New York City

New York's Streets Provide "Platform for Social Activism"

Justin Davidson ruminates on the great strides Janette Sadik-Khan and New York's Department of Transportation have made in reforming the city's streets. As much as they've accomplished, the transformation remains a work in progress.

December 18, 2013 - New York Magazine

Grant Helps Extend NYC Plaza Program into Less Affluent Areas

By transforming excess street space in areas like Times Square and Herald Square into pedestrian paradises, New York City's plaza program has been a huge hit. But with maintenance costs borne by local businesses, less affluent areas have missed out.

December 13, 2013 - The Wall Street Journal

Pick to Head NYPD Seen as Street Safety Ally

With traffic deaths in New York City approaching falling homicide rates, calls for improving road safety are increasing. William Bratton, the former and future NYPD Commissioner, has signaled street safety will be a priority, exciting advocates.

December 6, 2013 - WNYC: Transportation Nation

Front Runner Emerges to Succeed Amanda Burden

As Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio prepares to take office at the beginning of the new year, speculation is growing as to who will succeed Mayor Bloomberg's popular commissioners. The Real Deal floats several candidates to become NYC's next chief planner.

December 5, 2013 - The Real Deal

The Disturbing Thanksgiving Parade Balloons of Yesteryear

Predictions of strong winds and frigid temperatures may keep many people from attending this year's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, providing ample opportunity to explore Philip Bump's collection of creepy balloons from years past.

November 28, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

Another Attempt to Toll the East River Bridges

The bridges over the East and Harlem Rivers, unlike other bridges and tunnels in the region, operate without tolls. Transit advocate Sam Schwartz has proposed a plan to toll them and apply revenues to fund transit and upgrade roads and bridges.

November 27, 2013 - The New York Times - N.Y. / Region

Cities Pursue Different Paths to One Goal: Safer Streets

In the face of rising pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities, the District of Columbia's police department began deploying automated photo enforcement technologies while San Francisco took a multi-agency, collaborative planning approach.

November 26, 2013 - Transportation Nation

Bucking National Trend, Homelessness Rises in N.Y. and L.A.

Despite a "remarkable" drop in homelessness across the U.S., sobering new data from HUD reveals that New York City's struggle with record high homelessness is getting worse, not better. Homelessness is up substantially in Los Angeles as well.

November 25, 2013 - The New York Times

Mapping New York's Toxic Legacy

In bright blues, greens, and reds, an interactive map developed by property information website Property Shark documents New York City's cornucopia of polluted properties. Check the map to see if you might be living next door to a leaking oil tank.

November 23, 2013 - Fast Company Co.Exist

The U.S. City with the Highest Median Rent is....

If you guessed the Big Apple, you'd be wrong. It's the City by the Bay with a median rent of $1,463; New York City had the fifth highest at $1,187. San Jose, Boston, and Washington, D.C. were ranked second, third, and fourth respectively.

November 15, 2013 - The San Francisco Examiner

Loophole Offers Opportunity to Act on Calls for Improving NYC Pedestrian Safety

It won't take the approval of the state legislature to reduce speed limits on many of New York City's residential streets, just a City Council bill that takes advantage of a loophole in existing state law.

November 14, 2013 - WNYC: Transportation Nation

Why New York's Inequality Is a Good Thing

Though he may not find a lot of agreement among the 750,000 residents who voted for Bill de Blasio, Ed Glaeser argues that New York City's extreme inequality is a sign of its economic diversity and success, and is nothing to be ashamed about.

November 12, 2013 - New York Daily News

Urban Politics: Voters Choose Three New Big City Mayors

Emily Badger of The Atlantic Cities and Bruce Katz of the Brookings Institution sit down with The NewsHour's Gwen Ifill for a discussion on the elections of New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and Boston Mayor Marty Walsh.

November 10, 2013 - PBS NewsHour

Janette Sadik-Khan at Manhattan Bridge Archway opening

Let the Sadik-Khan to the City of __ Rumors Begin

This week, vacancies opened at the top of transportation departments in America's second and third largest cities. Meanwhile, one of the most influential and well respected transportation leaders may soon be out of a job. Let the courtship begin!

November 2, 2013 - Los Angeles Times

New Yorkers Take Pride in Resilience, Preserve Scars from Sandy

As New York and New Jersey continue to recover from Hurricane Sandy, some residents choose to preserve the watermarks left on their homes and businesses as a way to commemorate their survival.

October 29, 2013 - The New York Times

How "Train Nerds" Saved NYC's Subway from Sandy

It took an effort that was both well-planned and ad-hoc to save NYC's backbone from Hurricane Sandy, and have the city's transit system back up and running again soon after the storm. Robert Sullivan examines that effort and what happens next time.

October 28, 2013 - The New York Times

What Did New York Sound Like in the 1920s?

"The Roaring 'Twenties", an interactive soundscape created by a historian of sound, technology and cultures of listening at Princeton, seeks to immerse people in the sounds of 1929 New York City, and demonstrate that noise pollution is nothing new.

October 27, 2013 - The New York Times

Bloomberg Gives East Midtown Rezoning One Last Push, But Will City Council Budge?

After rezoning 37 percent of New York City, Mayor Bloomberg is pursuing one last major rezoning plan before he leaves office. But will a lame duck Council speaker and her colleagues grant the mayor a final victory?

October 23, 2013 - The New York Times

NYC Releases New Street Design Manual

New York City's Department of Transportation has officially released the second update to its Street Design Manual, providing specifics on new and forthcoming alterations to the city's streets and street furniture.

October 22, 2013 - Future Cities

New York Is One Disaster Away From a Food Crisis

Recent disasters have exposed New York's dangerous reliance on consolidated supply chains and just-in-time practices to maintain the city's food supply. Siddhartha Mahanta looks at the food system changes that've left NYC vulnerable to a food crisis.

October 22, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

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.