United States
Tesla Reverses on Video Games for Drivers
Tesla's rollout of video games that can be played by drivers on the center consoles of the automakers cars has quickly turned into a recall.
What Can Lessons From Traffic Safety Teach About the Covid Response?
Finger waggings aren't effective for pedestrian safety—so why should they work for public health? A "safe system" approach, created for traffic safety in Sweden, offers a model for improved pandemic public health outcomes, according to this opinion.
O'Toole, Cato Institute Part Ways
Randal O'Toole, who resisted contemporary progressive planning trends by supporting the unfettered expansion of automobile infrastructure and single-family residential development, is no longer employed by the conservative-leaning Cato Institute.
Architecture and Design Awards for the Best and Worst of 2021
Two influential and erudite design critics continue an annual tradition.
Can't Drive 55: America's Dangerous Love of Speeding
While most Americans agree that speeding is a threat to public safety, dysfunctional laws and inadequate enforcement perpetuate a culture of tacitly sanctioned high-speed driving.
Report Links Housing Growth and Climate Resilience
Data from three U.S. metro areas show a failure to address land use and sprawl as a key factor driving climate change.
Video Games on Tesla Screens? Not So Fast, Say Safety Regulators
The Passenger Play video feature available in most Tesla cars has caught the attention of regulators at the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration.
Outdated Grid Can Stymie Renewables
As more wind and solar plants get built in remote locations, utilities must figure out how to transport and store energy over increasingly vast distances.
Gig Workers Demand Data Transparency
Access to data for gig workers can provide a valuable source of information and bargaining power in a traditionally opaque and risky industry.
Busting the 'Urban Exodus' Myth, Again
New numbers from the Census Bureau show that fewer Americans moved in 2020 than ever before, belying dire predictions about the death of cities and the hollowing out of urban neighborhoods.
Federal Vax-or-Test Mandate for Large Employers Reinstated
Judges of the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals decided, 2-1, to allow the Biden administration's vax-or-test mandate for private sector employers, removing a stay placed on the OSHA rule by the Fifth Circuit. Enforcement begins Feb. 9.
This Is Your Brain on E-Scooters
A survey from scooter operator Spin indicates that e-scooter users experience a boost in relaxation and positive feelings after a ride.
Census: U.S. Population Growing Slower Than Any Point Since the Nation's Founding
The pandemic has added increased mortality to decreasing birth rates and decreasing international immigration.
Reimagining Homelessness and Mental Health: 'Radical Hospitality' in Trieste, Italy
Kerry Morrison, founder of Heart Forward LA, shares her journey researching the “failures” of the U.S. mental health system, and what L.A. could learn about radical hospitality from a city with a robust community-based approach—Trieste, Italy.
Federal Memo 'Gently' Discourages Highway Construction
The Federal Highway Administration is urging states to prioritize climate-friendly projects and put federal funds toward repairs and active transportation infrastructure.
Biden's New Tailpipe Emissions Rule Resets to Obama Administration Standards
The Biden administration finalized greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions standards for passenger cars and light trucks that almost fully erased changes by the Trump administration that, in turn, erased a rule finalized by the Obama administration.
Year in Review: Urban Planning in 2021
Part one of two of Planetizen's review of 2021—re-assessing failed predictions and daylighting the biggest planning stories of the year.
What States Can Learn From the Success of Maine's Downeaster Train
As Amtrak gears up to plan expansion projects supported by new federal funding, states can take some advocacy lessons from Maine's popular Downeaster train.
U.S. Supreme Court Upholds New York State Vaccine Mandate
Health care workers in New York will be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 after the Supreme Court voted 6-3 to reject hearing an appeal brought by workers who had sought a religious exemption. Also, an update on the federal vaccine mandate.
How Rail Transit Ridership Changed During the Pandemic
Almost all heavy rail transit stations lost riders in 2020, but some stations lost far fewer riders than others. The data reveals lessons for transit planning beyond the end of the pandemic (whenever that happens).
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.
One Hundred Miles
County of Mendocino
planning NEXT
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
Montrose County
Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA)
The Pocatello Development Authority
