2016 - Citiscope

ADA Sidewalk

'Project Sidewalk' App Rates Accessibility

The long, ongoing project of retrofitting sidewalks and curbs to allow access for users of all needs continues. Project Sidewalk puts the power to audit sidewalks for accessibility in your hands.

September 23, 2016 - Greater Greater Washington

Elderly Walking

Suburbs Are Failing the Elderly

Around two-thirds of Baby Boomers in metropolitan areas live in the suburbs. But as they age, suburbia seems less and less hospitable.

July 11, 2016 - RenewATL

Mountain Bike

Environmentalists Disagree On Bikes in the Wild

Environmental groups are split over legislation that would remove the nationwide ban on bicycles in the wild.

April 13, 2016 - The Oregonian

Accessibility

Tip of the Iceberg: Seeking Real Accessibility in Community Engagement

Do modern accessibility regulations go far enough to ensure fair access to all community members for public engagement activities? How can we design our planning processes to reach the broadest demographic?

February 23, 2016 - Dave Biggs

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.

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.