United States

Electric Cars

Consumer Group Accuses States of 'Punishing' Electric Vehicle Drivers

The advocacy division of Consumer Reports published a study to highlight the practice of what could soon be a majority of state governments: charging electric vehicle owners an additional registration fee to compensate for forgone fuel tax revenue.

September 16, 2019 - Consumer Reports

Tilikum Crossing

Report: Shared Bikes and Scooters Could Reduce Car Trips By 50 Percent in Downtowns

A new report by INRIX Research ranks cities in the United States, United Kingdom, and Germany for the potential of micrombility devices to reduce automobile trips.

September 16, 2019 - The Oregonian

Cedar Rapids Floods

The Great Flood of 2019, Visualized

The New York Times has published a spectacular mapping and data project to show the extent of flooding along the Mississippi River and its tributaries in the winter, spring, and summer of 2019.

September 16, 2019 - The New York Times

Echo Park

L.A. Unveils Plans for Historic Water Infrastructure Tax

Katy Young Yaroslavsky discusses the the Measure W Implementation Ordinance and the committee appointees tasked with determining how this new funding will flow into community water projects.

September 15, 2019 - The Planning Report

Farmers' Market

Your County May Not be Very Good at Accessing Community Development Funding

New research shows that some U.S. communities are much better than others at attracting grants and financing for community development—even after adjusting for relative need. The numbers are clear, but the reasons for the disparity may not be.

September 15, 2019 - Shelterforce

Horse and Buggy

Batteries Replacing Horses in the Carriage Industry

A growing number of cities around the world, and around the United States, have banned horse-drawn carriages out of concern for the health and welfare of the horses.

September 14, 2019 - WHYY

Outdoor Recreation

Increased Outdoor Recreation Comes at a Cost

The rapidly declining number of elk around Vail, Colorado reveals the impacts of the increasing population of outdoor recreation.

September 12, 2019 - The Guardian

Dartmouth Dorms

The Role Student Housing Plays in Communities

Off-campus housing for college students has grown extensively over the last decade. What are communities doing to control the spread of student housing and its potentially negative effect on neighborhoods and affordable housing?

September 12, 2019 - Shelterforce Magazine

Bus Stop and Bike Lane

The Varied Career of a Transit Service Planner

The career of Emily Yasukochi, senior associate at Nelson\Nygaard, has offered an incredible variety of experience and institutions considering it's all been centered around transit and sustainable transportation.

September 12, 2019 - James Brasuell

Highway Interchange

The First Highway Trust Fund Bailout

September 9 marked the 60th anniversary of a defining moment in U.S. transportation history.

September 11, 2019 - Eno Center for Transportation

Crosswalk Button

What Walk Buttons Do (and Don't Do)

Are pedestrian walk buttons effective, or do they only give us the illusion of control? It can vary.

September 10, 2019 - WAMU

Homeless

When the Federal Government Ties Homeless Funding to Unemployment Rates

A strong economy can lead to a lack of affordable housing and a lack of affordable housing can lead to higher rates of homelessness. But a stronger economy can also disqualify regions from federal support for homelessness.

September 10, 2019 - KUOW

Downtown Reno

Renters More Likely to Be Cost-Burdened, Study Finds

A study by scholars at the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University finds that renters around the country are more likely to pay a larger share of their income on housing than homeowners do.

September 10, 2019 - NPR

Scooter Share

Why Bird Ended its Infrastructure Funding Program

Months after ending a program to help cities fund transportation infrastructure improvements, a company official says city governments were misusing the funds.

September 9, 2019 - Smart Cities Dive

Maine North Woods

Land Owned by the 100 Largest U.S. Property Owners Equals the Size of Florida

An exposé published by Bloomberg reveals the details of the land owner by the nation's 100 largest property owners.

September 8, 2019 - Bloomberg

Los Angeles Medical Center

Better Urban Planning for Better Public Health (In the Real World)

A researcher at the University of Sydney in Australia offers three recommendations for planners to better negotiate the real world of politics and governance to help create healthier communities.

September 8, 2019 - The Conversation

Manhattan

The Past, Present, and Future of Proptech

Technology is changing the game of real estate in New York City. The technology behind the revolution, called proptech, is only going to become more critical as cities respond to climate change.

September 7, 2019 - Crain's New York Business

Houston Freeway

A Houston Columnist Celebrates Japan's Transit Infrastructure

The paper of record in a Texas oil town is a surprising place to find an article singing the praises of a society built on public transit instead of the automobile.

September 6, 2019 - Houston Chronicle

Traffic Jam

Back-to-School Traffic Management Plan: Me Time

A humorous post offers advice on how to adjust to life trapped in a sea of cars swelled by school pick-up and drop-off schedules: think of it as "me time."

September 6, 2019 - The Dallas Morning News

Trump Administration Supports Ending Bus and Rail Procurements From Chinese Companies

Capital investments could get more expensive, if Congress forces transit systems to buy American.

September 6, 2019 - Eno Center for Transportation

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.