Regional Planning

The Big Representation Gap in Austin's Regional Planning
The names and faces occupying decision-making positions in the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization do not reflect the names and faces of the people they are meant to represent.

This November, Four Major Transportation Measures at Stake
If you live in Detroit, Atlanta, Seattle, or Los Angeles, you have more to look forward to in November than choosing Donald or Hillary. Major decisions concerning regional transportation are on the line.

Planetizen Week in Review: August 20, 2016
Climate change dominated the news this week, as flooding wreaked unfathomable havoc on the state of Louisiana.

A Call to Action After Detroit Suburbs Kill Regional Transportation Plan
A $4.7 billion regional transportation plan died at the hands of suburban interests around Detroit last week. An op-ed describes the action as the same kind of racial disharmony that defined the mid- and late-20 century.

An In-Depth Look at Sea Level Rise in the San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Chronicle gives feature-length, in-depth treatment to the looming dangers of sea level rise, which are more likely to encroach on the built and natural environments of the Bay Area with every passing year.

How the Triboro Line Could Improve Transit for Boroughs Not Named Manhattan
The Regional Plan Association presents the details of a plan to build a rail line connecting the Bronx, Queens, and Brooklyn: the Triboro Line.

Reflecting on Regional Planning—50 Years Later
The planning world celebrated Jane Jacobs's 100th birthday earlier this month, and has already begun commemorating the centennial of New York's first zoning code. But did you know regional planning rose to prominence 50 years ago?

Meet New York City's First Regional Planning Director
A city planning office with a regional focus? Such a rare beast is real in New York City. There's even a new leader at the helm of the operation.

City vs. Suburb Battle Reignites
There's a new volley in the long-running battle between cities and suburbs. In his new book "The Human City," urban scholar Joel Kotkin contends that cities and their planners have lost sight of the residents who matter most: families.

Northeast Ohio Long-Term Planning Aims to Reverse Legacy of Car-Centric Planning
The Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA) will begin a new long-term planning process. Early indications are that the new plan will focus on providing transportation options to low-income people with no access to cars.
A Transportation Schism in the Atlanta Region
When suburban voters and political leaders oppose transit funding sales taxes, the entire region experiences the consequences. Atlanta is the latest case study in this political dynamic.
Sacramento Region Approves New Transportation Plan
The Sacramento Area Council of Governments put the finishing touches on the 2016 update to the Metropolitan Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy (2016 MTP/SCS) last week.

Have We Got a Game for You: 'Bay Area Regional Planner'
Some people like to leave their work at the office. But maybe you're the kind of planner who likes to turn the largest challenges of the profession into a game to be enjoyed in your free time.
New Report Recommends Tough Medicine to Fix Bay Area's Housing Ailments
A new report by the Bay Area Council argues that the regionwide housing crisis demands a regionwide response, i.e., all nine counties and 101 cities need to build more housing, and if they don't, there needs to be consequences.
Regional Planning Merger One Step Closer to Reality in the Bay Area
The Bay Area is one of the few metro regions in the U.S. with a separate MPO and COG, but that could change after voting members of both the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and the Association of Bay Area Governments agreed to a merger study.
New York Department of City Planning Adds an Office of Regional Planning
With hot-button issues like the Hudson Tunnel crisis forcing a new perspective about the connection of New York city to its surrounding region, Mayor de Blasio has responded by creating a new office of regional planning.

New San Diego Regional Plan Focuses on Public Transit
The San Diego Association of Government on October 9 will consider a 35-year regional plan that prioritizes public transit in its management of an expected 1 million new residents.
'Beyond the 710' Seeks Multimodal Alternatives to Filling Freeway Gap
A coalition in Los Angeles County wants to reframe the debate about closing the gap in the 710 Freeway, asking Metro to look "beyond the 710"—and toward a multi-pronged, multimodal approach to transportation problems in the region.
Northeast Ohio Regional Planning Efforts to 'Fix It First' in Urban Areas
The Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA) has committed to a drastic shift in its transportation planning paradigms.

San Francisco Housing Advocates: 'Sue the Suburbs'
Renters' advocates in San Francisco are building a political and fundraising base to legally challenge suburbs that aren't pulling their weight in constructing the housing to meet the demands of population growth.
Pagination
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