The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

African American man in a wheelchair filling out paper ballot at a polling station with American flags in background.

Making Voting Accessible to Everyone

Voters with disabilities often have a hard time getting to the polls. Mail-in voting helps, but some states are limiting it.

August 5 - Mother Jones

A bus stop in Philadelphia, where people wait under a glass shelter for a bus as it arrives.

SEPTA Faces Service Cuts

Philadelphia wants its city workers back in the office, but getting there may be a challenge.

August 5 - Governing

Spray painted words "Tourist Go Home" on wall in Barcelona illustrate locals' frustration with overtourism.

BLOG POST

Balancing Act: 7 Strategies to Curb Overtourism

What’s a popular travel destination to do? From ice cream bans to “Stay Away” marketing campaigns, cities and countries across the world are getting creative in their efforts to curb the negative impacts of mass tourism and tourists behaving badly.

August 5 - Mary Hammon

Manhattan brick apartments with AC units on windows.

NYC Lawmaker Proposes Mandatory Cooling Law

Despite hundreds of heat-related deaths every year, the city has no regulations on cooling in residential units.

August 5 - Word In Black

Empty street with crosswalk lit by two tall street lights at night.

Study: Crosswalk Lighting Radically Improves Pedestrian Safety

In what should come as a surprise to no one, drivers are much more likely to yield to pedestrians when they can actually see them.

August 4 - Smart Cities Dive


Front entrance of emergency room at hospital in Orlando, Florida.

Heat-Related ER Visits Soar in Florida

The state has the most heat-related hospital visits in the nation, but efforts to create protections for outdoor workers and other vulnerable residents have been stymied by state legislators.

August 4 - Governing

Wood-framed houses under construction with brick-covered completed homes in background.

BLOG POST

Project 2025 and Housing Policy

The Heritage Foundation has issued Project 2025, a list of policy proposals for the next Republican administration. On housing, it seems to embody a range of perspectives.

August 4 - Michael Lewyn


Golden sunset view of New York City subway train on elevated track with Empire State Building in background

New York MTA Officials Warn of Massive Budget Gaps Without Congestion Pricing

The agency will lose hundreds of millions in projected congestion pricing revenue, forcing cuts to expansion plans.

August 4 - Smart Cities Dive

Aerial view of Wasco viaduct built for California HIgh-Speed Rail project.

50,000 California State Fairgoers Visit High-Speed Rail Exhibit

An interactive exhibit offered visitors a glimpse into the future rail system.

August 2 - Newsweek

View of San Francisco from top of hill with Victorian houses in foreground.

San Francisco Bans Rent Fixing Software

The Board of Supervisors unanimously supported a bill that bars landlords from using software that critics say facilitates collusion between landlords.

August 2 - San Francisco Examiner

A black-and-white photo of a team of white horses pulling a trolley car along a track on a New York City Street, facing the camera.

FEATURE

Mass Transit and Manure: New York’s Lost Era of Horse-Drawn Streetcars

For all the problems we have with today's mass transit system, at least we no longer have to deal with the smell and literal waste of the modern bus and light rail systems' predecessors: horse-drawn streetcars.

August 2 - William Roka

View of cars stuck in gridlocked traffic with traffic lights in background

Report: Americans Must Reduce Driving to Meet Climate Goals

A USDOT report calls for a set of strategies including but not limited to electrification of the transportation sector.

August 2 - Streetsblog USA

Traffic on a highway in Dallas, Texas.

Traffic Tech is Helping Texas Curb Road Deaths

The state is deploying AI-assisted technology to identify dangerous road segments and improve signal timing.

August 1 - Route Fifty

Text that reads July's Must Reads: Planetizen's Top 10 Articles from Last Month with a photo of an Amtrak train traveling through the Utah desert.

BLOG POST

July’s Must Reads: Top 10 Articles from Last Month

In case you missed them, here were the biggest urban planning news items, features, and blogs from last month, including 15 new Amtrak routes, Florida’s EV law, California’s rail update, fare-free buses in Tucson, and more.

August 1 - Mary Hammon

Servers in a data center.

Data Centers Gaining Ground in Central Ohio

Massive data centers are gobbling up energy resources and tax breaks while creating few jobs in the region.

August 1 - Governing

7 Bus Chicago CTA

Chicago Pumps the Brakes on BRT

City officials say funding for dedicated bus lanes could take years, but other improvements could speed up bus service.

August 1 - Chicago Sun-Times

Brick New York City apartment building exterior with fire escape stairs and AC window units.

Beating Extreme Heat Through Community Efforts

U.S. cities don't provide residents with enough protection against heat, the deadliest weather-related killer in the world. In New York City, one organization came together to distribute ACs to neighbors in need.

August 1 - Shelterforce Magazine

Blue "Welcome to Maine" road sign.

Maine Mobility Advocates Question Highway Expansion

State transportation officials say a proposed road expansion project would reduce congestion — if coupled with transit initiatives.

August 1 - Energy News Network

A Place to Recover from Illness: How Medical Respite Programs Help Unhoused People Heal

For people experiencing homelessness, recuperating after a hospitalization is difficult. Medical respite programs can help. Why aren't they more common?

August 1 - Shelterforce Magazine

Palm trees on Santa Barbara beach against the red glow of a wildfire

Wildfires Explode Across the West

Multiple massive fires are burning across the Western United States and Canada, prompting governments to explore new mitigation and response strategies.

August 1 - Inside Climate News

Post News

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.

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.