Technology

portrait of woman walking on the city street covering her ears

California Bill Proposes Automated Noise Pollution Enforcement

If signed by Governor Gavin Newsom, a new bill would use automated sensors and cameras to enforce decibel limits on cars and motorcycles.

May 12, 2022 - AutoWeek

Economic Impacts of Climate Change

RAISE Proposals Are in; What Will it Mean for Climate Change?

The deadline for the first discretionary program to accept applications since the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act was signed into law was April 14, marking the day as one of the most consequential in America’s response to climate change.

May 5, 2022 - Robert Fischer

Lime Scooter

San Diego To Consider Tightening Regulations on E-Scooters

Proposed regulations would limit the popular micromobility devices to two operators, impose new fees, and require more accountability for safe scooter use and parking.

May 4, 2022 - NBC San Diego

Gaslamp Quarter

Day Two of the National Planning Conference: Staying on the Cutting Edge

The American Planning Association gathers for its first in-person National Planning Conference since 2019. Planetizen is in attendance. Here is some of what we saw on the second day of the conference.

May 2, 2022 - James Brasuell

A row of Electric Scooter for sharing from Lime in Seattle with the Amazon Spheres in the background.

One Year of E-Scooters in Seattle

The city’s shared e-scooter program has proved popular, seeing more than eight times as many rides as its bike share system.

April 25, 2022 - The Seattle Times

Rendering of A.I. road monitoring camera

How A.I. Can Promote Vision Zero

Forget self-driving cars—some low-cost artificial intelligence tools can improve traffic safety now.

April 21, 2022 - The New York Times

Congestion versus mobility

How Planning Fails to Solve Congestion

Solutions for congestion are never as simple and easy as armchair planners and engineers would like you to believe—especially those who suggest that congestion can be solved by forever building more roadway capacity.

April 20, 2022 - James Brasuell

MARTA bus with Atlanta skyline in background

On-Demand Transit Grows in Georgia

From small rural towns to metro Atlanta, Georgia communities are experimenting with on-demand transit to improve connections to existing transit and offer transportation to isolated communities.

April 20, 2022 - Saporta Report

Rendering of autonomous vehicle with woman reading at the wheel

States Have the Power To Regulate Autonomous Vehicles—But Most Don’t

States tend to default to national standards for regulating AVs, but federal officials have been slow to implement rules directed specifically at autonomous vehicles.

April 20, 2022 - Greater Greater Washington

"Municipal speed camera in use" sign

Don't Wokewash the Status Quo

There might be good reasons to oppose speed cameras and red light cameras—but racial justice is not one of them.

April 19, 2022 - Michael Lewyn

Electric car being charged at a station

California Issues Electrification Plan

To comply with the federal goal of eliminating new gas-powered vehicle sales by 2035, California plans to increase zero-emissions vehicle sales to 35 percent by 2026.

April 18, 2022 - The New York Times

Congestion

Planning and the Complicated Causes and Effects of Congestion

What do planners know about congestion, and what can they do about it? Explanations and solutions are less obvious than they seem (part one of a three-part series).

April 13, 2022 - James Brasuell

Floating offshore wind turbines

Proposed Offshore Wind Project Could Be the West Coast’s Largest

If approved, the plan to build a 2,000-megawatt facility off the coast of Washington State would be a milestone for floating offshore wind production in the United States.

April 12, 2022 - Energy Wire

Rural bus stop

How Rural Transit Systems Are Doing More With Less

With limited resources and dispersed service areas, rural transit systems are turning to technology to provide on-demand service and improve transit options for residents.

April 8, 2022 - Smart Cities Dive

Broadband cable spool in rural area

Making Broadband Investments Count

As connectivity becomes increasingly important to everyday life, policymakers at all levels can take action to streamline broadband infrastructure projects and improve internet access for all communities.

April 7, 2022 - Fortune

Image of transit oriented development around Union Station in Denver.

Tech Jobs Could Be Dispersing Away From 'Superstar' Cities

The rise of remote work and a need for new talent may be pushing tech companies away from their traditional hubs, but 'superstar' cities continue to lead the way.

April 5, 2022 - Brookings

Downtown Kansas City Missouri

Kansas City: 'Silicon Prairie?'

The city's growth and the arrival of tech giants like Meta could signal a tech-based renaissance.

March 30, 2022 - Market Watch

Washington State Electric Car Infrastructure

New 'Human-Centered' EV Charging Stations Aim To Improve User Experience

Volkswagen-owned Electrify America plans to make its new charging stations more user-friendly with solar panel awnings and waiting lounges.

March 28, 2022 - The Verge

Everett, WA - houses

'Proptech' Companies Target Single-Family Rental Market

Startups aimed at streamlining the house-flipping process are seeking out rental property owners as the popularity of single-family rentals continues to grow.

March 21, 2022 - Bloomberg CityLab

Downtown Cincinnati, Ohio

Cincinnati To Electrify Municipal Fleet by 2035

The city of Cincinnati will beef up its efforts to shift to renewable energy starting next week with electric police cars, fire trucks, and other city vehicles.

March 18, 2022 - Cincinnati.com

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.