United States

New AARP Study Finds Older Americans Redefining 'Livable'

"People in the United States are getting older. But increasingly, they don't want to live in some old folks' community," writes Sarah Goodyear. As the number of Americans over 65 grows, concepts like aging in place are gaining new pertinence.

April 28, 2014 - Atlantic Cities

Secretary Foxx Talks Funding (and Possibly Tolling)

A recent article by Yonah Freemark details the policy agenda of Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx, the former mayor of Charlotte and successor of well-regarded Transportation Secretary Ray La Hood.

April 26, 2014 - Metropolitan Planning Council - The Connector

How the Sharing Economy Brings Strangers Together

Sharing economy companies encourage personal interactions to improve customer satisfaction and trust among users.

April 26, 2014 - Wired.com

Policy First; Then Technology

Civic leaders chime in on how policy should guide technology and smart cities initiatives.

April 26, 2014 - Wired.com

NOAA Launching Storm Surge Mapping System

Americans tend to pay more attention to wind strength than storm surge when evaluating whether or not to evacuate before a hurricane. A new NOAA mapping project is designed to change perceptions about the multiple risks of storm events.

April 25, 2014 - Reuters

Explaining the National Economy's Real Estate Doldrums

Despite the housing boom in certain markets (such as New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco), the real estate market is nowhere near the economic driver it once was.

April 25, 2014 - New York Times - The Upshot

Canada Acts while U.S. Lags on Rail Oil Tank Car Safety

Transport Canada jumped past U.S. DOT on April 23 by taking decisive action on "exploding" oil tank cars that are traveling throughout North America due largely to an insufficient oil pipeline network. Within three years, the older cars must go.

April 25, 2014 - The Olympian

Renewables Account for 92 Percent of New Power in the United States

Although the United States built less new energy capacity than in the same time period last year, renewable energy dominated the capacity to come online so far in 2014.

April 24, 2014 - Next City

'Sticks' and 'Carrots' Required to Build a Mature Transportation System

Gabe Klein says cities can do a better job providing mobility by focusing on the sticks and carrots of transportation—improving transportation options and creating disincentives to driving, respectively.

April 24, 2014 - Atlantic Cities

Charrettes

Engage; Don’t Rage: Use a Design Charrette to Negotiate Your Next Development Proposal

Despite the investments required of a design charrette, Robert Freedman makes the case that the process can save time and money on complex projects by way of three primary benefits.

April 24, 2014 - Robert Freedman

Transportation Considerations for Aging Populations

An article on PlannersWeb details the considerations relevant to the needs of people over 65, who are growing more multi-modal and car-independent every year.

April 24, 2014 - PlannersWeb

Complete Street Vancouver

What Millennials Want: A Multi-Modal City

A recent study finds evidence of an overwhelming desire by Millennials to live multi-modal, car-lite lifestyles. They're even prepared to move to find what they want.

April 24, 2014 - Transportation for America

Busy Crossing Street

Big Data’s Victory Over Anonymity

A writer laments the advances made by data collection in cities—once a location where people could maintain or seek anonymity.

April 23, 2014 - New York Times

Senator Elizabeth Warren’s Candid Take on the Foreclosure Crisis

The Boston Globe provides an excerpt from the new book by Senator Elizabeth Warren, wherein she recounts her troubled reaction to a conversation with then Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner.

April 23, 2014 - The Boston Globe

Neil DeGrasse Tyson

Will the Neil deGrasse Tyson of Planning Please Stand Up?

Do you have to be a “plannerd” to think planning is cool? Is there a planner alive who can bridge the divide between the mysteries of planning and general public interest? One writer dares to hope.

April 23, 2014 - Medium

A Brief History of Your Neighborhood

While some contend that our communities are sculpted by an unfettered free market, there are a variety of programs and policies that underwrite the costs of poorly planned development. "A Brief History of Your Neighborhood" examines a few.

April 23, 2014 - Community Builders

Commute

Which Cities Get to Work Early (or Late)?

According to new analysis by Nate Silver, New York City might be more aptly described as the city that sleeps in.

April 23, 2014 - Five Thirty Eight

Alley Scene

Alleyways as Pathways to Urban Revitalization

From D.C. to Seattle, alleys are being reinvented as people-friendly spaces. Often perceived as dirty and dangerous, alleys are moving beyond garbage and garages to become havens for pedestrians, public art, and small business.

April 22, 2014 - Elevation DC

Rainy Biker

Which States Best Prioritize Walking and Biking?

The most recent coverage of the Alliance for Biking and Walking’s 2014 Benchmark report compares each of the states for how much federal transportation funding they devote to active transportation.

April 21, 2014 - Streetsblog USA

Public Meeting

Strengthening the Bond between People and Placemaking

A research team at MIT Urban Studies and Planning, led by Susan Silberberg, released a paper examining “the interactions between placemaking, community participation, and the expanding ways communities are collaborating to make great public places.”

April 21, 2014 - Project For Public Spaces

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.