United States

COVID-19

How Widespread Is the Coronavirus in Your Metro Area?

Do you know the COVID risk level where you live, work and play? Many COVID data trackers provide county and state-level data, but metropolitan area data had been more difficult to find until now, thanks to Covid Act Now.

January 19, 2021 - Covid Act Now

Chicago Bike 2015 Plan

Chicago DOT Strategic Plan Update Centers Mobility Justice

The city, which has been slow to implement complete streets initiatives during the pandemic, promises closer collaboration with community groups to advance equity in transportation.

January 18, 2021 - Streetsblog Chicago

Cars Ride Disneyland

U.S. Car Prices Cross the $40,000 Threshold

Car prices have been going for a while, but even by recent standards a December jump in car prices is likely to be an outlier.

January 17, 2021 - Road Show

Pedestrian Infrastructure

Resources for Safe, Convenient Pedestrian and Bike Infrastructure

Despite the stated goals of state and federal agencies to encourage active modes of transportation, there's still a long way to go to make sure that all cities and communities have safe, convenient sidewalks and bike lanes.

January 17, 2021 - National Academies of Sciences Engineering and Medicine

Durango, Colorado.

How Working From Home Is Changing Where We Live

Remote workers are flocking to small, amenity-rich towns in the West, changing their social and economic landscape.

January 15, 2021 - High Country News

Residential Development

More Cities Legalizing 'Granny Flats'

Accessory Dwelling Units continue to gain steam as one approach for increasing affordability, but experts caution that housing affordability requires broader solutions.

January 15, 2021 - The Washington Post

Bicycles in New York

Report: Lackluster Bike Parking Reduces Cycling and Undermines Public Safety

Widely available, secure bike parking can go a long way toward encouraging cycling and keeping New Yorkers safe, a new report says.

January 15, 2021 - StreetsBlog NYC

Flying Cars

American Automobile Manufacturers Talking Seriously About Flying Cars

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is partnering with electric aviation startup Archer to mass-produce flying automobiles, really more like helicopters or drones. General Motors also released designs for an autonomous flying car recently.

January 14, 2021 - Quartz

Cash

City of Compton Introduces Two-Year Guaranteed Income Pilot

Proponents of universal basic income and general income programs say direct cash payments to low-income residents would reduce inequality and alleviate poverty.

January 14, 2021 - KCRW

City Planners

AICP Certification Maintenance Program to Include Equity Requirement

Two new mandatory topic areas will be required of AICP members to maintain professional certification.

January 13, 2021 - American Planning Association

Downtown Houston

Fifth Ward Residents Oppose Houston's Interstate Expansion

The downtown freeway expansion will displace thousands of housed and unhoused residents and hundreds of small businesses.

January 13, 2021 - Houston Press

Embarcadero

Economic Justice Includes Highway Removals

A $435 billion "economic justice" bill proposed by Democrats in the U.S. Senate includes $10 billion for projects that remove highways and build community-oriented assets in their place.

January 13, 2021 - Streetsblog USA

Pace Flag

Affordable Housing for LGBTQ Seniors

LGBTQ elders are more likely than their age-peers to have experienced discrimination, leaving them more likely to be poor and have chronic health problems. LGBTQ-friendly senior housing aims to provide a safe and supportive place to age.

January 12, 2021 - Shelterforce Magazine

Automated Vehicle

U.S. DOT Releases Pair of Autonomous Vehicle Plans

On January 8, the U.S. Department of Transportation released "Ensuring American Leadership in Automated Vehicle Technologies: Automated Vehicles 4.0 (AV 4.0)." On January 11, it followed up with the Automated Vehicles Comprehensive Plan (AVCP).

January 12, 2021 - U.S. Department Of Transportation

Coronavirus

Economic Shock Lowers U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions Below 1990 Levels, Report Says

The decrease in U.S. economic activity during the pandemic year of 2020 reduced the country's greenhouse gas emissions by 10.3 percent.

January 12, 2021 - Rhodium Group

Masked Passengers at Rainway Station

Transportation Equity Lessons from the Pandemic

Almost a year into the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Urban Institute assesses what we've learned about transportation equity—and what these lessons mean for the future.

January 12, 2021 - Urban Institute

Congress for the New Urbanism

Leadership Change at the Congress for the New Urbanism

The Congress for the New Urbanism will begin the search for a new CEO after Lynn Richards announces plans to depart.

January 12, 2021 - CNU Public Square

Rain on Road

Street Made Entirely of Recycled Plastic Asphalt

The material, now being tested on California roads, is made using recycled PET plastic and promises longer-lasting road treatments.

January 11, 2021 - Construction & Demolition Recycling

Elaine Chao

Transportation Secretary's Resignation Announcement Greeted With Derision

Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao became the first cabinet secretary to announce her resignation due to the storming of the Capitol by Trump supporters, but at least one high-profile member of congress has derided the announcement.

January 11, 2021 - CBS News

Trump Rally

Coronavirus Daily Deaths Top 4,000 in U.S.

For the first time in the pandemic, over 4,000 Americans died on one day, January 7, from a disease that had no name before Feb. 11, 2020.

January 11, 2021 - The Washington Post

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.

Associate/Senior Planner

Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development

Senior Planner

Heyer Gruel & Associates PA

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.