United States

Sprawl is Driven By Our Collective Unconscious

Richey Piiparinen argues that Americans don't necessarily want sprawl, but they are driven by unconscious motives, fears and hopes that haven't been properly dealt with yet.

May 6, 2011 - Rustwire.com

Community-Focused Sustainability Programs Thrive Amid Budget Cuts

Sustainability-focused programs offered at the federal level have received overwhelming support from communities and protection from budget cuts, even in an age of tightened budgets.

May 6, 2011 - Citiwire

Subtle Changes in American Density

Density -- either high or low or somewhere in the middle -- is a key defining element of our cities. In this essay, Witold Rybczynski looks at the relative densities of U.S. cities and suggests that things may start to change subtly.

May 5, 2011 - Wilson Quarterly

Megabus Makes Money

A private bus company with an internet-based reservation system is succeeding wildly, perhaps paving the way for successful bus transit (and away from rail).

May 5, 2011 - Providence Business News

New World Population Peak Forecasted: 10.1 Billion

The U.N.'s population division has increased their world population projection, previously set to peak at mid-century at 9 billion. Now they say it will continue growing to reach 10.1 billion by 2100, with Africa tripling its numbers.

May 5, 2011 - The New York Times - World

Transmission is Key for Wind Energy From the Sea

Building wind farms in the ocean is an ideal way to generate electricity, but it's not so easy to get that energy back to shore efficiently. This article looks as a transmission project that could address that issue.

May 5, 2011 - Popular Science

Does the U.S. Need More Highways?

National Journal asks its panel of experts whether the U.S. needs more highways, and if they should or shouldn't be a major part of transportation funding in the near future.

May 4, 2011 - National Journal

Funding Issues Keep American Tranposrtation Infrastructure Down

This article from The Economist explains why America's transportation system is failing, and how the federal government's infrastructure funding mechanisms are contributing to the decline.

May 4, 2011 - The Economist

The Chaos of Los Angeles

Conor Friedersdorf writes that Los Angeles is made up by 88 different municipalities, 10 million residents and a lot of unincorporated territory, making it difficult to decide who controls what.

May 3, 2011 - The Atlantic

Data Shows Internet Not Ruining Bricks-and-Mortar Retail

Counter-intuitively, Natl. Real Estate Investor says that sales in physical stores is supported by increases in broadband, and therefore the internet seems to enhance retail sales in shops.

May 3, 2011 - National Real Estate Investor

"Cycle Tracks" for Safety in Cities

Public health researcher Anne Lusk argues that installing bike routes separate from motor vehicles will boost cycling and make compact communities work better.

May 3, 2011 - New Urban Network

Forbes' "Best Cities for Jobs 2011"

Joel Kotkin teamed up with Michael Shires to produce the annual Best Cities for Jobs list for Forbes Magazine.

May 3, 2011 - New Geography

A New Strategy for Shrinking Cities

In this article, Roberta Brandes Gratz argues that demolition-based strategies are not an effective way for shrinking cities to promote revitalization. Instead, she cites a recent auction of blighted homes in New Orleans as a better alternative.

May 2, 2011 - Citiwire

Suburban Growth Still Leads, But in Changing Ways

Suburban population growth in the U.S. is still on the rise, but new trends show that those suburbs closest to urban cores and those farthest away are driving the growth.

May 2, 2011 - USA Today

The Urban Coyote, Reconsidered

Researchers are now discovering that the urban coyote plays a valuable role in restoring the food chain for the benefit of birds and other species.

May 2, 2011 - Audobon Magazine

Taking a Hike in Jane Jacobs' Hometown of Scranton

Community leaders hope to raise awareness and the profile of a beloved city daughter.

May 1, 2011 - The Scranton Times Tribune

NJ Gov. Christie on the Hook for $271 Million

New Jersey owes the Feds $271 million for canceling the infamous, $9 billion Hudson River rail tunnel. The state was ordered to pay up in not-so-subtle terms by DOT Secretary LaHood.

April 30, 2011 - The New York Times - N.Y. / Region

Friday Funny: Sustainable Energy Solutions are Key

Theodore Tremelstam argues that the United States desperately needs to develop alternate sources of fuel, awakening his buddy Bill at 3 o'clock in the morning in this Point/Counterpoint.

April 29, 2011 - The Onion

How Vacating Seniors Will Crash the Housing Market

The great senior sell-off, rising household sizes, dropping homeownership, tighter lending standards, and other reasons why the next decade will be a disaster for homebuilders, writes Robert Steuteville.

April 29, 2011 - New Urban Network

Remaking a Suburb into as Small Business Hub

Levittown is the quintessential American suburb. A new proposal seeks to reinvent it as a hub for small businesses.

April 28, 2011 - Fast Co. Design

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

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.