United States

Aerial view of a line of freight trucks driving on a country highway.

How Cities Can Lead the Way in Reducing Transportation Emissions

Decisions made at the local level can have a significant impact on emissions in the transportation sector.

May 23, 2024 - Governing

White minibus with yellow "On-Demand" logo parked in an asphalt lot with grass field and dry fall trees in background in Edmonton, Canada.

Is Microtransit a Threat to ‘Real Transit’?

A new report warns that microtransit is nothing more than a taxpayer funded Uber with potentially dangerous consequences for existing traditional transit services.

May 22, 2024 - Streetsblog USA

Close-up of back windshield of Waymo autonomous car.

NHTSA Launches Investigations Into Two More Self-Driving Automakers

The federal agency is responding to reports of crashes and erratic behavior from Waymo and Zoox vehicles.

May 21, 2024 - Smart Cities Dive

Black and white tinted photo of underground parking garage with black floor, white crosswalk, and harsh lighting.

New Map Compiles Parking Reform Efforts Nationwide

The interactive tool helps citizens and policymakers understand parking reform at a broader level and zero in on state-level legislation.

May 21, 2024 - Parking Reform Network

Acela train at Wilmington station in Wilmington, Delaware.

The Passenger Rail Revival Is Here

For the first time in decades, multiple rail projects are moving forward that could have a transformative impact on train travel in the United States.

May 21, 2024 - Route Fifty

Apartment For Rent Sign

HUD Proposal Would Soften ‘One-Strike’ Policy

Formerly incarcerated people are often barred from publicly subsidized housing, putting them at higher risk for homelessness and recidivism.

May 20, 2024 - Truthout

A city council meeting.

Is 'Hacking' a Planning Commission a Good Idea?

Does giving short shrift to grassroots tradition cut against the dynamics of community-based decision-making?

May 20, 2024 - Resurgence: A Journey via Substack

View from above of wood-frame multifamily housing under construction next to green trees.

Biggest US Housing Gains in Southern and Western States

Nationwide increases in housing stock since 2020 mirror post-pandemic moving patterns, with six states in the West and South accounting for half of new units.

May 20, 2024 - Stateline

Herd of cattle grazing in field with cowboy on horse watching them.

BLM Grazing Lands Largely Fail Health Assessment

Grazing lands under the agency’s management are not meeting its own criteria for ecosystem conservation and sustainable use.

May 19, 2024 - High Country News

Close-up from back of woman walking on crosswalk with two small children on either side of her riding bicycles with training wheels.

When Small Projects Make a Big Impact

Small, mundane infrastructure projects can make meaningful changes for pedestrian and bike safety.

May 19, 2024 - Mayors Innovation Project

Grand Coulee Dam in Washington state.

Northwest Power Demand Could Surge as Data Centers, Transportation Electrification Ramps Up

New estimates project a steady increase in electricity demand due to population growth, data centers, and the shift to electric power in homes, buildings, and transportation.

May 17, 2024 - Governing

Close-up of 'Pay rent' note in red marker on day 1 of monthly calendar.

After Months of Decreases, Rents Nationwide Are Going Up

Average rents rose by $12 around the country so far this year.

May 17, 2024 - Smart Cities Dive

Concrete building wth Department of Housing and Urban Development sign

HUD Proposes Updates to HOME Grant Program

The agency’s proposal would streamline and modernize its largest affordable housing grant program, which will award $1.3 billion in FY 2024.

May 16, 2024 - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

One-story strip mall with red awnings.

‘Stroads:’ The Worst of Both Worlds

An urban planning critic says the U.S. should build streets for people to live on, and roads to move traffic quickly.

May 15, 2024 - The Wall Street Journal

Green Stormwater Infrastructure

Opinion: Cities Need Green Infrastructure to Weather Future Storms

How ‘sponge cities’ can protect residents and conserve water.

May 15, 2024 - Next City

A small town in the U.S. Midwest at dusk, with cars parked on a street lined with historic buildings and a water tower in the distance.

Small Towns Grow Faster Than Cities for First Time in Decades

Cities of 4 million or more people lost 600,000 residents to domestic migration.

May 15, 2024 - Bloomberg CityLab

Deralict stone prison building with turrets and a chain link fence in foreground, under a gray, cloudy sky.

‘Shawshank Redemption’: 5 Adaptive Reuse Strategies for Shuttered Jails

Redeveloping closed correctional facilities in ways that foster just and thriving communities is a growing trend across the United States.

May 15, 2024 - Vera

Cyclists riding on green painted bike lane protected by flexible post delineators in Chicago, Illinois.

Study: Lack of Safe Infrastructure Keeps People Away From Active Transportation

Roughly two-thirds of respondents to an REI Co-op survey said they would ride bikes more if protected bike lanes and other safety measures were more prevalent in their communities.

May 15, 2024 - REI Co-op

Aerial view of Fort Martin coal power plant near Morgantown, West Virginia.

Red States Challenge Biden Rules That Threaten Coal Power Plants

The publication in the Federal Register on May 9 of the Environmental Protection Agency's New Source Performance Standards for Greenhouse Gas Emissions from new power plants triggered the filing of 25 lawsuits from Republican-led states.

May 14, 2024 - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Children sit on temporary street furniture next to book cart at pop-up reading event at open streets event in Sunset Park in New York City.

Third Spaces and Public Life

Public parks, libraries, and other social infrastructure foster community connections and stave off loneliness. Why are they increasingly deprioritized in civic life?

May 14, 2024 - The Deseret News

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Websites

The best of the Internet—since 2002.

Top Apps

Planning apps for a brave new world.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

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.