Maryland

Will Narrow Focus Sink Plans to Clean D.C.'s Polluted Waters?

A 20-year, $2.6 billion Clean Rivers Project intended to eliminate sewage discharge into D.C. area waterways will benefit the entire region. So, Carol O’Cleireacain asks, why only stick Washington's residents with the bill?

June 4, 2012 - The Washington Post

Washington Suburbs Accelerate Push for Rapid Transit

In D.C.'s built-out northern suburbs in Montgomery County, Maryland, officials recently released an audacious plan for a proposed 160-mile “RTV” system that they hope will revolutionize transportation patterns in the area, writes Yonah Freemark.

May 29, 2012 - the transport politic

Are Planners Responsible for Public Health?

Christine Green reports on the ways in which transportation and planning professionals in the Washington D.C. area are working alongside public health professionals to tackle the obesity epidemic.

May 22, 2012 - Greater Greater Washington

Bike + GPS = Digital Doodling Over the Streets of Baltimore

A Baltimore schoolteacher uses his phone and his bicycle to construct whimsical sketches on digital maps of the city, Nate Berg reports.

May 9, 2012 - The Atlantic Cities

Identifying the Key Steps to Building Baltimore's Economy

Baltimore has ridden out the recession better than most metropolitan areas. However, in advance of a study to be released this week, Jennifer S. Vey outlines the ways in which it can better align workers' skills with economic opportunities.

April 24, 2012 - The Baltimore Sun

What Are the Biggest Challenges Facing America's Mayors?

Earlier this week, Charlie Rose hosted a roundtable discussion with the mayors of Chicago, Baltimore, Jacksonville, and Louisville on how they're working to revitalize their cities in challenging economic times.

April 20, 2012 - Charlie Rose

Asking What Comes Next, as Maryland Tries to Move Beyond Sprawl

McKay Jenkins looks at the challenges confronting Maryland as the state tries to reckon with the devastating consequences of the era of sprawl and prepare for an additional one million people over the next twenty five years.

April 5, 2012 - Urbanite

Street Art Seen As a Ticket to Revitalization in Baltimore

Elizabeth Evitts Dickinson reports on Open Walls Baltimore, the city’s first officially sanctioned street art exhibition, which seeks to bring new life to a transitional neighborhood, and presents a dilemma for its curator.

April 3, 2012 - Grist

Baltimore's Strategic Ignorance of Its Abandoned Homes

Yepoka Yeebo reports on Baltimore's newest plan to deal with the tens of thousands of abandoned houses that mar the city.

February 27, 2012 - Business Insider

Successful DC Bikeshare Program Heading for the Suburbs

The runaway success of Washington D.C.'s bikeshare program, in less than two years of operation, has it poised to expand to the city's suburbs this year.

February 3, 2012 - The Washington Post

The Future of Development in D.C.

Steven Pearlstein reads the tea leaves to predict the future development patterns in Washington, D.C. and finds that all signs point inwards to the city center and its closer-in suburbs.

January 19, 2012 - The Washington Post

Baltimore Bets on Placemaking

Investment in improving public spaces seen as key to keeping and attracting businesses and residents in Baltimore.

January 16, 2012 - The Baltimore Sun

Maryland Governor Outmaneuver Foes To Adopt New Master Plan

Over "vehement objections from Republicans", Maryland's Governor uses a 37-year-old law to implement the state's master plan. Called Plan Maryland, the plan is focused on controlling the state's rapid growth.

January 2, 2012 - Maryland governor signs land-use order

Columbia Pike Streetcar is the Better Design

According to Miles Grant, "the streetcar is a relative bargain purely on the basis of direct cost per estimated user, not even including the external costs of sprawl and pollution that new and improved highways engender."

December 15, 2011 - Greater Greater Washington

Town Builds Restaurant to Lure Chef

Pocomoke City officials have funded the construction of a restaurant and bar in their city with no tenant on the horizon - just hopes to attract a star chef and spur economic development downtown.

December 8, 2011 - USA Today

Massive Mixed-Use Transit Oriented Development To Hit White Flint

In Maryland, the Washingtonian Tower has been the tallest skyscraper in Montgomery County. Developers in White Flint are proposing an even taller building that will incorporate mixed-use, transit-oriented, and retail/office development in one plan.

December 6, 2011 - Greater Greater Washington

Revitalization For Downtown Wheaton

In Maryland, the Montgomery County Park and Planning Commision received a $200,000 grant to study moving its offices. The County Executive, Ike Leggett says "its the best way to kick-start the revitalization of downtown Wheaton."

December 6, 2011 - Greater Greater Washington

Maryland Mall to Be Transformed into a Town of its Own

North Bethesda's White Flint Mall is your standard 850,000 sq. ft. mall surrounded by parking structures. The developer has announced it will be replacing the whole thing with a 5 million sq. ft. collection of apartments, offices and shops.

November 30, 2011 - The Gazette (Maryland)

Urban Farms Tax Breaks Bill Killed

Baltimore's City Council has voted to not approve a bill that would provide non-profit urban farmers tax breaks, leaving some officials steamed.

November 26, 2011 - The Baltimore Sun

ASLA Seeks A More Sustainable D.C.

For Washington D.C., ASLA polled members to develop a new "comprehensive framework" connecting sustainability with economic development.

November 16, 2011 - American Society of Lanscape Architects

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.