Technology
How Self-Driving Cars Are Integrating—or Not—Into the Urban Fabric
As they become more common on some U.S. streets, autonomous vehicles are impeding emergency response operations and blocking traffic, idling in neighborhoods, and defying law enforcement.
Recommended Mobile Apps for Urban Planning in 2023
Planetizen's annual list of top apps for planners is back, ten years after its first appearance on the site. Scores of apps have been recommended by planners as examples of planning in action, or tools for planning action.
The Growing Importance of Location Intelligence
Location intelligence is transforming decision-making, with an increasing number and type of organizations modernizing operations with a geographic approach to problem-solving, planning, and prediction.
LEGO Building Carbon-Neutral Factory in Virginia
The Denmark-based toy company just broke ground on a new carbon-neutral run factory in Chesterfield County near Richmond, Virginia.
Transit Agencies Could Lose Access to Twitter Updates
Twitter announced it would start charging for access to its API, which many transit and government agencies rely on to provide real-time service updates.
Can Federal Emissions Standards Hasten the Transition to EVs?
The EPA unveiled two far-reaching rules to tighten emission standards for light, medium and heavy duty vehicles that can only be met by transitioning to zero-emission vehicles. The proposal is certain to be challenged in court as an agency overreach.
Tracking Mobility in New York City
A new program uses sensors to detect how people move and using which modes, but road safety advocates argue the city already knows how to make streets safer for vulnerable users.
Driverless Cars Blocking Buses, Traffic in San Francisco
Footage from buses and trains show self-driving cars from Waymo and Cruise frequently make unscheduled stops, blocking transit vehicles and causing traffic snarls.
D.C. Bus Cameras Will Ticket Drivers Blocking Bus Lanes, Bus Stops
The program will mark the first use of automated enforcement to ticket vehicles blocking access to bus stops.
When ‘Zero Emission Vehicles’ Aren’t
The growing popularity of large, heavy SUVS—and the energy needed to produce and operate them—could limit the environmental gains made by electric vehicles.
Study: Autonomous Cars Won’t Solve the Parking Problem
In hyper-dense cities where incentives to reduce car use and eliminate parking are already high, mass adoption of AVs won’t significantly reduce parking demand.
Federal SMART Grants Awarded for Transportation Safety, Equity Projects
The grant program focuses on the use of technology to improve safety, accessibility, and efficiency in transportation.
Buttigieg: Tesla ‘Autopilot’ Marketing ‘A Concern’
The USDOT secretary says marketing doesn’t fall under his department’s investigative authority, but expressed disapproval of language that implies autonomous operation.
Friday Eye Candy: 20 AI-Generated Cityscapes
AI-generated images are creating new landscapes and cityscapes, capable of inspiring awe or fear.
Survey: Help Identify the Best Planning Apps of 2023
Planetizen needs your help updating the definitive list of mobile apps for professional, student, academic, or citizen planners.
North Carolina Drafts Clean Transportation Plan
Similar to other plans focused on reducing emissions from the transportation plan, North Carolina’s draft Clean Transportation Plan will rely on electric vehicles to reduce emissions from the state’s transportation sector.
Majority of American Drivers ‘Afraid’ of ‘Self-Driving’ Cars
Responses to a AAA survey indicate a rising fear of automated vehicles in the wake of high-profile crashes and federal investigations.
A Chatbot Talks Regeneration and Recovery for Seattle
In his recent analysis of trends to watch for 2023, Managing Editor James Brasuell noted how ChatGPT might replace all the writers of Planetizen, and more. Chuck Wolfe decided to take literally Brasuell's “don't let it sneak up on you” admonition.
Resilience Matters: Collective Action For Healthier Communities
The Island Press Urban Resilience Project (URP) has published a new, free "Resilience Matters" e-book that contains fascinating articles, op-eds, and interviews that provide practical guidance for collective action to build a fairer, greener future.
How Much Will That Infrastructure Really Cost?
A new tool developed in British Columbia calculates the cost of infrastructure over the entire life cycle of the project.
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.
Eagle County Government
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Nashville Planning Department
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
Journal of the American Planning Association
