Regional Planning
What Is Regional Planning?
Regional planning addresses planning issues that cross local jurisdictional boundaries, like transportation or watershed protection. In other examples, regional planning offers a holistic approach to the interconnected systems and dynamics that shape physical and cultural landscapes.
San Diego High-Speed Rail Plan Counts on Future Density
Despite slowing population growth statewide, officials believe the region will "grow into" the new rail system if cities promote dense development around transit stations.
Opinion: Regional Growth Requires Regional Planning
To avoid the pitfalls of disconnected, car-centric suburbs, local governments must proactively plan for sustainable development in growing areas.
One Rail System to Ring the Bay Area? Supporters See Reasons for Optimism
A plan to integrate the various regional transit providers in the San Francisco Bay Area could be the key to winning back transit riders in the post-pandemic world.
B Line Commuter Rail Extension Gets a Green Light in Colorado
The Board of Directors for the Regional Transportation District has given a preliminary green light to accelerate planning work on the B Line extension from Denver to Boulder and Longmont.
Philadelphia Leaders Dream Big With New Transit Plan
The plan, which looks more than two decades into the future, seeks to modernize the city's transit system, address inequities, and improve regional connectivity.
New Orleans Weighs Regional Transit Plan
A new proposal would improve wait times for area buses and bring more households within walking distance to transit stops.
Political Pressure Reinvigorates B Line Extension Plans in Colorado
The CEO of the Regional Transportation District speculated recently about whether a planned extension of the B Line to Boulder was necessary or desirable. The governor doesn't think the speculation was necessary or desirable.
What Is a Central Business District (CBD)?
A central business district (CBD) is a geographic area sometimes referred to as downtown, but with key distinctions critical to an understanding of city and regional planning.
Service Redesign Proposed by Utah Transit Authority
The Utah Transit Authority is proposing a new approach to transit service design for the counties on the Wasatch Front, focusing changes on a "core route network" of frequent service.
Why Gwinnett County Rejected a Transit Tax Again
Coronavirus and a heavy rail project doomed a transit sales tax in Gwinnett County, Georgia, according to this election post-mortem.
New Long-Term Regional Plan for Puget Sound Approved
The regional planning organization for the four-county area around Puget Sound has adopted a new long-term plan for the future.
Equitable Transportation Planning Initiative Advances in Northeast Ohio
The Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA) is moving forward with a groundbreaking policy to consider regional economic inequities when evaluating potential highway projects.
Transit Sales Tax Hinges on Local Control in Suburban Atlanta
Gwinnett County voters living have rejected proposals to pay taxes for the MARTA transit system before, so the latest proposal for a transit sales tax is going to great lengths to prove its local control bonafides.
Local Opposition to Ohio DOT's I-77 Widening Plans Near Akron
The Ohio Department of Transportation wants to add lanes to Interstate 77 outside Akron to reduce congestion. Some local officials think the project will connect the region to the East Coast; others think the money would be better spent locally.
How Regional Planning Can Be Antiracist
Under new board president Rex Richardson, the Southern California Association of Governments—the country's largest MPO—has pledged to combat racism through regional planning, including equitable housing development.
East Link Light Rail Plans Provoke Controversy in Seattle Suburb
A proposal to link local and regional buses with the East Link light rail expansion in Mercer Island, already under construction, threatens to boil over into the courtroom.
Compromise Reached to Save Caltrain
The saga of the three-county sales tax upon which the future of Caltrain depends is now in the hands of voters.
Bus System Redesign Coming to the Cleveland Region
The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA) revealed a draft system redesign this week.
Metropolitan Planning Organizations, Explained and Evaluated
Knowing is half the battle, and most people have a lot to learn about metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) and how they maintain the status quo of transportation planning and spending in the United States.
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.
Caltrans
Smith Gee Studio
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
