Walkability

Pedestrian Traffic Discouraged in Oklahoma City

Not only is walking in Oklahoma City not encouraged, it's actually discouraged with public policy, says an urban design consultant.

June 12, 2009 - News OK

Shopping: An ‘Obnoxious Industrial Activity’?

  As James Howard Kunstler points out in Home From Nowhere, one of the tragedies of single-use zoning is that it branded shopping as an “obnoxious industrial activity that must be kept separate from houses”.  Ironically, the places where most Americans shop today come pretty close to “obnoxious” and “industrial”. 

May 30, 2009 - Diana DeRubertis

Comparing the Fates of Two Exurbs

Reporter Ben Adler travels to Leesburg, VA without a car and reports on the difficulties he experiences getting around. In comparison, Ben walks with ease around Kentlands, a New Urbanist development in Maryland.

May 6, 2009 - The American Prospect

Should Fuel Taxes Pay For Alternative Transportation?

Planetizen has teamed up with National Journal, a weekly politics and policy magazine, to explore transportation issues. As part of National Journal's Transportation Experts blog, we've asked Planetizen Interchange bloggers and National Journal's Transportation Experts whether money from the Highway Trust Fund should be used for non-highway projects like bike lanes and pedestrian walkways.

May 4, 2009 - Planetizen

Amenities Key to Walking, Fitness

People who live within walking distance of amenities like stores, transit stops, and parks are twice as likely to be fit as those who don't, according to a new study conducted by researchers at San Diego State University.

April 20, 2009 - Gant Daily

Inside a 20-Minute City

This piece from Worldchanging looks at the Seattle-area city of Ballard. It's a "20-minute city", where people can get to practically everything they'd want or need to within a 20-minute walk.

April 14, 2009 - WorldChanging

OK City Not OK for Walking

Jeff Speck takes a walk in Oklahoma City and finds too-wide streets, too-low density and too much danger for pedestrians.

March 24, 2009 - The Oklahoman

Directing Raleigh's Future

A new comprehensive plan being released in Raleigh has many -- both in and out of the city -- wondering what's the best way to grow in the post-sprawl world.

March 22, 2009 - Raleigh Durham Independent Weekly

Better Transportation Needs Better Cities

A new design competition is seeking solutions to L.A.'s transportation problems. But the real solution may not have anything to do with transportation at all.

March 2, 2009 - Nate Berg

Walkability and the City Beauty Quotient

There's no shortage of writing and conjecture on New York City when it comes to urban and city issues. But one subject that has been neglected in the urban academic discourse is the city's incredible concentration of beautiful women. It's amazing. It's like you can't avoid them, not that you'd want to. Walking down the street in New York City is like walking down a fashion runway. With cross traffic. And no security guards trying to tackle you.

February 22, 2009 - Nate Berg

Streetsblog: Advocacy Journalism and the Reconquering of the American City

The Internet is a trove of great ideas about improving cities. Filling blogs and personal websites, the vast majority of ideas out there are little more than that: ideas. New York City's Streetsblog -- now a growing nationwide force -- is transforming the conversation into action.

January 29, 2009 - Mike Lydon

Master-Planned Mixed-Use in Central Ohio

While the goal of these walkable communities is to attract young urban professionals, the benefits, of course, extend beyond that.

November 19, 2008 - The Columbus Dispatch

Plan Approved to Un-Sprawl Tysons Corner

In an effort to recreate sprawling Tysons Corner into a dense urban environment, county supervisors have unanimously approved a plan to build higher, denser, more transit oriented and more walkable.

September 26, 2008 - The Washington Post

Walkable Neighborhood Grocers

  Costco may be coming to Manhattan, bringing 2300 parking spaces with it.

August 14, 2008 - Diana DeRubertis

What More 'Livable Streets' Could Mean for New York

This article from The New York Observer looks at how New York City might be different with more "livable streets".

August 2, 2008 - The New York Observer

New Study Links Obesity to Land Use Patterns

A new study by the University of Utah shows that people who live in walkable neighborhoods are more likely to be leaner than those who live in auto-oriented areas.

July 30, 2008 - The Salt Lake Tribune

Google Maps Adds Walking Directions

Google announces walking directions feature for Google Maps.

July 23, 2008 - Google

A New Downtown for Scottsdale

Scottsdale, Arizona planners have released a new vision for their downtown, in a 'trend toward urban living'.

July 23, 2008 - The Arizona Republic

A Car-Free Avenue Grows in Brooklyn

New York City's car-free "Summer Streets" events are proving to be popular. A three-and-a-half minute video offers a look at Saturday's Williamsburg Walks event on Bedford Avenue in Brooklyn.

July 22, 2008 - Streetsblog

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.