United States

Gender Neutral Bathroom

Sometimes Gender Neutral Bathrooms Have Nothing to Do With Gender Identity

There are several reasons that gender neutral bathrooms will soon replace separated men's and women's bathrooms, and they have nothing to do with gender identity, explains Jimmy Parker, event producer and former BID director.

August 9, 2016 - UrbDeZine

Put the Morals of Self-Driving Cars to the Test

Meet the Moral Machine, which echoes a standard many people hope self-driving cars can achieve.

August 9, 2016 - Moral Machine

Bollards

What Does Architecture for Security Look Like?

There's a difference between designing for safety and designing for fear.

August 8, 2016 - Motherboard

Bus Stop Winter

Will New Transportation Technologies Affect Lower Income Households?

Kevin Cashman, a Truthout researcher, asks in this op-ed if lower income people will not only be left out from the transportation technology revolution, e.g., EVs, AVs, car-hailing, but will they be hurt by it?

August 8, 2016 - Truthout

Environmental Injustice and Police Violence Overlap Across the U.S.

Being a person of color in the United States means being physically vulnerable to both environmental hazards and police violence, two professors argue.

August 8, 2016 - CityLab

Bus Stop

Help Transit Riders Improve Their Bus Stops

Riders in ten cities are raising money to spruce up their bus stops.

August 8, 2016 - Streetsblog

Rail Deck Park

Planetizen Week in Review: August 8, 2016

It only takes two minutes to catch up on the biggest news stories of the week.

August 8, 2016 - Planetizen

Shanghai

Where Have all the Great Urban Places Gone?

Newly built urban places leave a lot to be desired, according to this article in Governing.

August 7, 2016 - Governing

Rural Utah

U.S. Divisions Between Urban and Rural Aren't as Clear as Politicians Suggest

Urban vs. rural is just one example of the many false dichotomies presented as fact during the presidential campaign. A more nuanced understanding of these terms reveals more of the country's real character.

August 5, 2016 - Brookings

Sharrows on Sidewalks?

Generally speaking, bikes on sidewalks are not a good idea, but a federally funded project in Duluth, Minnesota may cause planners to take a second look at the practice.

August 5, 2016 - The Bemidji Pioneer

Yellowstone

The National Park System Welcomes the 21st Century

The National Park Service is evolving its role to keep pace with a changing world.

August 4, 2016 - ASLA The Dirt

Gentrification

Study Documents the Shifting Racial Boundaries of Gentrifying Cities

New research finds evidence of racial "boundary movements," in older, denser U.S. cities. The research explains more about why gentrification feels like such a powerful force, for those experiencing its effects.

August 4, 2016 - CityLab

Pokemon

Summer Fun: Pokémon GO and Minecraft for Young Urbanists

Do video games have anything to teach kids? Hazel Borys says yes, in moderation.

August 4, 2016 - PlaceShakers

2016 TIGER Grants

2016 TIGER Grants Award $484 Million to 40 Winning Projects

The U.S. Department of Transportation announced the latest round of TIGER grants on July 28.

August 3, 2016 - Engineering News-Record

McDonald's

Big, Corporate 'Back to the City' Movement Continues

In the latest news, chemical company Chemours will remain in downtown Wilmington, Delaware's largest city. In June, McDonald's decamped from Chicago's suburbs for downtown. This latest corporate trend is the topic of a New York Times article.

August 3, 2016 - The New York Times

Denver International Airport

Many Cities Now Facing the Challenges of Prosperity

It might be possible for San Francisco residents to feel like the challenges of homelessness, gentrification, and a tech boom, all colliding at once, are unique to their city. Other cities—Denver for example—are facing the same challenges.

August 3, 2016 - San Francisco Chronicle

Moses-Saunders Power Dam

Calling for Approval of 'Plan 2014' to Restore Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River

Political leaders are still seeking support for the Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Plan 2014, which has been circulating since November 2014.

August 3, 2016 - American Rivers

Trump Announces $500 Billion-Plus Infrastructure Plan

The Republican nominee for president announced the early sketches of a sweeping infrastructure investment program—touted as at least doubling the program proposed by the Clinton campaign.

August 3, 2016 - Bloomberg Politics

Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge

Massachusetts Governor Says No to Vehicle Mileage Traveled Fee Pilot

A year ago Massachussetts looked like it could be one of the next states to adopt a vehicle mileage fee program. Not likely under this governor. Baker opposes an amendment that allows the state to apply for federal grant funding to study VMT fees.

August 3, 2016 - The Republican

Red Light Camera

Red Light Cameras Receive Endorsement from Influential Governors' Group

Calling it 'mind boggling' that municipalities are removing 'proven safety tools,' the Governors Highway Safety Association strongly endorsed the use of the controversial red light cameras to 'to improve safety for all road users.'

August 2, 2016 - Governors Highway Safety Association

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.