Maryland

Trump Administration Proposes to Freeze Fuel Economy Standards at 2020 Level

On Thursday, the U.S. DOT and U.S. EPA announced one of the Trump administration's most consequential rollbacks of environmental and efficiency regulations that will have a detrimental effect on climate change, air pollution, and oil consumption.

August 5, 2018 - The Washington Post

Maryland

Montgomery County, Maryland Updates Inclusionary Housing Requirements

New rules will require more affordable housing in affluent areas, but also allow more exceptions.

August 2, 2018 - Bethesda Magazine

Pumping Gas

Another Major Climate Win for Big Oil in Federal Court

A New York federal district court rules on a climate change lawsuit like its West Coast counterpart did last month: Don't hold oil companies accountable for climate change and sea level rise. Baltimore and Rhode Island file climate change lawsuits.

July 25, 2018 - Inside Climate News

Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority

Parking Fee Pilot Project Extended for D.C. Metro

A parking experiment will continue at transit stations in the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro) system.

July 17, 2018 - WTOP

Rain Garden or 'Pit of Death'?

Who knew green infrastructure was such a divisive topic?

July 3, 2018 - Greater Greater Washington

Freewways

Nine Highway Expansions Identified as Worst Boondoggles of 2018

In a new report, U.S. PIRG and the Frontier Group describe nine costly highway projects amounting to $30 billion in their fourth annual "Highway Boondoggles" report. All share the theme of induced travel demand.

July 2, 2018 - Frontier Group

Maryland Highway Plan Would Destroy Affordable Housing, Displace Low-Income Residents

A local writer compares the plan to expand I-270 and the Capital Beltway to an earlier era of transportation planning.

June 24, 2018 - Greater Greater Washington

Orange Line

One-Year Later: Evaluating Baltimore's Overhauled Bus System

The $135 million BaltimoreLink bus system redesign launched in June 2017.

June 21, 2018 - Baltimore Sun

A License to Short-Term Rent

New regulation staking effect in July will require Montgomery County, Maryland residents to apply for license if they want to rent property on sites like Airbnb, HomeAway, and more.

June 20, 2018 - WTOP

Toll Lane Project

Expansion of Maryland Toll Lane Project Increases Cost Five-Fold to $1.1 Billion

A $210 million project to add a single, 7-mile express toll lane on Interstate 95 north of Baltimore was just expanded to two lanes for 10 miles. Financing will rely on toll revenue. Unlike HOT lanes, every motorist will pay to use the lanes.

June 19, 2018 - The Baltimore Sun

Tideland

The Chesapeake Bay Comeback

Scientists say the Chesapeake Bay hasn't been this healthy in more than three decades. It's a testament to federal environmental regulations.

June 17, 2018 - The Washington Post

A Public Service Announcement to Explain Newfangled Bike Infrastructure

The Montgomery County Department of Transportation set up a website to explain the new rules of the multi-modal road.

May 31, 2018 - Montgomery County Department of Transportation

Marlyand

Maryland's Floods a Terrible Tragedy, and a Sign of More to Come

The sprawling, asphalt communities of U.S. cities, built as a result of mid-20th century planning, will meet terrible consequences during the extreme weather events of climate change.

May 30, 2018 - Slate

Scramble Tokyo

'Barnes Dance' Coming to Montgomery County, Maryland

While popular and common in other countries, the "Barnes Dance" crosswalk is sill catching on in the United States. Montgomery County, Maryland is the latest to test out the "All Direction" crosswalk.

May 11, 2018 - Montgomery County Government

D.C. Metro

SafeTrack Over, Metro D.C.'s Ridership Continues to Decline

Greater Greater Washington's "Metro Reasons" column analyses the latest ridership data from the D.C. Metro system. Riders have not returned to the system after the SafeTrack repair program concluded in 2017.

May 10, 2018 - Greater Greater Washington

Baltimore MTA Bus

'Complete Streets' Bill Enjoys Broad Support in Baltimore

The city of Baltimore is ready to make a concerted effort in planning for multiple modes of transportation and all users of the public realm.

May 1, 2018 - The Baltimore Sun

Suburban Sidewalk

Responses to the Suburbanization of Poverty in Short Supply

Low-income residents have scattered to the periphery, where social services are less accessible.

April 10, 2018 - The Washington Post

Insulating Transit Projects From P3 Non-Compete Clauses

Toll road projects using a public-private partnership often have non-compete clauses that protect the private partner if nearby projects impact profits. Maryland wants to exempt transit from those clauses.

April 7, 2018 - Greater Greater Washington

Affordable Grocery Stores

The Salvation Army Opening Affordable Grocery Stores

Salvation Army grocery stores opening across the United States will provide lower income families with better access to healthy foods.

March 22, 2018 - Modern Cities

D.C. Metro

D.C. Metro Could Get a Big Funding Boost from Virginia and Maryland

In some respects, D.C. Metro has been the poster child for dysfunctional transit systems in recent years, but the states of Virginia and Maryland are close to ensuring a new source of funding that could help stabilize the transit agency.

March 13, 2018 - The Washington Post

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.