United Kingdom

Crosswalk with pedestrians in front of four-story red brick buildings in New Haven, Connecticut

There is Nothing Illiberal About Walkability

Despite recent claims to the contrary, the concept of the 15-minute city promotes freedom of mobility and universal access to a city’s resources and amenities.

March 2, 2023 - The Washington Post

Asphalt road with yellow and black turn warning signs winding through green Welsh mountain landscape

Wales Cancels Major Road Building Projects

All road building and expansion projects are halted until they can pass strict new environmental requirements.

February 15, 2023 - BBC

Streets and buildings in historic Oxford, England.

Misinformation, Threats Follow Oxford’s ‘Traffic Filtering’ Plan

A plan to limit the number of automobiles in Oxford and Oxfordshire has provoked a very contemporary form of resistance—online misinformation and threats.

December 28, 2022 - Cities Today

Children's playground in a London park with a green lawn

Playgrounds as an Essential Amenity

A London organization is working to bring ‘adventure playgrounds’ to park-poor neighborhoods, arguing that outdoor play is a key factor in child development.

August 1, 2022 - Next City

A sign for the Elizabeth Line, a subway route in London, at the Liverpool Street Station

$22 Billion Elizabeth Line Finally Opens in London, With the Queen in Attendance

May 17, 2022 was a big day for transit in London.

May 18, 2022 - The New York Times

Moscow, Russia

Banning Russian Oil, Part II

Part I occurred when President Biden banned the importation of all Russian fossil fuels on March 8. A month later, Congress passed legislation to codify the embargo. Getting the European Union onboard is proving cumbersome.

May 12, 2022 - Politico

Gas Pumps

Waging War on High Gas Prices

America is not at war, but that didn't stop President Joe Biden from calling the largest release of oil from the nation's Strategic Petroleum Reserve that he authorized on March 31 to lower oil prices, a 'wartime bridge.'

April 6, 2022 - Washington Examiner

London

The Return of Cities

Major cities like London continue their rebound from the pandemic, with some tweaks.

April 5, 2022 - The Spectator

Robert Moses at the ribbon-cutting for the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge

Robert Moses Takes to the Stage in 'Straight Line Crazy,' Starring Ralph Fiennes

The popular fascination with Robert Moses, "master builder of New York" and one of the most prominent figures in planning history, continues.

March 31, 2022 - Playbill

Burj Khalifa

We Now Can Build Really Tall Skyscrapers. But Why?

The new book Super Tall, by architect and writer Stefan Al, explains how the new generation of skyscrapers are built and how they fit into their respective urban fabrics.

March 18, 2022 - CommonEdge Collaborative

pallets of green oil barrels stacked

Banning Russian Oil

President Biden announced a ban on the importation of Russian energy on Tuesday in response to Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine. He warned that gasoline prices will go even higher as a result. Europe will not be joining the ban.

March 10, 2022 - The New York Times

Public Health

The Pandemic Is Not Ending—But Restrictions Are

The science hasn't changed but the politics have, and policymakers are responding appropriately. Transmission of the coronavirus during the Omicron wave remains at an all-time high, although infections are decreasing globally.

February 20, 2022 - Bloomberg Prognosis

An image of a sign asking people to wear masks during the Covid-19 pandemic.

COVID Deaths: U.S. in a League of its Own

An analysis by The New York Times compares current and cumulative COVID deaths in the U.S. to other large, wealthy countries. Data analyzed include vaccination, age and obesity levels, and public trust, all factors that influence outcomes.

February 9, 2022 - The New York Times

A suburban street in England, shown directly from above, with lush, green yards and driveways with cars parked in front.

Recent Greenfield Developments Build Car Dependency in England, Report Says

The promises of politicians and developers to build more sustainably in the U.K. are going unfulfilled, according to a recent report.

February 9, 2022 - Transport for New Homes

COVID-19 and Public Health

The Pandemic Era

"We are living in the Covid-19 era, not the Covid-19 crisis," Allan Brandt, a historian of science and medicine at Harvard University, told Gina Kolata of the New York Times last October in a review of past pandemics and what we can learn from them.

February 3, 2022 - The New York Times

London Bikes

Bike Lanes Don't Cause Congestion

Research from Europe shows bike infrastructure doesn't add to urban traffic and can shift mode share from cars to bikes and reduce the need for solo car trips.

January 2, 2022 - Streetsblog USA

A statue of the Little Mermaid, overlooking the waterfront of Copenhagen, Denmark, is adorned with a mask during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Coronavirus Geography: Denmark Could Be an Omicron Harbinger

Denmark is one of three countries that experts suggest watching to determine how the Omicron wave will affect the U.S. and other well-vaccinated nations. Cases are surging notwithstanding having 78% of its population fully vaccinated.

December 27, 2021 - The Washington Post

A vial of blood marked "Omicron" sits on top of paperwork indicating relevance to Covid-19.

'A Tidal Wave of Omicron Coming'

U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson sounded an alarm on the public health threat posed by the Omicron variant. On Monday, he announced that a British resident had become the first person in the world whose death is tied to the new variant.

December 16, 2021 - Daily Mail

London Bikes

How Boosting Biking Could Improve London's Economy

A new study outlines the potential economic, environmental, and public health benefits of increasing cycling mode share in London, which has pledged to achieve net-zero emissions by 2030.

December 7, 2021 - Forbes

A restaurant in Singapore places tape on seats to maintain distance between diners during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.

Pandemic Geography: What's Going on in Singapore?

With 82% of its population fully vaccinated, mostly with mRNA vaccines, COVID case incidence on Nov. 1 is the same as Wyoming, where 44% of the population is fully vaccinated. Hospitals are feeling the strain, and deaths are at their highest level.

November 2, 2021 - Reuters

Planner II

City of Greenville

Planner I

City of Greenville

Rural Projects Coordinator (RARE AmeriCorps Member)

Resource Assistance for Rural Environments (RARE) AmeriCorps Program

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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.