District of Columbia

Inauguration Puts D.C. in Crowd Control Mode

The city of Washington D.C. is trying to get ready for the Presidential Inauguration -- likely to be the largest gathering of people in U.S. history.

January 6, 2009 - Governing

Neighborhood Rises Again Through Rail

This piece from The Washington Post looks at a formerly thriving streetcar neighborhood that has become a thriving Metro neighborhood -- despite decades of decline in between.

January 6, 2009 - The Washington Post

How Will D.C. Cope with 4 Million Obama Fans?

Planners in Washington D.C. are bracing for the arrival of millions of visitors for President Obama's inauguration -- which they expect will overwhelm the parking supply and the public transit system.

December 16, 2008 - Salon.com

Rapid Buses To Serve Suburbs?

A local leader in the suburban Maryland/Washington DC area proposes aggressive use of "rapid buses" in dedicated lanes to accommodate growth, like other jurisdictions in the U.S.

December 14, 2008 - Washington Post

Feds To Allow Rail Between D.C. and Airport

Federal officials have reversed their earlier decision and are now pushing for the extension of Washington D.C.-area metro rail to Dulles International Airport -- a plan that's been in the works for nearly 40 years.

December 6, 2008 - The Washington Post

D.C., Beyond the Iconic

Beyond the columns and the Capitol, Washington D.C. contains a wide variety of architectural gems and underappreciated neighborhoods, according to this Q&A about the city from Dwell.

November 22, 2008 - Dwell

Washington D.C.'s Metro Given More Time to Pay Up

A major financier of Washington D.C.'s Metro system has agreed to give the transit system an extra 10 days to collect more than $40 million from the troubled system, complying with a judge's ruling that forcing Metro to pay could cause great harm.

November 2, 2008 - The Washington Post

Credit Crisis May Force Metro to Pay Millions

Metro and 30 other transit agencies across the country may have to pay billions of dollars to large banks as years-old financing deals unravel, potentially hurting service for millions of bus and train riders, transit officials said yesterday.

October 28, 2008 - Washington Post

D.C. Ponders Density

Washington, D.C. is almost out of space, and planners are now considering building upward to combat sprawl.

October 16, 2008 - The Seattle Times

Urbanists Calling For Reduced Parking in D.C.

Minimum parking requirements are coming under increasing fire in Washington D.C. This column argues that reducing parking will make the city a better and smarter place.

October 4, 2008 - The Washington Post

Cities Reconsider Mandatory Parking

Cities around the country are beginning to think twice about having off-street parking requirements for every new development. Those who oppose these "parking minimums" say that it creates too much parking and stifles the growth of cities.

September 24, 2008 - MSNBC

The Downside of Bike-Sharing Programs

Greg Beato enumerates how American bike-sharing programs fall short of their Parisian counterparts. Until the program evolves some more, the autonomy afforded by the private car or bicycle will continue to prevail.

September 9, 2008 - Reason Online

Bikers vs. Environmentalists

Planners in Montgomery County, MD are nixing a proposed bike path because of its nearness to 'ecologically sensitive parkland'. Bicycle proponents think this argument doesn't hold water. Says one,'they're already running a big highway through there.'

August 21, 2008 - The Washington Post

D.C. Shares Bikes

Washington D.C.'s bike sharing system has debuted, with 120 bikes at 10 stations.

August 16, 2008 - The Washington Post

Troubles for D.C.'s Building Repair Program

A Washington D.C. project to clean up and repair dilapidated buildings in the city is coming under scrutiny for shoddy work and millions of dollars in public money that are virtually unaccounted for.

August 15, 2008 - The Washington Post

High Gas Prices Breathe New Life into DC's TOD

The cost of commuting is beginning to trump federal policies favoring exurban development, and transit ridership is at a fifty year high.

August 12, 2008 - The Washington Post

Church Sues to Demolish Historic Church Building

The Third Church of Christ, Scientist in Washington, D.C., has filed suit against the city to remove the landmark designation on their building, which limits what can be done to alter the site -- or demolish it completely, which is the church's hope.

August 9, 2008 - Washington Business Journal

Commute Costs Changes Growth Patterns in D.C.

Suburban growth in the DC area has been fueled by low gas prices and abundant freeways. Expensive gas has changed this growth paradigm as commuters shift to public transit and seek close-in homes. Will government respond to the change in the market?

August 7, 2008 - The Washington Post

Some Say National Mall Needs Renovation

Washington D.C.'s National Mall is crumbling. Many say now's the time to start thinking about a new future for one of America's most prized public spaces.

July 22, 2008 - Newsweek

Parking Key to Tysons Corner Redevelopment

In the Washington D.C.-suburb of Tysons Corner, plans for a major downtown redevelopment hinge on one basic issue: parking.

July 8, 2008 - The Washington Post

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.