Studies

Phoenix Light Rail

Arizona Residents Ditching Cars, Taking Transit

A new report finds that residents of Arizona are driving less—much, much less. Arizonans drive less that they did in the 1990s, in fact. Despite these trends, the state government has not adjusted its traffic forecasting models.

July 25, 2014 - Streetsblog USA

Study Links Affordable Housing and Intellectual Ability in Children

Jonathan Walters shares news of a new study out of Johns Hopkins University finding a connection between affordable housing and the intellectual ability of children. Spend more, or less, than 30 percent on housing, and intellectual ability suffers.

July 17, 2014 - Governing

Walkable DC

Report Ranks Walkable Urbanism in America's Largest Metropolitan Areas

A new report authored by Chris Leinberger and Patrick Lynch, called "Foot Traffic Ahead," ranks walkable urban places (or "WalkUPs") around the country.

June 18, 2014 - Smart Growth America

Tracking the Rate of Sprawl for U.S. Cities between 2000 and 2010

Many studies have measured and compared the sprawl of U.S. metropolitan areas. A recent study tracks the rate at which the same cities grew either less compact or more compact for the decade between 2000 and 2010.

June 7, 2014 - CityLab

Walking

Study: Walking Increases Creativity

It's common knowledge that taking a walk can help get the creative juices flowing—but a new study by researchers at Santa Clara University claims to have proven it.

April 28, 2014 - Los Angeles Times

Cars Are Key to Reducing Poverty

Many advocates for new ways of thinking about places and streets argue for reduced use of cars as the dominant mode of transportation. A new study finds, however that poverty is improved when the poor have access to a car for transportation.

April 3, 2014 - The Washington Post - Wonkblog

Florida Sprawl

Study: Sprawl is Bad for Public Health

Smart Growth America has released the "Measuring Sprawl 2014" report, which updates the 2002 report "Measuring Sprawl and Its Impact."

April 2, 2014 - Smart Growth America

New Study Tests Assumptions About Housing Vouchers and Crime

A new paper published in the Urban Studies journal finds a weak, negative relationship between vouchers and violent crime rates. There is no observable relationship between vouchers and violent crime rates in suburban areas.

March 31, 2014 - Urban Studies

"Sloppy Nature" of Parking Study Could Hinder Reform

The New York City Department of City Planning wants to place maximums in the Manhattan core, but there's just one problem: its own two-year-old parking study. Noah Kazis reports on the faulty arguments against reform.

October 27, 2011 - Streetsblog New York City

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.