United States

Gas Pump

New Year's Day State Gas Tax Increases, Decreases, and What Lies Ahead

Pennsylvania, the state that had the highest gas tax last year, saw the highest gas tax increase of 7.9 cents per gallon, the final increment of a 2013 law. Michigan's 7.3 cents tax increase, signed into law in 2015, is the second largest increase.

January 11, 2017 - Tax Justice Blog

Toronto Underpass Park

The Best Examples of Underpass Parks

Cities around the continent are reclaiming the previously unwelcoming confines of underpasses for active, healthy, and aesthetically pleasing uses.

January 11, 2017 - Curbed

Technology Survey 2017

City Planning Department Technology Benchmarking Survey 2017

A report on the current state of Internet technology used by 600 cities across the United States, including recommended steps cities should take to improve their technology assets in 2017-2018.

January 11, 2017 - William Riggs

Tactical Urbanism

Five Low Cost Ideas to Make Your City Wealthier

What do you do when you realize your city is never going to be able to subsidize enough businesses to create the jobs you need?

January 10, 2017 - Modern Cities

Empty Carpool Lane

2016: Year of the Sports Utility Vehicle

Last year set two notable vehicle records. First, the most cars ever sold, at 17.54 million. Second, light trucks accounted for almost 61 percent of all sales. Sales of more fuel efficient car fell, though electric vehicle sales increased.

January 10, 2017 - The Drive

Confusion

8 Planning Terms to Retire in 2017

A collection of planning and transportation experts humbly submits a list of words and terms that have lost their value (if they ever had any to begin with).

January 9, 2017 - Next City

Portland

$1.1 Billion Superfund Clean Up Approved for Portland Harbor

With the price of the Portland Harbor Superfund Site already ballooning, critics of the plan for the Portland Harbor Superfund Site expect the project to cost even more than currently estimated.

January 9, 2017 - OPB

Masjid Omar ibn Al-Khattab Mosque

Islamophobia Taking Over Planning Processes

A columnist attributes the success of President-elect Trump's anti-Muslim rhetoric with a rise in potentially illegal land use decisions around the state of Virginia.

January 9, 2017 - The Washington Post

Congestion versus mobility

Debate Renewed: Can Uber and Lyft Solve Congestion?

A new study predicts the congestion relief benefits of carpooling services offered by Transportation Network Companies. A skeptical audience replies.

January 9, 2017 - San Jose Mercury News

Homeless Camp

Illustrating the State of Homelessness in the U.S.

Words and pictures haven't ended homelessness in the United States, but they can help people understand how widespread and deep the challenge is.

January 9, 2017 - Pacific Standard

Pedestrians

More States Diverting Funds for Walking and Biking

The Transportation Alternatives program is designed to give states power over federal transportation funding for pedestrian and bike infrastructure projects. A loophole is defeating that purpose, however.

January 8, 2017 - Streetsblog USA

Fracking

EPA: Fracking a Threat to Drinking Water

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has finally spoken out about the risks posed by fracking to drinking water supplies. The Trump Administration seems very unlikely to head the warning.

January 8, 2017 - The New York Times

Broadway Bus Lane in Everett

Applying the Tricks of Tactical Urbanism to Transit

The semi-legal world of quick, informal city improvements called tactical urbanism is finding a home inside transit departments.

January 7, 2017 - TransitCenter

Washington D.C. Row Houses

U.S. Population Growth Slows to Depression-Era Lows

The Sun Belt continues to grow while the rest of the country's population growth continues to slow.

January 7, 2017 - Brookings Institute

Train Tracks

Survey Reveals the 'Perks and Pitfalls' of the Transportation Planning Profession

A do-it-yourself survey effort reveals some of the facts about what's it like to work as a transportation planner.

January 6, 2017 - Next City

Amsterdam Wedding

Weddings on the Street

Wedding photographers are fond of taking post-nuptial photos on quaint Main Streets, but rarely on the commercial strip. Here's why.

January 6, 2017 - Community Builders

D.C. Metro Bus

The Best and Worst from the Year in Transportation

Streetsblog USA has announced their 2016 Streetsies Awards.

January 4, 2017 - Streetsblog USA

Brewery

Which U.S. Cities Have the Highest Density of Microbreweries?

Mapping the complete transformation of the beer business in the United States.

January 3, 2017 - City Observatory

Family Parking

Report: U.S. Household Formation Continues to Grow

The growth of household formation is a good indicator for the continue recovery of the housing industry.

January 3, 2017 - Housing Perspectives

Traffic Safety Advocates

Cities Zero In On Road Road Safety

Ambitious, Rapidly Expanding Vision Zero Movement Seeks to End Vehicular Deaths

January 3, 2017 - InTransition 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.