United States

Seaside Entrance

To Save New Urbanism From #MAGA, it's Time to Get Political

An opinion piece acknowledges the similarities between the nostalgia of New Urbanism and the "Make American Great Again" sentiment behind Trump's rise to power. New Urbanism has a chance, still, to change its path.

May 30, 2017 - Dan Piatkowski

Tailpipe

EPA Alleges Fiat Chrysler Cheated Tests Measuring Carbon Pumped Into Atmosphere

The U.S. government will sue Fiat Chrysler Automobiles over software that allowed cars to pass emissions tests while letting out more pollutants than would be allowed.

May 26, 2017 - The New York Times

Kids Biking

Friday Fun: Toddlers Take to the Race Track

The hot new wheels of choice for little ones to learn how to ride bikes are called balance bikes. "Welcome to the Tour de France of Toddler Racing," says the Wall Street Journal.

May 26, 2017 - The Wall Street Journal

Second Avenue Subway

Who Killed the Federal Study of Transit Costs?

The Government Accountability Office was set to investigate why U.S. transit capital investments are so expensive, especially in contrast to comparable European projects, but that study will not leave the station.

May 25, 2017 - Vox

texas

Census Data Reveals 2016 Population Winners and Losers

The U.S. Census released its 2016 population data today. It feels a lot like a popularity contest.

May 25, 2017 - U.S. Census Bureau

Botts' Dots

California Invented 'Botts' Dots' Raised Pavement Markers—Now it's Phasing Them Out

A staple of the California driving experience will soon be a thing of the past.

May 25, 2017 - The Mercury News

Metro Rapid Bus

Los Angeles Signal Priority System Should Be a Model for U.S. Transit Systems

Signal priority is a way to create faster, more regular bus service by adjusting length of stoplights for buses.

May 25, 2017 - Active Transportation Alliance

Artificial Turf

Bad Science Linked to Fears of Fake Grass

A college soccer coach's disproved theory that claims artificial truf causes cancer refuses to die.

May 25, 2017 - The Boston Globe

Bureau of Land Management

Nevada BLM Land to Stay in Federal Hands

The Honor the Nevada Enabling Act, proposed by Rep. Mark Amodei (R-Nevada) to transfer some Bureau of Land Management property to state control, will not be brought to Congress.

May 24, 2017 - Reno Gazette Journal

Small Town Art

Activating Artists as an Urban Resource

Planning and art don't traditionally mix, but that's changing. Embedded at NYC's Department of Design and Construction, artist Mary Miss envisions public art as an infrastructural aid.

May 24, 2017 - Next City

Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Arizona

Comparing the Differences in Property Taxes Around the United States

The Lincoln Institute of Land Policy and the Minnesota Center for Fiscal Excellence have released their annual "50-State Property Tax Comparison Study."

May 24, 2017 - Lincoln Institute of Land Policy

Elon Musk Gigafactory

A Scathing Critique of Elon Musk's Big Tunneling Idea

Not all ideas are worth attention. What does the fact that ideas like Elon Musk's The Boring Company get so much attention say about the quality of civic discourse, or the potential for planning to improve the built environment?

May 24, 2017 - The Baffler

Commuter Rail

A Change of Heart by Secretary Chao on California's Oldest Commuter Rail Line

A week ago, Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao indicated she would not sign-off on the $647 million federal grant for the $2 billion Caltrain electrification project. On Monday, she changed her mind.

May 23, 2017 - The Mercury News

Honda Clarity

Northeast is Next Market for Fuel Cell Vehicles

The only state where fuel cell electric vehicles can be leased is California where 30 hydrogen refueling stations exist now, with 100 planned to be in operation by 2020. Almost no public refueling stations exist elsewhere, but that's about to change.

May 22, 2017 - The New York Times

Homeless Man

Solving Homelessness: Title V's Shortcomings and Potential Explained

The Title V program makes the hard parts of solving homelessness—finding the money and the property—a lot easier. So why hasn't it been used at a much larger scale?

May 22, 2017 - CityLab

The Tenderloin

Affordable Housing Lacking in Every State

A recent report from the Urban Institute warns of potentially expanding catastrophe for affordable housing around the country.

May 22, 2017 - Business Insider

San Francisco Mural

'Plansplaining' and its Discontents

Yes, planners have expertise to share, but according to this rather pointed critique, they also sometimes forget that other people do too.

May 22, 2017 - CityLimits.org

Straphangers

Study: Transit Really Does Reduce Obesity

It's difficult to definitively link transit use with lower rates of obesity, but it makes intuitive sense. Here's another attempt, using county-level data.

May 21, 2017 - Pacific Standard

280 Freeway San Francisco

Federal Infrastructure Grants: The Historical Trends

On the cusp of a new infrastructure proposal from the White House, how has federal spending changed over the last 70 years? What will it take to reach historical averages?

May 21, 2017 - Eno Transportation Weekly

A Deadly Crash Is an Accident Because it Isn't Terrorism

Cable news networks interrupted broadcasts on Thursday morning with breaking news: a vehicle had just driven three block on the sidewalks in Times Square, New York, resulting in massive casualties. Anchors asked, "Was it terrorism or an accident?"

May 21, 2017 - Daily News

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.