Technology

A Brave New World: How Apps Are Changing Planning

Mobile applications (apps) are gaining in popularity as tools for increasing participation in local governance and planning, and are opening up new possibilities for planners to tap into the wisdom of the crowd.

September 4, 2012 - Jennifer Evans-Cowley

the New Mexico State capital building, made of orange clay

‘Hoodwinked:’ New Mexico bill aimed at microgrids paves way for data center development

In an interview with High Country News, Padilla said the legislation “ignited” New Mexico's economy.

November 2, 2026 - High Country News

ChatGPT chat bot screen seen on smartphone and laptop display with Chat GPT login screen on the background.

When AI goes rogue: what planners need to know

This summer, four major AI labs disclosed that their agents had slipped out of test environments. For planners, the lessons are about access, oversight and the one sandbox we can’t afford to lose: public trust.

October 22, 2026 - Tom Sanchez

An aerial view of Dayton with a river and many trees visible

This Ohio town is using AI to speed up transit analysis

The Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority’s new AI tool correctly determined riders’ preferred ways to reach key commuter routes.

October 19, 2026 - Cities Today

Sheep in a field stand next to solar panels.

Trump guts ‘win-win’ solar energy program for rural farmers

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s changes have made virtually all solar power ineligible for funding through the Rural Energy for America Program.

October 18, 2026 - Grist

People walk in front of an MIT building with marble pillars. There are trees in the foreground.

MIT to create AI-powered hub for public transportation companies

Google awarded the project, titled the Public Transit Intelligence Hub, $2.1 million in funding.

October 5, 2026 - Mass Transit

A metal pipe deposits a line of concrete on top of dozens of other lines, creating a wall.

A 3D concrete printer may solve Virginia’s housing crisis

The printer is able to build concrete walls much faster than humans, and can do so directly at job sites.

October 5, 2026 - CBS 6 Richmond

The Seaglider, a plane-shaped vehicle with four wings that curve sharply towards the sea after a few feet.

Nation sees first electric plane-boat hybrid take off in public demo

The Viceroy Seaglider can fly at speeds of 180mph for up to 180 miles.

October 4, 2026 - Smart Cities Dive

High rises being constructed in Honolulu

Is AI really the Panacea to our permitting woes?

Let’s have a look at what’s happening on the ground.

September 24, 2026 - Tom Sanchez

Eight-year old Max Kakhidze speaks at a press conference with Zohran Mandami in the background.

NYC residents are using TikTok to alert Mandami of city infrastructure problems — and it’s working

The format went viral after a NYC resident posted a video of two potholes and found them paved within hours.

September 1, 2026 - Gothamist

A digital checklist

Does every planner need an AI policy?

From a hundred-person agency to a one-person consultancy, the answer is yes. The difference is what “policy" means.

August 27, 2026 - Tom Sanchez

Woman in white shirt charging white electric sedan in front of house.

Swapping your gas car for an EV is greener than keeping it, research shows

An EV repays the 'carbon debt' caused by building it after 4,400 miles.

August 13, 2026 - Grist

White city bus with red and blue stripes in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania lawmaker wants to ban fully self-driving buses

State Rep. Ben Waxman's proposed bill would require autonomous buses to have a licensed driver on board.

August 12, 2026 - BillyPenn

Three air traffic controllers sitting at their desks in a control tower at night.

USDOT is hiring thousands of gamers for air traffic control jobs

Sec. Duffy says the FAA has reached 94% of its staffing goal for air traffic controllers.

August 12, 2026 - Fast Company

Close-up over shoulder of child looking at Minecraft video game splash page on iPad.

Children in 55 countries are redesigning their cities in Minecraft

A U.N.-backed program lets students and community members reimagine sites in their neighborhoods in the game — and translate them into real-life buildings.

August 11, 2026 - The New York Times

White traffic enforcement camera on roadside in Toronto, Canada.

Speeding surges after Ontario cities remove traffic cameras

The province ordered cities to remove the devices despite data that shows they save lives.

August 7, 2026 - Bloomberg CityLab

Republican candidate for Governor of New York Lee Zeldin speaks at campaign stop at American Legion Post in Thornwood on October 31, 2022.

Court unfreezes $20B in federal climate grants

A U.S. Court of Appeals ruled that the Trump administration potentially violated the Inflation Reduction Act by attempting to claw back grants awarded under the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund program.

August 6, 2026 - Smart Cities Dive

A white air taxi shaped like a helicopter on display in Dubai.

Florida wants to shift its entire EV charger budget to air taxi 'vertiports'

FDOT argues the private sector is already building out the state's fast-charging infrastructure, so the state could redirect those funds elsewhere.

August 5, 2026 - The Next Web

Zoox purpose-built robotaxi vehicles in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Amazon's steering wheel- and brake pedal-less Zoox robotaxis receive nation's first go-ahead for paid public rides

The NHTSA is giving a temporary permit to some autonomous cars that don't meet current safety standards as it develops a new framework for self-driving vehicles.

August 1, 2026 - Smart Cities Dive

Black Flock camera mounted on post next to suburban roadway in Michigan.

Commentary: Legitimate privacy fears undermine legitimate, life-saving speed camera programs

Automated traffic enforcement works — but excessive surveillance threatens to derail this key safety initiative.

August 1, 2026 - Streetsblog USA

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.

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.