A Metro bus drives down a street on a rainy day. Parallel to the bus is a line of parked cars, then, a line of umbrellas.
LA Metro’s ultimatum: no extra buses for LA28 if federal funding isn’t imminently secured

If Metro does not provide additional buses, LA28 organizers will have to find a new way to manage Olympic traffic. LA28’s budget does not include a line item for transit.

September 17 - LAist

A map showing Brightline West's intended route from  Las Vegas to Rancho Cucamonga, California.
Brightline West’s future may rely on $6 billion federal loan

The company has until Nov. 2 to make a $400 million equity investment into its proposed high-speed rail line.

September 17 - Smart Cities Dive

"Planetizen federal action tracker" logo superimposed over black and white image of US Capitol dome.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

September 16 - Zachary Whalen

Book cover
Reigniting the city-building revolution

September 14 - Stephanie Rouse

Young Professional

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban & Environmental Planner

Get top-rated, practical training for planners

The Hoover Dam blocking the Colorado River. The river's water level is noticeably low. The cliffs surrounding the blue water are brown and jagged.

US to reduce Colorado River water deliveries to Mexico

A new Colorado Treaty amendment reduces Mexico’s Colorado River water allocation by 250,000 acre feet.

September 11 - The Arizona Republic

A blue and white train emerges from the Baltimore and Potomac Tunnel.

Amtrak’s $6 billion tunnel project moves closer to a faster Northeast Corridor

The Baltimore & Potomac Tunnel Replacement Program is Amtrak's largest-ever single infrastructure investment, and will pave the way for more reliable passenger rail service between Baltimore, Washington and Virginia.

September 13 - Daily Commercial News and Construction Record

NYC Mayor Zohran Mandami speaks behind a blue podium.

Mamdani overhauls NYC's Vision Zero plan with 100 new policy goals

The overhaul aims to reduce traffic deaths and make streets safer for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers through lower speed limits, new safety infrastructure and more.

September 16 - ABC 7 Eyewitness News

View of the mountain landscape near Boulder, Nevada. A town filled with houses with orange roofs is surrounded by mountains.

Judge strikes down Trump-backed data center on public land

The Biden administration originally approved the same patch of federal land for a solar farm in 2023.

September 13 - SFGate

One side of the image shows a Chicago bus stop without a bench, the second image shows the bus stop with a yellow and blue bench.

Guerilla urbanists are building DIY bus stop benches in Chicago

The new benches are not officially sanctioned or permitted, but the residents who placed them hope they will be the start of a network of DIY benches across the city.

September 16 - Block Club Chicago

Crowds in front of a theater

Why city hall doesn't know your music venue is a music venue (and why that matters)

Data shows that cultural venues have long lacked proper classification — which is why so many fall through the cracks.

September 10 - Chewi Lockhart

A rendering of one of the proposed stations. there are two roads separated by a grassy median in front of the tan station, and an elevated silver walkway leading people to the second floor.

NYC releases new renderings for $5.5 billion Interborough Express

The slated stations will have a modern look, enhanced lighting and improved audio announcements.

September 10 - Gothamist

A pile of tan rocks form a wall at the ruins of Tell Brak. They are surrounded by yellow grass.

Urbanism before the plan

Some of the first cities emerged without rulers or blueprints. Planners are now trying to recover what that process does well.

September 11 - Stefan Al

Against a cloudy sky, a group of planes cloud seed by spraying salt into the clouds.

Data center provider partners with “cloud seeding” company to artificially trigger rainfall

With cloud seeding, planes or drones release salt compounds into clouds to make them produce rain.

September 9 - The San Francisco Standard

A New Jersey train approaches people waiting at the station.

Amtrak not solely to blame for New Jersey commuter rail's unreliability, report finds

A new study from the Garden State Initiative found that NJ Transit’s budget grew 20% across a 4 year period, but reliability declined significantly over the same period.

September 15 - Mass Transit

A blue and white train emerges from the Baltimore and Potomac Tunnel.

Amtrak’s $6 billion tunnel project moves closer to a faster Northeast Corridor

The Baltimore & Potomac Tunnel Replacement Program is Amtrak's largest-ever single infrastructure investment, and will pave the way for more reliable passenger rail service between Baltimore, Washington and Virginia.

September 13 - Daily Commercial News and Construction Record

A SEPTA Silverline IV train drives towards the camera.

SEPTA receives $13.3 million to replace fire-prone train cars

The transit agency said it could be seven years before the replacement train cars come to Philadelphia.

September 3 - Philadelphia Inquirer

An Amtrak conductor walks parallel to an Amtrak train.

Amtrak announces new ‘System Expansion Committee’

The five initial members will oversee the expansion of rail service and the development of sustainable funding strategies.

September 3 - Mass Transit

A dark green Airo train on the train tracks.

Washington and Oregon receive first new Amtrak trains in decades

The Airo trains promise shorter commutes, more frequent trips and fewer emissions than their predecessors.

August 26 - Grist

A New Jersey train approaches people waiting at the station.

Amtrak not solely to blame for New Jersey commuter rail's unreliability, report finds

A new study from the Garden State Initiative found that NJ Transit’s budget grew 20% across a 4 year period, but reliability declined significantly over the same period.

September 15 - Mass Transit

A blue and white train emerges from the Baltimore and Potomac Tunnel.

Amtrak’s $6 billion tunnel project moves closer to a faster Northeast Corridor

The Baltimore & Potomac Tunnel Replacement Program is Amtrak's largest-ever single infrastructure investment, and will pave the way for more reliable passenger rail service between Baltimore, Washington and Virginia.

September 13 - Daily Commercial News and Construction Record

A SEPTA Silverline IV train drives towards the camera.

SEPTA receives $13.3 million to replace fire-prone train cars

The transit agency said it could be seven years before the replacement train cars come to Philadelphia.

September 3 - Philadelphia Inquirer

An Amtrak conductor walks parallel to an Amtrak train.

Amtrak announces new ‘System Expansion Committee’

The five initial members will oversee the expansion of rail service and the development of sustainable funding strategies.

September 3 - Mass Transit

A dark green Airo train on the train tracks.

Washington and Oregon receive first new Amtrak trains in decades

The Airo trains promise shorter commutes, more frequent trips and fewer emissions than their predecessors.

August 26 - Grist

Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

1.25 AICP CM

Instructor Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places—Economics, the Environment, Public Health, Equity, and Social Cohesiveness—in order to arm practitioners with the full range of arguments in favor of pro-walkability planning.

 

View Course

AICP EXAM PREP DID YOU KNOW THAT... 90% Pass with us, 65% pass overall.

Planetizen AICP Exam Preparation Class

90% of students who took AICP Exam Preparation Class passed the exam and became AICP certified.


Learn More

Earn AICP CM credits

Browse Courses Available for AICP Credit

Planetizen Courses provides an easy way for AICP certified planners to earn CM credits.


Browse Courses

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Urban Planning Mobile Apps in 2023

Planning apps for a brave new world.

Top Websites

The best of the Internet—since 2002.

Top Schools

The Top Graduate Urban Planning Programs in the U.S.


Planetizen Schools Directory

Search the definitive online directory of academic programs in urban planning and related fields.

View Directory Right Arrow Link Icon

Planetizen Guide to Graduate Urban Planning Programs cover image

Planetizen Guide to Graduate Urban Planning Programs

The Guide is the only comprehensive ranking and listing of graduate urban planning programs available.

Learn More