United States

View of dried-up Colorado River

Federal Program Provides Direct Payments for Colorado River Water Conservation

A water buyback program will pay farmers who reduce their water use in an effort to sustain the West’s reservoirs, which are at historically low levels.

October 16, 2022 - KUNC

Self-Driving Cars

National Transportation Safety Board Recommend Speed Limiters for U.S. Automobiles

While advocates say technology can be a critical tool in reducing the carnage on U.S. roads, CNN can't get over the idea as an invasion of privacy and personal liberty.

October 14, 2022 - Jalopnik

Brick apartment building with For Rent sign

Renting on the Rise, With Consequences for Neighborhoods

A higher share of Americans are renters than at any point in decades. Neighborhoods all over the country, especially in downtowns, have many more renters than they did in 2010.

October 14, 2022 - RentCafé

A image of the World's Columbian Exposition overlayed with a picture of Keanu Reeves in the rain from the movie Point Break.

Keanu Reeves, Daniel Burnham Dream No Longer a Reality

Keanu Reeves will no longer portray Daniel Burnham in a film adaptation of The Devil in the White City.

October 13, 2022 - Variety

Adobe and wood bus stop shelter on deserted road in Navajo Nation

FTA Announces $9 Million in Tribal Transit Funding

The money will be distributed among 25 tribal communities to improve key transit services.

October 13, 2022 - Federal Transit Administration

Close-up of person eating sandwich and texting while driving

Study: Many Driver Assist Users Consider Their Cars Self-Driving

Almost half of drivers using Tesla and GMC driver assist technology report feeling comfortable treating their cars as fully autonomous.

October 12, 2022 - TechCrunch

Man crossing crosswalk with seeing eye dog and cane

Opinion: Make Safe, Slow Streets the Default

For people with disabilities or limited mobility, a lack of safe infrastructure can cause significant disruptions, delays, and safety hazards.

October 12, 2022 - Next City

For sale sign with SOLD sign pasted over it in front of white suburban house

Seven Charts Highlight the Strangeness of the Housing Market

The unique conditions created during the last few years have upended the U.S. housing market and led to some unusual trends.

October 12, 2022 - Bloomberg News

Worker performing maintenance work on the Brooklyn Bridge, New York City

Feds Release $60 Billion for Roads, Bridges, and Carbon Reduction

The funding comes from last year’s infrastructure law and will be distributed among the states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.

October 12, 2022 - The Hill

Garden with bee houses labeled 'bee hotel' and scarecrow

How Pollinators Fight Warming Cities

Researchers are starting to understand how urban bee populations can support healthy green spaces and reduce the urban heat island effect.

October 11, 2022 - Wired

"NO Public Restroom" sign on restaurant window

Opinion: Opening Restrooms to Public Is Good for Business

For many people with chronic illnesses, access to public restrooms can be a critical medical issue. Incentivizing businesses to open their restrooms can fill a critical gap in U.S. cities.

October 9, 2022 - Bloomberg CityLab

House under construction

Housing Construction Slowest at Both Ends of Wealth Spectrum

Communities with the slowest rates of new housing construction are either heavily undervalued, leading developers to avoid them, or extremely wealthy, giving residents leverage to employ zoning and land use to block development.

October 9, 2022 - Urban Institute

Wildlife crossing bridge over roadway in Banff, Canada with snow-topped mountains in background

Wildlife Crossings as Key Infrastructure

Animal-vehicle collisions cause billions in property damage, hundreds of human deaths, and dramatic losses in animal populations every year. Monitoring migration and building for animals can make roads safer for everyone.

October 6, 2022 - Governing

Cashless fare validator on bus with blue seat upholstery

Study: In Lieu of Free Fares, Transit Needs a Cash Option

Many of the riders who rely on public transit the most are also least likely to be able to use cashless fare systems.

October 5, 2022 - Newswise

Flooded street with historic home in Charleston, South Carolina

As Development in Flood-Prone Areas Continues, Cities Are Slow to Respond

Drawn by affordable property, low taxes, and job opportunities, high numbers of Americans continue to move to flood-prone areas even as the threat of catastrophic flooding grows.

October 5, 2022 - The Washington Post

Man with leather messenger bag riding CitiBike bike on New York street

The Resilience of Bikeshare

The inherent simplicity of bikes makes shared mobility systems a crucial transportation option during natural disasters.

October 4, 2022 - Bloomberg CityLab

Quarry House nestled among trees in Park City, Utah

Winners of the 2022 American Society of Landscape Architects

The Society’s annual awards highlight projects focused on reconnecting communities to the landscape and creating healthy community spaces.

October 4, 2022 - American Society Of Landscape Architects

Woman in wheelchair working at a home office desk

How Remote Work is Changing the Playing Field for Workers With Disabilities

The more widespread acceptance of working from home is helping millions of Americans with disabilities get back into the workforce and find better job opportunities.

October 4, 2022 - Bloomberg

People post for photos in front of a colorful mural in the evening.

Placemaking: Building on the ‘Soul’ of a Place

Placemaking is often mistaken for a form of manufacturing. Every place already has a story to tell—placemaking just brings that story forward.

October 4, 2022 - Brian Chambers

Los Angeles sprawl

The Inflation Reduction Act Missed a Chance to Rein in Car-Dependent Sprawl

The federal government is so far unwilling to reverse course on car-dependent sprawl. The Inflation Reduction Act is the latest example.

October 3, 2022 - Metropolis

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.

Senior Manager Operations, Urban Planning

New York City School Construction Authority

Building Inspector

Village of Glen Ellyn

Manager of Model Development

Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO

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.