Infrastructure Investment

Construction workers, bulldozer, and unfinished bridge or highway sillhouetted against orange sunset sky

How Does an Economic Downturn Impact City Infrastructure?

From budget cuts to delayed maintenance projects, cities adapt, prioritize, and innovate amidst financial challenges to ensure sustainable and resilient urban environments.

July 6, 2023 - Devin Partida

A piece of the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge while under construction.

How the Discount Rate Impacts Future Generations

A wonky policy tool can have significant effects on how public and private money is spent.

April 13, 2023 - Vox

Front entrance of Citrus Heights City Hall, Citrus Heights, California

How Infrastructure Improvements Spur Economic Development

A formerly underutilized corridor in Citrus Heights, California is being transformed into a vibrant, walkable street—and stimulating economic growth in the process.

February 22, 2022 - California League of Cities

Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority

Ohio Plans for $1.3 Billion Federal Transit Investment

Ohio lawmakers say new federal funding will help the state improve public transit systems, hire more operators, and make badly needed facility and equipment upgrades.

February 10, 2022 - Cleveland.com

Seattle Transit

Well Funded Transportation Networks Promote Economic Development

Traditional strategies seek to attract major employers but often neglect the transportation networks that make commuting possible and convenient for more workers.

July 9, 2021 - Bloomberg CityLab

Biketown

For Functional Cities, First Get the Basics Right

Experts at the Urbanism Next conference advise city leaders not to overlook basic, "mundane" infrastructure that underpins the success of cities and transportation systems.

April 11, 2021 - GOVTECH.COM

Amtrak Connects US

Infrastructure and its Discontents

The significance of the Biden administration's expansive view of infrastructure is reflected in the flood of commentary published in the week since the public's first look at the American Jobs Plan.

April 8, 2021 - James Brasuell

Pittsburgh

Letting Cities and Regions Lead Infrastructure Investment

Rice University Kinder Institute for Urban Research recently published "A Bottom-Up Infrastructure Strategy for American Renewal."

February 19, 2021 - Rice Kinder Institute for Urban Research: The Urban Edge

Electric Car Charging

A New 'Playbook' for Infrastructure Development

The New Partnership on Infrastructure coalition's "America's New Playbook for Infrastructure" calls for just and resilient development moving forward from the coronavirus pandemic.

July 9, 2020 - Smart Cities Dive

Robert Moses

On Progressive Impotence and an Obsolete Penn Station

In a deep dive into the sad state of the nation's busiest transit hub, Marc J. Dunkelman raises a dispiriting question. In their zeal to ward off future Robert Moseses, have progressives crippled government's power to carry out its job?

December 24, 2019 - Politico

Dam Inspection

Inland Waterways Looking for a Comeback

Inland waterways have capacity to spare to help deal with an expected surge in freight movement around the country. Some TLC will be required to maximize that potential, however.

January 20, 2019 - Eno Center for Transportation

Autonomous Vehicle

Report Offers Guidance on 'Smart City' Investments

"The challenge of paying for smart cities projects" report by Deloitte recommends several steps for making the most of investments in "smart city" technology by city governments.

June 5, 2018 - Smart Cities Dive

Alaskan Way Seawall Construction

When the U.S. Economy Is 'Too Strong' to Spend on Infrastructure

A low unemployment rate means major investments by the federal government could ultimately harm the economy.

February 6, 2018 - FiveThirtyEight

Shasta

California to Consider 12 New Water Storage Facilities

A total of $2.7 billion will be awarded to a potential list of 12 water storage projects, thanks to funding from California's Proposition 1, approved by voters in 2014.

August 23, 2017 - The Mercury News

Miami

Toward Better Public-Private Partnerships in Resilience Planning

The public sector and the private sector need a better system of incentives to deliver on the infrastructure and development investments necessary to prepare for climate change and other environmental threats.

August 22, 2017 - Smart Cities Dive

Long Beach to Los Angeles

L.A. Metro Will Spend $81.5 Million to Improve Blue Line to Long Beach

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) appears to be taking a break from its perpetual expansion projects to make some improvements to the heavily used but aging Blue Line.

July 2, 2017 - Curbed Los Angeles

Buffalo

Buffalo Billion II Promises Light Rail Extension and More

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is making a tour of his State of the State address, delivering six separate speeches in different parts of the state. His stop in Buffalo made news for its promised capital investments.

January 11, 2017 - Buffalo Rising

JFK International

$10 Billion Overhaul of JFK International Proposed

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo continued his track record of pushing for big, splashy infrastructure projects last week, this time turning the state's attention to JFK International.

January 9, 2017 - The Architect's Newspaper

Aerial photo of the US 131/M-6/68th St. interchange in Wyoming, MIchigan

Report: Michigan has $4 Billion in Annual Infrastructure Needs

A recent report out of the state of Michigan lays the groundwork for a coordinated approach to the state's infamous infrastructure challenges.

December 8, 2016 - Detroit Free Press

Road Construction

Debate: Growing the Economy From the Supply Side

Two economists discuss how specific kinds of deregulation could speed up growth. They emphasize planning issues: local overregulation of development and the high cost of infrastructure, among others.

October 19, 2016 - Bloomberg View

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.