Louisville

Skyline of Louisville, Kentucky with pedestrian walkway in foreground and vehicle bridge.

Louisville Creates its First Municipal DOT

The new department will be tasked with speeding up transportation and infrastructure projects.

July 17, 2024 - WHAS 11

Thick green forest on edge of lake in Louisville, Kentucky.

Louisville Begins Process to Clean Superfund Site

A public forest is home to dozens of barrels that have been leaking toxic materials for decades.

June 14, 2024 - Inside Climate News

Nighttime view of downtown Louisville, Kentucky.

Louisville High Injury Network To Help Guide Transportation Decisions

The new tool highlights the streets that pose the biggest risk to pedestrians and other road users.

March 11, 2024 - Louisville Public Media

Ohio River

Where and Why Rezonings Are More Likely to Succeed

A new analysis of developer-initiated rezonings in Louisville, Kentucky sheds light on how the land use regulation system works.

November 16, 2022 - Urban Institute

A Downtown Louisville street at night, with the lights of passing shown with a blurred effect.

Louisville Slowly Working Toward Vision Zero Commitment

If approved, an ordinance under consideration in Louisville would commit to eventually eliminate traffic fatalities…20 years in the future.

June 14, 2022 - WFPL

Interstate 65 Louisville

Evidence for Tolls as a 'Surefire' Traffic Congestion Fix

Traffic on a Louisville freeway fell by half after a toll was implemented. Could this be the best way to reduce traffic congestion?

November 19, 2021 - City Observatory

Redlining Map

Story Mapping the Racism in Planning History

A Story Map created by the Louisville Metro Office of Planning & Design Services offers a detailed, visual presentation of the history of racism and discriminatory in the planning and zoning of the Louisville and Jefferson County.

April 7, 2021 - Louisville Metro Office of Planning & Design Services

West Louisville

Tax Increment Financing District Considered for West Louisville

A prominently Black and low-income neighborhood in Louisville could gain a new tool for spurring local development—the law is intended also to control the effects of gentrification.

February 25, 2021 - Louisville Courier Journal

Choice Neighborhoods

Lawyers Connect Breonna Taylor's Murder to Choice Neighborhoods Initiative in Louisville

The lawyers for Breonna Taylor accuse police in Louisville of acting on behalf of a redevelopment plan led by the city with funding support from the federal government.

July 14, 2020 - Louisville Courier Journal

Urban Tree Canopy

Another Way to Achieve Racial Justice: Zoning Reform

An opinion piece calls out suburban communities for perpetuating structural inequality and housing discrimination. Recently converted social justice advocates should focus their zeal on zoning reform, according to the argument that follows.

June 14, 2020 - Louisville Courier Journal

Louisville, Kentucky

Pollution, Place, and the Unnecessary Tragedy of Premature Death: Lessons for COVID-19

In Louisville, scene of multiple instances of police violence in recent weeks, low-income and Black populations living in neighborhoods dealing with decades of industrial pollution are now suffering the worst public health outcomes of COVID-19.

June 9, 2020 - Gregory D. Squires

Minneapolis Traffic

Removal Over Reconstruction: Rectifying Crumbling U.S. Highways

Successful urban highway deconstruction projects have swapped highways for boulevards and saw economic, public health, and urban design benefits. Will more cities opt for highway removal programs over reconstruction?

April 26, 2020 - Lincoln Institute of Land Policy

Urban Tree Canopy

Louisville Updates its Development Code to Benefit the City's Trees

The effect of development codes can be felt in the urban tree canopies. Louisville is updating its code to stem the loss of 56,000 trees a year in the city.

March 12, 2020 - WFPL

Ohio River

In Louisville, Differing Views on Mixed-Use Development

Although a development near downtown Louisville, Kentucky, is moving forward, not everyone agrees it is the best use of the parcel and the right project for the city.

January 14, 2020 - The New York Times

Homeless Encampment

Homeless in Louisville Moved, then Moved Again

Homeless people who had previously been moved from an I-65 overpass were forced to move again with one-day notice.

August 9, 2019 - The Courier-Journal

Louisville Bridge

Office of Sustainability Nixed in Louisville

Budget cuts resulted in the demise of the Office of Sustainability in the city of Louisville.

July 27, 2019 - WFPL

New Highways

Kentucky Planning a New Freeway Around Louisville, Raising Alarms

Local news sources are shedding light on planning for a new highway route that could pass through sensitive habitat of endangered that has yet to undertake a formal environmental or public input process.

July 11, 2019 - WFPL

Interstate Freeways

Debating Freeway Expansion Projects Around Louisville

Several large freeway expansion projects are in various stages of planning and development in the Louisville region of Kentucky. Critics say the projects reflect an obsolete approach to planning and will hurt the state and the city.

June 18, 2019 - WDRB

Kentucky Coal Mining

Coal Mining in Kentucky, but No Beat Reporters to Cover It

Environmental reporting has been one of the major casualties as newspapers downsize, particularly in places where the in-depth coverage is most needed.

April 2, 2019 - The New Yorker

Main Street

Main Street as a Microcosm of the World

How can a three-day design workshop make a difference? Be a strong local partner able to convene community. Rob Steuteville at CNU Public Square shares lessons learned.

March 24, 2019 - CNU Public Square

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.

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.