United States

Federal 'EB-5' Visa Program Driving Investment in the Rust Belt

The EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program has significant potential to drive more resources into America’s distressed urban cores, according to a recent report authored by Initiative for a Competitive Inner City.

July 9, 2014 - Governing

Bicycle traffic light in Berlin

Responding to the 'All Bikers are Scofflaws' Fallacy

NPR's Scott Simon, Peabody-winning journalist and the Saturday host of Morning Edition, recently set off a Twitter-storm when he called out bikers as scofflaws.

July 8, 2014 - Medium

Stormwater Systems as Development Incentives

The GreaterPlaces website gathered information from the "Shared Stormwater Systems as Economic Incentives" panel at the 2014 APA National Conference to outline how shared stormwater systems can enhance the environment and retain business.

July 8, 2014 - GreaterPlaces

Famous Mexico City traffic

Why and Where Driving is a Rational Choice

A recently released tool for analyzing the efficiency of travel modes in cities around the country reveals that driving is almost always a better choice—at least in travel time—than transit.

July 8, 2014 - The Washington Post - Wonkblog

United States Overtakes Saudi Arabia as World's #1 Oil Producer

Bloomberg News shares news of a report showing that the surge in shale oil production has made the United States the top oil and natural gas liquids producer in the first quarter of 2014 and discusses its impact on domestic and global oil prices.

July 7, 2014 - Bloomberg News

Lac-Mégantic One Year Later

July 6, 2014 marks the one-year anniversary of North America's most catastrophic energy calamity when a runaway oil unit train carrying Bakken crude exploded in this small Quebec town killing 47 people and incinerating ten blocks of its downtown.

July 6, 2014 - NPR

Heritage Action on Highway Trust Fund: There is No Crisis

Is Heritage Action in a state of denial? Keith Laing, The Hill's transportation reporter, reviews a recent blog from the powerful conservative group claiming that spending will decrease only 7% at most, thus no reason to increase taxes or spending.

July 5, 2014 - The Hill

Study: Diverse Neighborhoods Support Mental Health for the Elderly

A study published in Health & Place finds that those seeking good mental health well into their golden years should look to diverse neighborhoods rather than gated communities.

July 5, 2014 - Pacific Standard

Empty Swings

Operate Parks Like a Business

Mindy Craig makes the case for an evolution in the management of parks in an era of shrinking general fund allocations.

July 5, 2014 - Parks and Recreation Business

New Census Data Shows the Country's Age

Christopher Ingraham breaks down recent data from the U.S. Census that shows which counties are getting younger and which are getting older.

July 4, 2014 - The Washington Post - Wonkblog

America the Brewery-ful

Many communities around the country have welcomed breweries for their economic development and placemaking potential. Recent data from the U.S. Economic Census shows just how much the beer industry is growing.

July 4, 2014 - U.S. Census Bureau

Federal Transportation Funds to Decrease August 1

U.S. Treasury Secretary Anthony Foxx warned State DOT officials in a July 1 letter that due to declining funds in the highway account of the Highway Trust Fund, he will implement a new reimbursement policy that may cause some states to halt projects.

July 3, 2014 - The Huffington Post

U.S. Supreme Court Approves California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard

A key regulation in California's war on global warming emissions withstood a major court challenge by the energy industry—both oil and corn ethanol—when the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear their challenge to an Appeals Court ruling on June 30.

July 2, 2014 - San Francisco Chronicle

Liberals More Likely to Use Public Transit

Digging further into a recent report from the Pew Research Center that finds growing political polarization among Americans, Emily Badger finds use of public transit runs along ideological lines.

July 2, 2014 - The Washington Post - Wonkblog

Transparency about Hazardous Oil Shipments Possible After All

After the Federal Railroad Administration issued an emergency order on May 7 that Bakken information about oil shipments be shared with appropriate state agencies, question arose about whether that information could be shared with the public.

July 1, 2014 - Sacramento Bee

Not in my back yard

Census Data: Millennials Choosing the Suburbs; Babies Booming in Big Cities

Jed Kolko analyzes 2013 population estimates by age group for counties—the U.S. Census released the data late last week.

July 1, 2014 - Trulia Trends Blog

Study Ranks Life Sciences Industry Clusters

Lauren K. Ohnesorge shares the results of a recent study that ranks the strength of the life sciences industry in the nation's metropolitan areas. Boston leads the list.

June 30, 2014 - Triangle Business Journal

Domestic Millennial

Study: Millennials Will Soon Boost the Housing Industry

Although the recession disrupted household creation by Millennials, a new study from Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies suggests the generation will soon start to create households in large, influential numbers.

June 30, 2014 - The Washington Post

AIA Gold Medal Conferred to Julia Morgan, FAIA, at the 2014 AIA Convention

On the occasion of Julia Morgan, FAIA, AIA Gold Medal conferral, AIACC invited Sandhya Sood, AIA, to present a tribute.

June 29, 2014 - AIA California Council

New Maps Compare Travel Times by Mode

Want to know the fastest way to get where you're going? You Are Here has created a new visualization tool that shows you the fastest mode for your trip in 11 cities.

June 28, 2014 - You Are Here

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.