United States

2020 Census Logo

The Census Missed its Dec. 31 Deadline

The pandemic didn't help, but this moment has been a long time coming, and the delay is bad news for President Trump efforts to exclude undocumented immigrants from the count.

December 31, 2020 - The Hill

Japan High Speed Rail

WSDOT Report Outlines Plan for Cascadia High-Speed Rail

A regional high-speed rail network could be coming to the Pacific Northwest, linking cities from Oregon to British Columbia.

December 31, 2020 - The Urbanist

COVID Testing

Cars, Covid, and California

Pultizer-winning science journalist and global health expert Laurie Garrett, an Angeleno, points to the Golden State's auto culture during an interview on MSNBC as one reason why the state is now the epicenter of the pandemic in the U.S.

December 31, 2020 - MSNBC

Coronavirus Protest

Urban Planning and the Coronavirus: 2020 Year in Review

If ever there was a doubt about the sheer depth and breadth of intersectionality found in the practice and theory of planning, the pandemic provides daily reminders.

December 31, 2020 - James Brasuell

My First Ride

Federal Funding Could Vastly Improve Transit Services

With a $17 billion federal investment, every city's public transit could look like Chicago's.

December 31, 2020 - GOVTECH.COM

Ski Town

Pandemic Disrupts Ski Town Life in More Ways Than One

The working class that make ski towns run are getting squeezed out of work by public health restrictions while wealthy newcomers push real estate markets to crazy new heights.

December 30, 2020 - Adventure Journal

Affordable Housing

Report Makes 'The Case for Social Housing'

The economic disruption of the pandemic has strengthened public support—even among Republicans—for an ambitious social housing program at the federal level, according to the findings of a recent report.

December 30, 2020 - Bloomberg CityLab

Social Distancing

Pandemic Endgame: The Goalposts are Moving

With most of the nation in the coronavirus "red zone," the endgame to the pandemic in the U.S. is likely through achieving herd immunity, preferably through vaccinations, but the nation's top infectious disease expert has been changing the threshold.

December 30, 2020 - The New York Times

Pedestrianized Ocean Drive, Miami Beach

Miami Beach Could Permanently Pedestrianize Ocean Drive

The city banned vehicle traffic from the popular street during the pandemic. Now, transportation planners hope to make the change permanent as part of a new plan to prioritize pedestrians and improve transportation in the Entertainment District.

December 30, 2020 - The Next Miami

ARIZONA RESERVOIR

Arizona Proposes Legislation to Protect Water After Trump Rollbacks to Clean Water Act

To protect the state's water resources, Arizona's Department of Environmental Quality has drafted a new set of regulations aimed at replacing Clean Water Act provisions struck down by the Trump administration.

December 29, 2020 - Arizona Public Media

For Rent

We Need Rental Registries Now More Than Ever

Most communities lack a way of collecting real-time data on whether landlords are complying with rules. A rental registry could change that.

December 29, 2020 - Shelterforce Magazine

Seattle

High Costs Lead Seattle to Scale Back Earthquake Work on Bridges

After underestimating costs by hundreds of millions, Seattle is forced to cut back on proposed seismic improvements for the city's bridges.

December 29, 2020 - The Seattle Times

BART Station

New South Bay BART Stations See Disappointing Ridership

Introduced during the pandemic in an area where many residents now work remotely, the new stations have failed to attract new commuters.

December 29, 2020 - Mercury News

Electric Scooters

New York City Rolling Out First E-Scooters in the Spring

After years of outright banning them, New York City is finally giving e-scooters a chance to operate on its streets.

December 29, 2020 - Curbed

New York City Coronavirus

The Best (and Worst) of Architecture and Design in 2020

An annual review of the world of architecture and design from design critics at the Dallas Morning News and Curbed.

December 29, 2020 - Medium

Seaside Entrance

Reassessing New Urbanism

A thematic issue of the peer reviewed journal Urban Planning provides a framework for reassessing New Urbanism.

December 29, 2020 - Urban Planning

Maokong Sky Gondola

Seattle Neighborhood Groups Propose Aerial Gondola to Replace Light Rail Expansion

Impatient with the city's light rail expansion plans, some residents are looking to aerial gondolas as a new mode of public transit.

December 28, 2020 - The Urbanist

Biden administration

The Pandemic Expert in the Biden Cabinet Who is Not on the Biden Health Team

Ron Klain, President Obama's former Ebola response coordinator, will serve as chief of staff to President-elect Joe Biden. This post also looks at all the appointments and nominations for Biden's health team that will devise a Covid response.

December 28, 2020 - The Atlantic

Protected Bike Lane

Seattle's Homeless Bearing the Brunt of Helmet Citations

Almost half of bike helmet citations in the city are issued to people experiencing homelessness.

December 28, 2020 - Crosscut

Bank Owned

The Foreclosure Crisis Waiting in January

Although homeowners have so far accessed financial relief from the pandemic much more easily than renters, housing counselors are bracing for a foreclosure crisis as forbearance terms start to end.

December 28, 2020 - Shelterforce Magazine

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.