United States

Woman and two children sit on bench at public transit stop waiting for tram with stroller next to them.

Are Mobility Hubs Child-Friendly?

‘Mobility hubs’ aim to make urban travel easier by connecting travel modes. Adding more services could make them more accessible and useful to women and families.

March 7, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

The Capitol dome in Washington, D.C. viewed from middle of Pennsylvania Avenue protected bike lanes.

Planning Trends for 2025: Creative Housing Solutions, Ongoing Transit Woes, and the Ever-Creeping Tentacles of AI

Urban planners have no shortage of urgent issues to delve into, from a deepening housing crisis to an increasingly unpredictable climate to a new federal administration bent on slashing key funding for everything from electric cars to housing assistance.

March 7, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

People walking down Bourbon Street in New Orleans at night.

Bourbon Street Could Be a Model for Pedestrian Spaces

The conversation around pedestrianizing public streets isn’t new — think Times Square. Could one of America’s oldest streets lead the way in a revival of the pedestrian mall?

March 6, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

Bird's eye view of half full parking lot at night.

Safe Parking Programs Help People Access Housing

The safety and stability offered by Safe Parking sites have helped 40 percent of unhoused San Diego residents who accessed these programs get into permanent housing.

March 5, 2025 - Maui Now

Wide apartment building staircase with curved wrought iron handrail.

Study: Single-Staircase Buildings Pose No Additional Risks

Zoning codes have long prohibited single-stair residential buildings due to safety concerns, but changing that could lower the cost of construction and allow for more flexible housing designs.

March 5, 2025 - CNU Public Square

Close-up of thin trunks of young trees in pots ready to be planted.

Forest Service Rescinds Tree Planting Grants

The $75 million program fell victim to the federal government’s purge of ‘DEI’-related projects.

March 5, 2025 - Fast Company

Street with historic buildings and American flag hanging from lamppost in downtown Hinton, West Virginia.

Commentary: How Remote Work Supports Rural Communities

Allowing federal employees to work from home can deepen government agencies’ understanding of communities’ needs and create economic opportunities for local residents.

March 5, 2025 - The Daily Yonder

Los Angeles bridge

Don't Cement Our Future: Rethinking LA’s Landscape After Fire (and Floods)

A call for regenerative approaches to rebuilding that work with nature rather than against it.

March 5, 2025 - Omar Brownson

Two pastel green/blue front doors on duplex with decorative wreaths.

How Single-Family Conversions Benefit Both Homeowners and Cities

Converting single-family homes to triplexes can ease the housing crisis and offer affordable, flexible options for more households. Why is it largely illegal?

March 4, 2025 - Strong Towns

Electric Cars

Report: Transportation Equity Requires More Than Electrification

Lower-income households often lack the resources to buy electric cars, signaling a need for a more holistic approach to improving mobility and lowering transportation costs.

March 4, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Department of Housing and Urban Development building in Washington, D.C. Concrete Brutalist high-rise.

What Trump’s Executive Orders Mean for US Housing Programs

Orders related to DEI and accessibility, among others, may threaten housing programs for those who need them most.

March 3, 2025 - Shelterforce

Elk stands looking over its shoulder in a meadow with snow-capped mountains in background in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado.

Poll Shows Residents of Western States Prefer Conservation Over Oil and Gas

The majority of the poll’s respondents identified as politically conservative or independent, with 40 percent supporting MAGA platform.

March 3, 2025 - High Country News

Blurred black and white image of bicycle laying down in road with orange traffic cone in foreground.

Trump Administration Takes Aim at Transportation Research

Researchers warn of a “chilling environment” as studies examining road safety and other topics are killed off and layoffs hit federal agencies.

March 2, 2025 - Bloomberg News

A cowboy rests his hand on a green gate on a sunny day in Colorado. The United States flag is behind him and he is wearing a straw cowboy hat and glasses. A dirt road is next to him.

Poll Shows Residents of Western States Prefer Conservation Over Oil and Gas

The majority of the poll’s respondents identified as politically conservative or independent, with 40 percent supporting the MAGA platform.

February 28, 2025 - High Country News

Two white Waymo robotaxis parked on street in San Francisco, California.

How Autonomous Cars Can Induce Sprawl and Sabotage Climate Goals

Robotaxis can lead to longer, more frequent trips and are projected to increase VMT by as much as 83 percent.

February 28, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Aerial view of Broadway Street of Philipsburg, Montana, Philipsburg is a town in and the county seat of Granite County, Montana, United States.

Study: Urban US Residents Have Higher Life Expectancy Than Rural Americans

A combination of economic and social factors leads to higher rates of disease and reduced access to healthcare for many rural residents.

February 27, 2025 - The Conversation

Complete Street

‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge

Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.

February 27, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

Collage of 5 GIS maps from the ESRI American Community Survey (ACS) Atlas Collection.

Explore US Demographics With the New ACS Atlas Collection

Esri's new ACS Atlas Collection offers interactive applications that visualize the latest U.S. demographic and socio-economic data, enabling users to explore over 175 curated web maps across various thematic areas.

February 27, 2025 - ArcGIS Blog

White bike sharrow symbol painted on road next to green grass.

Sharrows Are Ineffective, Potentially Counterproductive

Research shows there’s no substitute for protected bike lanes, and sharrows may make roads more dangerous for cyclists.

February 26, 2025 - Momentum Magazine

Bureau of Land Management West Desert District & Salt Lake Field Office in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Public Lands Can Help Us Tackle the Housing Crisis in the West

The U.S. owns more than 650 million acres of public lands, and it has the power to sell or lease limited parcels for affordable housing. But mass disposal of public lands, as some legislators have proposed, is not the answer.

February 25, 2025 - Shelterforce

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.