Public Health

New York Outdoor Dining, Open Streets Programs Now Permanent
New York City will now be measurably less car-centric for the indefinite future.

Pandemic Reveals the Importance of Open Space to Health and Well-Being
Hong Kong provides a lesson in the importance of open space for the health and well-being of residents, especially during the isolation and distancing of a pandemic.

Hot Asphalt May Increase Air Pollution in Urban Areas
Research shows that road asphalt exposed to heat and sunlight may eventually become a significant emissions source.

What Will Disneyland Be Like When it Reopens?
According to a study, Disneyland could comfortably accommodate 50% of the 110-acre theme park’s pre-COVID-19 attendance capacity.

Pandemic Persists With Tragic Consequences for Transit Workers
Labor unions are raising alarms about the difficulties of keeping transit workers—the essential workers upon which so many essential workers rely—safe during the pandemic.

How Electric Bikes Help in Battling COVID-19
For the last six months, the world has been on a stand-still. As government-imposed lockdowns spread across the country in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, people have been looking left and right for alternatives to cope with the “new normal.”

Has the Lack of Access to Parks Driven Up COVID-19 Infection Rates in Black and Latino Communities?
Experts indicate that it is too soon to conclude that the lack of access to parks has contributed to higher coronavirus infection rates in Black and Latino communities, but say there is likely a relationship between the two.

The Media Can't Stop Talking About the End of Cities
The latest installment of Planetizen's ongoing effort to track the stories about the future of planning in a world forever changed by COVID-19 notices a recurring theme.

MTA Spending Millions on Cleaning, but Disagreement Over the Need
Deep cleaning of the New York City subway and bus system is part of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s coronavirus response. But it is costly and time consuming, and the public health benefits are not entirely clear.

Five Actions to Combat COVID-19 in Hawaii
A data-driven approach is needed to figure out how the disease has spread in the islands and what can be done to contain it.

Advocates: It's Time to Get Back on Transit
The story about the safety of public transit has changed since the early days of the pandemic.

Imagine Honolulu Without its Beaches
Beaches and parks on Oahu are closed to the public once again as the city attempts to control the spread of COVID-19.

Limiting Sidewalk Gatherings to Limit the Spread of Coronavirus
Pedestrians in Arlington County, Virginia can be fined for gathering on sidewalks in groups larger than three.

A 10-Minute Walk to a Park for Your Health and Well-Being
The “10-Minute Walk Campaign” is a nationwide movement to ensure that everyone has safe access to a quality park or green space within a 10-minute walk. In the midst of a pandemic, it is especially important now to have a park close to home.

Staying Healthy During the Pandemic
Local parks and green spaces that enable safe social distancing have never been more important to people living in cities. The Trust for Public Land has released a new report showing their importance and the challenges they are facing.

Friday Funny: Al Fresco on the Freeway
Fake news site The Onion imagines the logical result of car-centric planning during a pandemic.

Adaptive Reuse Proposal Responds to COVID-19
Designers have gone back to the drawing board to keep proposals moving through the development pipeline in light of lessons from the pandemic.

The Great Debate: Will the Pandemic Alter the Course of Urbanism?
The geography for the coronavirus has changed, but most of the debate about the future of cities continues along many of the same lines as in the early months of the pandemic.

Pandemic Containment Funding in Jeopardy
When President Trump asserted, "We do too much (coronavirus) testing," he wasn't kidding. He wants to strip $25 billion in funding for testing and tracing needed by states where COVID-19 cases are surging and testing is not meeting demand.

Georgia Feud Over Mask Mandates May Not Be What it Seems
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) has sued Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms (D) and the Atlanta City Council over the city's mask mandate, which is stricter than mask provisions defined in the governor's July 15 executive order.
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City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
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Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
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Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada