Montgomery County

Presidential Blvd Road Diet

On Foot: Planners Complete Street Safety Inventory One Step at a Time

Before drafting a new Pedestrian Master Plan for Montgomery County, planners are creating a detailed inventory of street conditions by walking every single one fo the county's roads and streets.

November 6, 2019 - Greater Greater Washington

residential Neighborhood

McMimpact Fee Proposed

Should there be an extra fee for property owners who tear down an existing single-family home and replace it with a much larger, more expensive single-family home?

October 17, 2019 - WAMU

Pedestrians and Walkable Street

First for Montgomery County: A Pedestrian Master Plan

Planners in Montgomery County, Maryland, one of the most famous suburban regions in the country, will produce the first-ever pedestrian master plan for the county.

September 10, 2019 - Source of the Spring

Accessory Dwelling Unit

Making the Case for ADUs and Housing Equity

For Montgomery County in Maryland, accessory dwelling units are a viable strategy to help ease the affordable housing crisis.

August 21, 2019 - Greater Greater Washington

Montgomery County Department of Transportation

'Flash' Bus Rapid Transit Coming to Maryland

The "Flash" bus rapid transit system proposed in Montgomery County, Maryland took a crucial step forward at the end of July.

August 15, 2019 - Greater Greater Washington

Montgomery County

Controversial ADU Allowances Approved in Maryland

Spirited protests weren't enough to stop the Montgomery County Council from allowing accessory dwelling units (ADU) in parts of the county.

July 23, 2019 - Bethesda Magazine

Montgomery County Residential Homes

ADU Controversy in Montgomery County, Maryland

The Montgomery County Council is preparing to vote on an amendment that would loosen restrictions on the controversial building type known as accessory dwelling units (ADUs).

July 9, 2019 - WAMU

Maryland School

For Lack of Schools: Building Moratorium Set to Take Effect

The Montgomery County Council made a few last minute changes to a residential building moratorium that will take effect next week, halting construction in areas around the county's schools.

June 27, 2019 - Bethesda Magazine

Traffic Safety

When it Comes to Road Diets, Evidence Doesn't Matter

Drivers are a powerful enough lobby to overcome all evidence of the need to redesign streets for safety. Examples from Maryland and Virginia provide the latest case studies in Vision Zero futility.

June 25, 2019 - Greater Greater Washington

Pedestrians and Walkable Street

Pedestrian Planning in Response to Worsening Safety Data

Faced with rapidly deteriorating pedestrian safety statistics, Montgomery County in Maryland is getting to work on a new Pedestrian Plan, following closely on the heels of work completed for the county's Bicycle Master Plan.

June 13, 2019 - Bethesda Magazine

Carnival Rides

Busy Bus Routes on the Chopping Block in Montgomery County

One of the most famous suburban counties in the country could become a little less urban this week, if a proposal to cut bus service makes it past the Montgomery County Council.

May 15, 2019 - Greater Greater Washington

Basement Apartment

Hammering Out the Details of New Accessory Dwelling Unit Regulations

As Montgomery County, Maryland considers a new law to allow more development of accessory dwelling units. The devil is in the details.

March 28, 2019 - Bethesda Magazine

Purple Line

Sneak a Peek at Maryland's New Purple Line Trains

Train fans rejoice.

March 11, 2019 - Greater Greater Washington

Basement Apartment

ADU Results Fall Short of Intentions in D.C. Region

Accessory dwelling unit regulations vary but results are consistently underwhelming in the D.C. region.

February 26, 2019 - Greater Greater Washington

Metrorail Station Area

Comparing Transit Oriented Development in the D.C. Regional Rail System

Not all Metrorail station areas are zoned for transit oriented development.

January 31, 2019 - Greater Greater Washington

Maryland Transit Administration

Another Lawsuit Complicates Purple Line Plans in Maryland

The 16-mile Purple Line light rail project, which connects Maryland suburbs in Montgomery and Prince George's counties to the D.C. Metro Gold, Red, and Orange lines, is facing a new lawsuit.

January 19, 2019 - The Washington Post

Capital Bikeshare

How Montgomery County Will Implement its Ambitious Bicycle Master Plan

Montgomery County, Maryland planners were trying to raise the bar for bicycle infrastructure planning and design in North America.

December 5, 2018 - Greater Greater Washington

How Microgrids Are Changing the Energy Game

An interview with a leader in technologies pushing energy

November 18, 2018 - CleanTechnica

Montgomery County Bus Rapid Transit

Bus Rapid Transit Line Breaks Ground in Maryland

Maryland's new FLASH bus rapid transit line will cost $31 million, with $10 million in funding from a U.S. Department of Transportation TIGER grant. It's also the first bus rapid transit line in the state.

October 31, 2018 - Silver Spring Patch

Bethesda, Maryland

Where There Aren't Enough Schools for New Homes

Parts of Montgomery County, Maryland have declared a moratorium on new homes because schools are overcrowded.

September 12, 2018 - Greater Greater Washington

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.

Professor of Urban Planning

Harvard University Graduate School of Design

Transportation Planner I

KFH Group Inc.

Director, Strategy and Research

Greater Baltimore Committee

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.