Pennsylvania

People on bikes and sitting on ledge on Pittsburgh riverfront with arched bridge in background

Pittsburgh Aims for Equitable Mobility

A two-year pilot program aims to provide an integrated, multimodal, and affordable transportation system across the city combining transit, bikes, e-scooters, and other options.

May 11, 2023 - Government Technology

Colorfu rowhouses in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Examining Philadelphia’s Zoning Overlay Districts

A decades-old policy allowing hyperlocal zoning exemptions and restrictions creates a confusing patchwork of zoning regulations across the city.

May 4, 2023 - Philadelphia Inquirer

Bus Service

SEPTA Launches On-Demand Transit

The service will expand SEPTA bus service to the Philadelphia suburbs.

April 23, 2023 - NBC Philadelphia

View of Philadelphia City Hall building at sunset

Philadelphia Mayor Hopefuls Want More Affordable Housing on Vacant Lots

Many of the candidates agree that a slow, complex sales process and strong councilmanic prerogative hinder the development of city-owned lots.

April 14, 2023 - WHYY

Two white SEPTA buses with red and blue lines on urban Philadelphia street

SEPTA’s Strategy for Easing Its Staffing Shortage

The agency is taking multiple steps to recruit and retain more transit operators, but it likely won’t be enough to prevent the agency from having to cut service on some of its bus lines.

April 6, 2023 - WHYY

Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh Developers Push Back on Zoning Review Fees

An increase in fees for commercial construction projects is raising concerns from local developers who say the industry already faces rising costs to build in the city.

March 30, 2023 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

White SEPTA bus driving through snow in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

‘Bus Revolution’ Revised in Philadelphia

The bus system redesign underway in Philadelphia changed direction after riders and local politicians complained about an initial draft plan.

March 23, 2023 - WHYY

Aerial Philadelphia cityscape by night with the City Hall tower in the foreground and Ben Franklin bridge spanning Delaware river in the back

Philadelphia ‘Lights Out Pledge’ Seeks To Prevent Bird Deaths

Migratory birds are often lured away from their normal paths by the bright lights of cities, with deadly results.

March 19, 2023 - Next City

A view from above of the Oakland neighborhood in Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh Moves Ahead With Zoning Changes for University-Adjacent Neighborhood

The implementation of a new master plan for the neighborhood of Oakland, home to the University of Pittsburgh, is moving forward despite controversy and a contentious community engagement process.

February 24, 2023 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh Adaptive Reuse Program Accepting Applications

The city has issued a request for proposals to support projects converting downtown office buildings to affordable housing.

February 9, 2023 - Smart Cities Dive

Bike rider on multi-tiered Philadelphia bridge

The Bicycle as Economic Lifeline

For many low-income households, bikes offer an affordable way to access more destinations and economic opportunities.

February 6, 2023 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

SEPTA Station

SEPTA To Install Arrival Clocks

The digital displays will finally let riders know when the next train is coming.

January 27, 2023 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

SEPTA bus stopped in front of Independence Hall, Phialdelphia, Pennsylvania

Digging Into SEPTA’s Problems

Philadelphia’s transit agency faces some structural challenges as it struggles to reorganize its services and bring back ridership.

January 22, 2023 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

Empty chairs and tables on sidewalk at a Phialdelphia restaurant

New Philadelphia Outdoor Dining Laws Exclude Most Restaurants

Restaurant owners argue that new requirements for the city’s permanent outdoor dining program are practically impossible for most of them to meet.

January 13, 2023 - Philadelphia Magazine

City Apartments

Philadelphia to Add 10,000 Residents to Housing Voucher Wait List

After a decade-long delay, the city is taking new voucher applications. But for recipients, a voucher doesn’t guarantee they’ll find housing.

January 10, 2023 - WHYY

Row Houses at 48th between Walton and Cedar, West Philadelphia

New Short-Term Rental Rules to Take Effect in Philadelphia

The new rules are an attempt to get a handle on the short-term rental industry, which, due in part to little enforcement of existing regulations, has yielded ‘bad actors.’

January 1, 2023 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

A family exits from a rowhouse. Picture is identifiably from the 1980s based on the clothing fashion of the family.

How Philadelphia Prevented Mass Evictions

By requiring landlords to enter mediation before filing eviction cases, the city’s eviction diversion program has successfully kept thousands of people at risk for displacement in their homes.

December 28, 2022 - Next City

Green parking-protected bike lane in Philadelphia with old church in background

Philadelphia Adds 10 Miles of Bike Lanes in 2022

The city is nearing its 2015 goal of building 30 miles of protected bikeways.

December 23, 2022 - Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia

Woman sitting at cafe table with laptop, holding coffee cup and looking out at street

Where Have All the Third Spaces Gone?

As businesses shortened their hours during the pandemic, Philadelphia residents found themselves with fewer options for places to spend their evenings.

December 19, 2022 - Philadelphia Inquirer

Group of people waiting in line at polling place

Brookings: A Demographic Post-Mortem of the Midterms

Young adults, according to a deep dive analysis by Brookings Metro demographer William Frey, were a key demographic group responsible for stopping the red wave that most polling predicted as the likely outcome of last month's midterm elections.

December 9, 2022 - Brookings

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.