Technology

Ambulance

How the U.S. Compares to Other Nations in Road Safety

It's not just death from gun violence where the U.S. is an outlier. The New York Times compiled traffic fatality data showing that other developed nations have greatly lower traffic death rates, which wasn't historically the case.

November 27, 2017 - The New York Times

Pittsburgh

The Young History of Open Data Leadership in Pittsburgh

The city of Pittsburgh's Open Data project recently released a progress report to commemorate its first two years in operation.

November 27, 2017 - Data-Smart City Solutions

Facebook Still Allowing Discriminatory Housing Ads

Last year, ProPublica revealed that Facebook's advertising features were allowing discriminatory housing advertisements in conflict with Fair Housing Act. After promising to improve, Facebook still fails the standards of federal law.

November 22, 2017 - ProPublica

Shenzhen, China

Foxconn Wanted an Autonomous Vehicle Lane to Locate in Wisconsin

News of the details of the negotiation between Taiwan-based Foxconn and the state of Wisconsin have revealed ideas about transportation planning that are either ambitious or delusional, depending on your opinion.

November 21, 2017 - Biz Times

Goods Movement

Tesla's 'Badass' Electric Semi Beats Diesel and Rail, Says Elon Musk

Tesla introduces a high-performance, totally electric, semi-autonomous truck that that can haul 80,000 of freight for 500 miles without recharging.

November 20, 2017 - Vox

Chicago, IL

New Tool Analyzes Chicago Zoning Maps

Six thousand different maps of Chicago can now be automatically dissected online.

November 16, 2017 - Chicago Cityscape

Bridj Van

On Demand Ride-Sharing Finds New Homes

Via Transportation Inc is picking up where Bridj left off—offering on demand ride sharing in cities in California and Texas.

November 15, 2017 - Smart Cities Dive

Glen Ellen, California

Could Autonomous Vehicles Save Lives in Disasters?

Autonomous vehicles could provide life-saving assistance in the event of a large-scale evacuation, if a shared fleet of autonomous vehicles is built with this purpose in mind.

November 15, 2017 - Michael R. Boswell

Grid Bike Share

On the Pitfalls of Dockless Bikeshare

App-driven bikeshare, without the station, has been spreading rapidly, especially in China. But the system comes with its share of problems, including its own version of the tragedy of the commons.

November 14, 2017 - The Guardian

Microsoft

Bill Gates Buys 25,000 Acres in Arizona for a Master Planned 'Smart City'

The new community of Belmont will join Arcosanti as another attempt at turning Arizona desert into the next evolution of human habitation. This time, one of the richest men in the world is behind the plans.

November 13, 2017 - KPNX

Uber App

U.K. to Uber: Drivers Are Employees

A court ruling in the United Kingdom topples a pillar of the so-called gig economy: Uber's approach to employment.

November 12, 2017 - The New York Times

Big Brother

66 percent of Surveyed Cities Investing in Smart Cities Technology

The "Cities and Innovation Economy: Perceptions of Local Leaders" report reveals the traction smart cities technology is gaining in municipal budgets.

November 12, 2017 - TechRepublic

Reimagining LA

P3 101: Comparing Infrastructure Procurement Models

Already a common means of delivering infrastructure in many countries, public-private partnerships are growing in importance in the United States, but how do they compare to other procurement models?

November 7, 2017 - Doggerel

Automated Vehicles

The Great Transportation Wormhole: Are We Ready for Autonomous Vehicles?

Transportation planners are on to something big and, for the most part, they are keeping it to themselves. The future is a relatively small fleet of shared, electric, self driving vehicles, and it's coming fast. Are we ready?

November 7, 2017 - Dave Biggs

Lafayette BART

Op-Ed: BART Should Embrace Driverless Trains

Daniel Borenstein points out the irony that while the Bay Area may be the world's top tech hub, BART has no real plans to consider driverless trains.

November 6, 2017 - The Mercury News

Tesla

Electric Vehicle Sales Would Take a Hit With GOP's Tax Cut

The House GOP tax plan, which Trump wanted to name the "Cut, Cut, Cut" bill, was intended to cut taxes, but it's also cutting credits, like the federal $7,500 electric vehicle tax credit. How much would its elimination affect EV sales?

November 6, 2017 - The Hill

Top Planning Websites

Top Planning Websites - 2017

The annual list of best websites by and for planners (and anyone else interested in planning).

November 6, 2017 - James Brasuell

Denver Light Rail

Denver-Area Transit Users Can Use Smartphones to Pay Their Fare

The Regional Transportation District hopes that the ability to pay transit fares by smartphone will remove the frustration of waiting in line and searching for correct change.

November 5, 2017 - The Denver Post

Smart City Expo World Congress to Focus on Citizen Empowerment and Mobility

The event will focus on the strategies to empower metropolises and their citizens through active participation, critical reflection, awareness and access. The new Smart Mobility World Congress will be a global mobility hub.

November 3, 2017 - Cities of the Future

Rome

A Land-Management Plan for Catholic Properties Around the World

One of the largest landowners in the world—historically known for creating maps of the Earth—the Church doesn't yet have a cohesive understanding of its global footprint.

November 1, 2017 - Curbed

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.