United States

Flooding at the Whitehall Street station, New York

How Extreme Weather Threatens Transit Systems

As weather events become more intense and unpredictable, transit agencies must take steps to protect their aging infrastructure from flooding, storms, and extreme heat.

August 18, 2022 - Next City

Close-up of car tailpipe emitting smoke

Federal Rule Would Require Regional Emissions Reduction Targets

A rule shelved during the Trump administration would require states and metropolitan areas to set targets for reducing tailpipe emissions, but advocates say it doesn’t go far enough to mandate results.

August 18, 2022 - Governing

An image of the Sample Gates at the entrance of the college campus of Indiana University Bloomington, with a street and the city in the background.

Cost of Living Rising Sharply for College Students

High inflation, rising tuition costs, and a competitive housing market are making it hard for college students to make ends meet.

August 18, 2022 - Bloomberg Wealth

South San Jose houses

The Housing Crisis: No Longer Just a Coastal Concern

The pandemic accelerated existing trends and created unsustainable housing demand in a wider range of towns and cities, exacerbated by outdated zoning restrictions.

August 17, 2022 - The Atlantic

Crosswalk button with illustration of visually impaired pedestrian

The Sound of Silence: Designing Electric Vehicles for Safety

Near-silent electric vehicles pose a danger to people with visual impairments, so engineers are studying ways to make the vehicles audible while maintaining the benefits of quieter streets.

August 17, 2022 - The New Yorker

Pedestrians on a city street

The Freedom To Choose Your Own Pace

An opinion piece highlights the benefits of slow transportation, a luxury seldom available in our speed-obsessed society.

August 17, 2022 - Streetsblog USA

Row of manufactured homes on an asphalt street

Protecting America’s Manufactured Housing

Governments at all levels are finally waking up to the benefits of protecting and encouraging the production of factory-built homes, which offer an affordable, efficient form of housing that many Americans depend on.

August 17, 2022 - Governing

Line of colorful golf carts parked outside restaurant in The Villages, Florida

Why Golf Carts Could Quietly Revolutionize Transportation

More communities are catching on to the benefits of golf carts as a safe, low-emissions mode of transport for neighborhood trips.

August 16, 2022 - Slate

California condor spreading its wings, sitting on a rock

Wildlife Bill Aims To Protect All Vulnerable Species

A bill set to pass in the U.S. Senate would inject billions into wildlife conservation and species restoration efforts.

August 16, 2022 - Vox

View of Saratoga Lake from shore

This Manufactured Home Park Will Soon Be Boat Storage, But One Resident Stays To Fight

Angela Kaufman purchased what she thought would be her longtime home in a mobile home community. Less than a year after she moved, the park was sold and residents were told they had to go.

August 16, 2022 - Shelterforce Magazine

Embarcadero

Freeway Removal Movement Slowly Gains Steam

Although the concept has recently received more national attention thanks in part to the federal Reconnecting Communities Act, cities have shown reluctance to support highway removal projects.

August 15, 2022 - Governing

Fracking

The Surprising Oil Tax in the Inflation Reduction Act

President Biden has made reducing gas prices paramount in his administration, so it was likely a surprise to hear a Republican senator last Sunday warn TV viewers that a revived and increased oil fee in the climate bill will increase their gas costs.

August 15, 2022 - Bloomberg News

Close-up of two people pointing at a printed city map with pencils with a laptop in the background

Digital Tool ‘Gamifies’ Planning Decisions

Interactive platforms help stakeholders visualize and understand the challenges faced by planners in distributing new housing construction, building infrastructure, and other projects.

August 14, 2022 - Bloomberg

U.S> Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg delivers a speech in front of a bridge in Washington, D.C. The podium where he stands has a sign that reads: "Building a Better America."

$2.2 Billion in RAISE Grant Funding Announced for Transportation Projects

The Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) competitive grant program, supersized by the federal infrastructure bill in 2021, just announced a new round of funding.

August 11, 2022 - U.S. Department Of Transportation

An aerial view of Los Angeles at dawn, with Westlake and MacArthur Park in the foreground and Downtown Los Angeles in the background.

Did L.A.’s Supportive Housing Bond Fail?

Six years after Prop HHH was passed, the fund appears to be delivering on its housing construction goals in the 10-year timeline. But the measure is being routinely criticized on all sides.

August 11, 2022 - Shelterforce Magazine

Women Public Space

Urban Design Through a Gender Lens

Building cities to be safe and accessible for women and LGBTQIA+ people has benefits for all users of public space.

August 11, 2022 - Architecture Daily

Dallas Freeways

A How-To for ‘Freeway Fighters’

Ten recommendations for effective freeway removal advocacy.

August 11, 2022 - Strong Towns

Cars lined up on a street with fire burning in background

Fire Evacuation Planning at the Community Level

Wildfire planning often focuses on individual buildings, but little guidance exists for effective citywide evacuation planning.

August 10, 2022 - The Atlantic

Vision Zero

How Communities Can Leverage Federal Vision Zero Funding To Make Streets Safer

Two safe streets advocates give their recommendations for how to effectively use the $1 billion in annual funding available through a federal grant program.

August 10, 2022 - Streetsblog USA

Rendering of Memorial Park land bridge

ASLA Commits to Profession-Wide Climate Action

The American Society of Landscape Architects has assembled a task force to create an action plan focused on climate change and biodiversity.

August 10, 2022 - ASLA The Dirt

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.