Design Standards

Protected Bike Lane

Nation's Top Safety Board Recommends Protected Bike Lanes

The NTSB chair issued a stark warning on Nov. 5: "If we do not improve roadway infrastructure for bicyclists, bicyclists will die who otherwise would not," stated Robert Sumwalt in introducing their first report in 47 years devoted to bike safety.

November 19, 2019 - National Transportation Safety Board

San Francisco Parklet

Role of S.F. Parklets as Public Space Not Always Clear

Parklets in San Francisco are available for public use, but often they serve as extensions of the dining rooms of eateries.

February 25, 2019 - San Francisco Chronicle

Rental Construction

Explained: The Common Look of the Contemporary Mid-Rise Apartment Building

Last week's urbanism social media landscape was dominated by discussion of an article that digs into the historical and technical origins of the contemporary mid-rise apartment building type.

February 19, 2019 - Bloomberg BusinessWeek

Atlanta Aerial

Atlanta’s Planning Commissioner Won’t Tolerate Bad Design Any Longer

Tim Keane says quality design isn’t negotiable and developers need to aim higher.

December 23, 2018 - SaportaReport

Missoula

New 'Design Excellence Overlay' Aims to Inspire New Development in Missoula

The city of Missoula professes a strategy of "focusing inward" when it comes to growth and development. A new 'Design Excellence Overlay' will help achieve more goals toward that strategy in the city's downtown.

October 18, 2018 - Missoula Current

Los Angeles Planning

L.A. Tenants Link Planned 'Design District' to Displacement

Community leaders say a design district in Westlake could pave the way for the erasure of L.A's Historic Filipinotown.

February 7, 2018 - Curbed LA

Urban Design Principles for LA

In 2006, the Los Angeles Planning Dept. launched an urban design studio to turn Los Angeles into a more pedestrian-friendly city. The studio has gone on to create a set of walkability guidelines, and has more ambitious goals ahead.

February 21, 2009 - The Architect's Newspaper

News from HUD User

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Call for Speakers

Mpact Transit + Community

New Updates on PD&R Edge

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Websites

The best of the Internet—since 2002.

Top Apps

Planning apps for a brave new world.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

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.