United States

Cities Losing Black Populations

Cities with high populations of black Americans are losing them, according to figures form the U.S. Census Bureau.

March 24, 2011 - USA Today

FHWA Approves Contraflow Bike Lanes

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) confirmed contraflow bike lanes with proper signage and pavement markings as permissible under the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD).

March 23, 2011 - TheCityFix.com

More Techno-Travelers on Transit - Unless It's Crowded

The Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development made over 16,000 observations of portable tech usage on airplains, trains, and buses. Their findings show that there is a increase of tech use on transit, but usage is reliant on users having space.

March 23, 2011 - TransportationNation.Org

Physically Modeling and Understanding Floods in the U.S.

Despite efforts to stop them, floods hammered the U.S. in the early 20th century. A now abandoned model of the Mississippi river, its tributaries and surrounding lands was built to better understand how to combat those floods.

March 23, 2011 - Places

NPR Reports On Freeway Conversion Movement

WCPN reporter interviews a commuter who is annoyed by a plan to make her commute longer - but it becomes clear that the suburbanite's faster commute is at the expense of an urban neighborhood.

March 23, 2011 - NPR

Municipal Bond Defaults Unlikely

Many voices have raised concerns over municipalities defaulting on bonds during these tough economic times. But as this op-ed argues, those concerns are misguided.

March 22, 2011 - The New York Times

Bus Standards Changed for Heavier Americans

The Federal Transit Authority (FTA) has been making decisions for years about transit capacity using weight standards from 1962. The FTA is proposing to update the average American from 150 to 175 pounds to better reflect reality.

March 22, 2011 - USA Today

The Costs of Sprawl Defined

The financial consequences of sprawl are steep, and also broad, affecting budgets in places we might not even think of, writes architect Steve Mouzon.

March 21, 2011 - The Original Green Blog

$4 per Gallon Gas – Are We Ready?

With gas prices increasing rapidly, Scott Bernstein of the Center for Neighborhood Technology says the most effective solution is to reduce the demand by creating more "location-efficient" communities.

March 21, 2011 - Scott Bernstein

Tracking Recovery in American Metros

This latest report from The Brookings Institution tracks economic recovery in 100 American metropolitan areas

March 21, 2011 - The Brookings Institution

Population Change in America's Biggest Metros

This post crunches the numbers from the U.S. Census Bureau to track population growth in America's largest metropolitan areas between 2000 and 2010.

March 21, 2011 - Urbanophile

Why Cities Should Be Mad About Federal Defense Spending

Cities should be mad about the federal government's cutting of discretionary spending and not reducing defense spending, according to this column from Neal Peirce.

March 20, 2011 - Citiwire

The New Urban Design Undergrad

The New School is now offering an undergraduate degree in urban design. Urban Omnibus talks with the program's director about why the program was created and what it intends to accomplish.

March 20, 2011 - Urban Omnibus

Cities Could See Boost as Former Fed Emanuel Takes Office

As one of the highest ranking federal officials to take on the role of city mayor, newly elected Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel could provide a boon to his city and others.

March 19, 2011 - Governing

TOD is Greener Than Green

It's official, says the EPA: Living in a TOD reduces greenhouse gas emissions more than living in a green, single family home and driving a Prius. The study places major emphasis on local land use decisions in an effort to fight climate change.

March 18, 2011 - New Urban Network

Walt Disney's Unrealized City

Planner Sam Gennawey uncovers the inspirations and influences that Walt Disney was pulling from in designing his unbuilt "Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow," a real city of 20,000 people that was to go where the EPCOT theme park is today.

March 18, 2011 - MiceAge

Parks in the Realm of Landscapes and Infrastructures

Are parks landscapes or infrastructures -- or can they be both? This question is broached in this wide-reaching interview on the role of parks in cities with landscape architect Gerdo Aquino.

March 18, 2011 - Archinect

The Changing Role of Cemeteries as Parks

America's first public parks were cemeteries. But over time, they've moved from the center of town to the edges. A new book looks at the history of these places of the dead.

March 18, 2011 - The Atlantic

Walmart Heads for D.C.

A proposed D.C. development would place hundreds of apartments above a store, but other projects emphasize parking, not pedestrian-friendly streets. Chicago and New York also face Walmart campaigns.

March 17, 2011 - New Urban Network

Study: Regular City Drivers Go Car-Free for 1 Week

The study conducted by Latitude Research and Next American City followed 18 participants in San Francisco and Boston as they ditched their automobiles for other transit options.

March 17, 2011 - Next American City

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.