Technology

Uber Driver

Uber Looking More and More Like Transit: Is that Good or Bad for Transit?

A spate of media coverage responded to the news that Uber had released a new feature called "Smart Routes."

August 31, 2015 - TechCrunch

California Caps Income Eligibility for Electric Vehicle Rebates

Californians with incomes of $250,000 or more, or couples earning half a million dollars or more, have lost their eligibility to receive most state electric vehicle rebates as a result of a required vote by the California Air Resources Board.

August 31, 2015 - Los Angeles Times

World's Newest Form of Marine Renewable Energy Launched in Hawaii

It's called Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion, or OTEC, and the world's largest plant was dedicated in Hawaii on August 21. It produces renewable energy by using the temperature difference between the ocean's deep cold water and warm surface water.

August 31, 2015 - EcoWatch

Lincoln Limos

New York Car Service Companies Go Digital

Facing tough competition from Uber, New York City's neighborhood car service providers are using apps to retain clientele. The jury's still out on whether adaptation will help them stay in business.

August 31, 2015 - The New York Times

View of solar panels on roofs

Google Debuts Rooftop Solar Mapping Tool

Currently in its early stages, Project Sunroof tracks how much sun every roof receives. Then it estimates the costs and savings if rooftop solar were installed. Right now, the tool only covers the Bay Area, Fresno, and Boston.

August 31, 2015 - Vox

Global Call for Ideas Reveals Promising Resilience Solutions

Superstorm Sandy spurred the New York City Economic Development Corporation to form the RISE:NYC program, a global competition for innovative solutions to post-disaster resiliency. Arup's Sarah Wesseler spoke with them to learn more.

August 27, 2015 - Doggerel

Should Architects Be Citizen Scientists?

Can self-contained urban food systems exist in the core of our cities? Architect Darrick Borowski of New York based firm ARExA developed a model to determine just that.

August 21, 2015 - Doggerel

Roosevelt Island

Roosevelt Island's Pneumatic Garbage System

On New York City's Roosevelt Island, residents have long lived free from the roar of garbage trucks. Instead they use Avacs, an island-wide system of pneumatic tubes that moves trash to a central location for processing.

August 21, 2015 - The New York Times

Access to Jobs

A Central Hub for Open Data

Designed by researchers at the University of Chicago, the Plenario platform gathers all available open data for a specific area. Then it presents the data in an easy-to-use format.

August 18, 2015 - Government Technology

Google Mobility

Transportation Apps Designed to Ease the Commute

We all travel, so it's great when a handy new mobile app makes it easier to move around. Whether it is navigating the city, parking, or making our ride safer, there is likely a transportation app for that.

August 18, 2015 - Jennifer Evans-Cowley

Study: Access to Uber Reduces Drunk Driving Deaths

Researchers have found evidence of one fairly consequential benefit of transportation network companies like Uber.

August 14, 2015 - Streetsblog USA

Atlantic City Boardwalk

Atlantic City Could Become Empire of Innovation

Atlantic City, New Jersey, has been down on its luck lately. But, in the wake of Superstorm Sandy, AC could become the ideal laboratory for developing technologies and practices to help coastal cities build resiliency in the face of climate change.

August 14, 2015 - Fast Company

Designing for Rapid Change and a Cloudy Future

Designing large-scale projects that can take years to build in industries that are constantly evolving run the risk of becoming outdated once completed. Arup's Andrew McAlpine discusses how to design for the long-term while remaining innovative.

August 13, 2015 - Doggerel

'Digital Coast' Connects Planners and Data for Coastal Resilience

A new resource created by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in partnership with the APA makes it easier for planners to access the data necessary to plan for climate adaptation, sea level rise, and other forms of coastal resilience.

August 13, 2015 - APA Policy News

How Technology Will Improve Inspection and Maintenance of Streets

A researcher in Pittsburgh could render obsolete the arduous task of manually inspecting streets for cracks and potholes.

August 6, 2015 - Keystone Crossroads

Common Issues Facing Cities—Aggregated from 100 'State of the City' Speeches

Around the country, issues related to the field of planning dominate the public discussion of the "state of the city."

August 6, 2015 - Fast Co.Exist

Somerville, MA City Hall

Somerville Reaches for Carbon Neutrality by 2050

The city has launched a program of collaboration with the green tech industry.

August 6, 2015 - Governing

Working Toward Open Data for Building and Construction Permits

The potential of a standard, easily accessible data set tracking building and land use permits could completely change the way the public interacts with changes in their community.

August 5, 2015 - The Washington Post - Wonkblog

A Really, Really Big Fuel Cell Vehicle Possibly Coming to the Bay Area

This vehicle would be larger than a Hummer, a bus, and even an 18-wheeler. Then again, it would not travel on land. The proposal goes by an appropriate acronym: SF-BREEZE. Think fresh air over the bay.

August 3, 2015 - AASHTO Journal

New York Cycling

Bikes Have the Attention of the Ford Motor Company

The age-old conflict between cars and bikes finally has the attention of one of the giants. Ford's Info Cycle project mounts sensors on street bikes to map out how multi-modal city travelers move around.

July 27, 2015 - CityLab

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.

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.