Alabama

Birmingham, Alabama

Microtransit to Fill Transit System Gaps in Birmingham

With very little of its residential population or employment centers accessible by public transit, Birmingham is looking to microtransit to potentially reduce single-occupancy vehicles use in the city.

November 15, 2018 - Smart Cities Dive

Equal Justice Initiative

Unequivocal Praise for the National Memorial for Peace and Justice

The Legacy Museum and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, opened in April, are worthy memorials to one of the nation's greatest tragedies, according to this review.

September 4, 2018 - The Dallas Morning News

Rural Studio’s 20K Homes and the Complexities of Affordable Housing

A research program at Auburn University in Alabama seeks to go national, but experience from the program’s evolution means a cautious move forward.

August 28, 2018 - Dwell

Concord, California

Plans for Immigrant 'Detention Centers' Revealed at Military Sites Around the U.S.

Plans for temporary facilities designed to house between 25,000 to 45,000 people have been revealed by Time Magazine. Sites in Alabama, Arizona, California,

June 25, 2018 - Time

Volunteers

When Coastal States Kill Building Codes, FEMA Pays

Despite the increasing number and intensity of natural disasters, some vulnerable states are relaxing building regulations and leaving the federal government to pick up the tab when tragedy strikes again.

April 5, 2018 - Bloomberg

tennessee

What is Appalachia, Really?

If you want to understand rural America, critics say, look beyond Hillbilly Elegy.

December 16, 2017 - Chitucky

Eichler

Third Rail of the Housing Debate: More Density in Single-Family Neighborhoods

If California is going to address its chronic housing shortage, single-family residential neighborhoods can no longer be ruled "off limits." Opposition to a small Berkeley subdivision spawned new housing legislation and fostered the YIMBY movement.

December 5, 2017 - The New York Times

Pumping Station 2

Hurricane Nate to Test New Orlean's Drainage System

Nate will make landfall southeast of New Orleans on Saturday night as possibly a category 2 hurricane after leaving at least 22 dead in Central America. It's not so much the levees but the pumps and generators that have city officials worried.

October 8, 2017 - The New York Times

Drinking Water

The Sorry State of U.S. Water Infrastructure

Water bills are going up because pipes put in shortly after World War II are in need of repair and replacement all over the country, and federal funding for water is shrinking.

May 17, 2017 - Vox

More Towns Mimicking New Orleans and Allowing Public Drinking

It used to be that only New Orleans and Las Vegas allowed people to carry a drink outdoors and imbibe in public. Now cities all over the country, mostly in traditionally conservative states, are loosening their laws.

November 9, 2016 - Stateline

Fatal Explosion in Gasoline Pipeline that Suffered Major Spill in September

A strategic interstate gasoline pipeline exploded in Alabama on Oct. 31, not far from the September spill site after an accidental strike by a track hoe, killing one and injuring five workers. Higher gas prices and long lines are anticipated.

November 3, 2016 - Reuters

Gasoline Shortage Hits South and East Coast after Pipeline Rupture

The rupture reveals the hazards of pipelines, but also shows how important they are to the economy. Six governors declared states of emergency to deal with gasoline shortages resulting from the pipeline shutdown in Shelby County, Alabama.

September 20, 2016 - The Huntsville Times

Rainy Biker

How Contributory Negligence Punishes Cyclists

In Washington D.C., Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, and Alabama, the legal policy known as contributory negligence blocks cyclists from claiming damages if they're involved in a crash.

July 8, 2016 - CityLab

Clear-Sky Flood

Welcome to a Changed Climate: It Even Floods When it's Sunny

A new report by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration documents the increasing frequency of nuisance floods and "clear-sky flooding."

June 11, 2016 - USA Today

Birmingham, Alabama

Exploring Birmingham's Uneven Revitalization

WBHM is producing a series of articles on the revitalization of Birmingham, Alabama.

June 1, 2016 - WBHM

Ten States Could Hike Gas Taxes this Year

With gas prices the lowest since 2009, ten state legislatures and governors consider raising state gas taxes, though many are accompanied by fiscally questionable tax shifts. Some tried and failed last year. All of the proposed increases are modest.

February 24, 2016 - Tax Justice Blog

Highway Widening Plan Meets Resistance in Birmingham

A petition and a lawsuit are so far the tactics used by local advocates to oppose a plan by the Alabama Department of Transportation to widen an interstate that runs through the heart of Birmingham.

February 3, 2016 - Over the Mountain Journal

University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa

Bandwagon Residents: Does a Winning Football Team Fuel Urban Growth?

Some residents of Tuscaloosa, Alabama believe the University of Alabama football team's success on the field has directly contributed to the region's growth.

January 12, 2016 - Forbes

Using Instagram to Create a Blight Inventory

The Innovation Team in Mobile shows that sometimes innovation can be delivered through commonplace technology.

December 6, 2015 - Governing

FEMA Trailer

The Katrina Cottage Legacy

The New Urbanist Katrina Cottages initiative for the Gulf Coast appeared to be a failure but their legacy lives on in the SmartDwellings and in the Tiny House movement.

September 20, 2015 - Original Green

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.

Senior Planner

City of Thousand Oaks

Community Development Director

City of Wisconsin Rapids

Professor of Urban Planning

Harvard University Graduate School of Design

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.