United States

What's to Come of America's Pedestrian Malls?

In a pictorial essay, Mark Byrnes chronicles the uneven legacy of 50 years of pedestrian malls, and the uncertain future for a redevelopment tool that has been derided in some cities and celebrated in others.

May 7, 2012 - The Atlantic Cities

Since the Charter Book, New Urbanism Has Changed

On the 16th anniversary of the signing of the 27 principles of the Charter of the New Urbanism, many will be pleased to know that a revised edition of the book based on those principles is being developed.

May 7, 2012 - Better! Cities & Towns

Jane Jacobs, Tea Partier?

On the anniversary of Jane Jacobs birth 96 years ago, Anthony Flint explores the striking similarities between the planning doyenne and anti-planning agitators.

May 5, 2012 - Better! Cities & Towns

Expansion on the Panama: A Boon for East Coast Ports?

In spite of doubts about economic viability, port cities on the Atlantic scramble to make room for mega cargo ships, Curtis Tate reports.

May 5, 2012 - McClatchy

What to Do With Your Architecture Degree

With only about half of those graduating from accredited architectural programs predicted to go on to become licensed architects, Sam Lubell looks at some of the other ways graduates are applying their skills.

May 4, 2012 - The Architect's Newspaper

Can Urban Regeneration Be Kickstarted?

Alexandra Lange argues why she thinks the model for crowdfunding made popular by the Kickstarter website "is not a suitable funding platform for a city."

May 4, 2012 - Observatory

Communities Increase Pay For Play

Matt Bevilacqua looks at the ways in which communities across America are attempting to shrink the "play deficit" afflicting the country's children.

May 4, 2012 - Next American City

Finding Joy Outside Our Cars

Sarah Goodyear explores the need to market non-automotive transportation on its emotional appeal, rather than reason, as argued by Darrin Nordahl in his new e-book, Making Transit Fun!

May 3, 2012 - The Atlantic Cities

The Many Strands of New Urbanism

The most influential planning trend of recent decades began with a small group of urbanists with varied interests who decided to pool their talents. Peter Katz, founding executive director of CNU, recounts their story and airs some dirty laundry.

May 3, 2012 - Better! Cities & Towns

The High-Tech Urban Experience, Now Standardized

The seven largest metros in the nation are teaming up to unify the technologies that are revolutionizing life in the city, Steve Towns reports.

May 2, 2012 - Governing

Making Metros Work

In an opinion piece for The Denver Post, Neal Peirce summarizes a new report on the practical ways in which metropolitan regions around the country are working across jurisdictional boundaries to lay the groundwork for prosperous futures.

May 2, 2012 - The Denver Post

Traffic Fatalities: How Manslaughter Became "Accidents"

Sarah Goodyear chronicles the transition of streets in America from public space to the exclusive domain of autos. Professor Peter Norton, author of "Fighting Traffic: Dawn of the Motor Age" explains the ingenuous strategy of the auto industry.

May 2, 2012 - The Atlantic Cities

Obama Attacks GOP Over Transportation Bill

In a speech yesterday to the AFL-CIO’s Building and Construction Trades Department Conference, President Obama made his most pointed remarks yet on the failure of the House to take up the Senate's bipartisan transportation bill.

May 1, 2012 - Transportation Nation

Honoring Intuition at Today's Tea Party

How communication based on emotion and intuition, rather than reason, may be the key to peaceful coexistence with Tea Partiers and Agenda 21ers.

May 1, 2012 - PlaceShakers

Scandal Threatens Wal-Mart's Urban Push

A bribery scandal recently uncovered by The New York Times is undoing years of hard work the retailer has engaged in to "polish its reputation and give elected officials, community groups and shoppers a reason to say yes to their stores."

May 1, 2012 - The New York Times

Should Your City Build Its Own Broadband Network?

April 30, 2012 - Christopher Mitchell

Bicycles Bring Booming Business

Tanya Snyder examines the various ways in which bicyclists bring increased business and added value to their local communities.

April 30, 2012 - DC Streetsblog

Do Cars = Freedom?

Forget for a minute what the answer to that question may be, and focus first on why the two ideas are associated with each other. As Dave Reid explains, it's no accident, but rather the result of a relentless marketing scheme by the auto industry.

April 29, 2012 - Urban Milwaukee

Next Transportation Bill In The Works, Finally!

SAFETEA-LU, the 2005 surface transportation funding bill, expired two years and seven months ago. Nine extensions later, the House and Senate will sit down and work out its successor in a conference committee after the House passed a tenth extension.

April 29, 2012 - The Hil

Where to Find America's Most Peaceful Places

Released earlier this week by the Institute for Economics and Peace, the annual United States Peace Index (USPI) analyzes peacefulness at the state and city levels, and the costs associated with violence. Richard Florida discusses its findings.

April 27, 2012 - The Atlantic Cities

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.