Technology

How Cities Are Using Wastewater to Test for COVID-19
Some scientists and city officials are moving ahead with a different way to track the virus’s spread: wastewater testing.

Pop Quiz: What Kind of Post-2020 City-Maker Are You?
The State of Place blog is offering a pop quiz designed to help you diagnose the kind of post-2020 city-maker you are.

Report: Ride-Hailing Drastically Increases Vehicle Miles Traveled
New research published in Transport Policy finds that ride-hailing companies increase vehicle miles traveled of users by 97 percent in Chicago, 114 percent in New York City, and 118 percent in San Francisco.

Amazon and Other Tech Giants Make Billion-Dollar Commitments to Affordable Housing
Some of the world's biggest companies are investing in affordable housing, hoping to stymie the growing crisis their growth has contributed to.

American Automobile Manufacturers Talking Seriously About Flying Cars
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is partnering with electric aviation startup Archer to mass-produce flying automobiles, really more like helicopters or drones. General Motors also released designs for an autonomous flying car recently.

U.S. DOT Releases Pair of Autonomous Vehicle Plans
On January 8, the U.S. Department of Transportation released "Ensuring American Leadership in Automated Vehicle Technologies: Automated Vehicles 4.0 (AV 4.0)." On January 11, it followed up with the Automated Vehicles Comprehensive Plan (AVCP).

Street Made Entirely of Recycled Plastic Asphalt
The material, now being tested on California roads, is made using recycled PET plastic and promises longer-lasting road treatments.

Ride-Hailing Industry Induces Car Ownership, Research Says
New research from researchers at Carnegie Mellon University finds that instead of setting people free from cars, more people are buying and using cars than ever before.

The State of the Micromobility Industry
The North American Bikeshare Association released the first-ever state of the industry report for active forms of micromobility—i.e., bike share and electric scooter rental companies.

The Price of an Uber Ride to Increase in Seattle Jan. 1—to the Benefit of Drivers
A new law setting a minimum wage for Uber drivers takes effect in the New Year.

EVs Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions, but They're Not Pollution-Free
To reduce harmful particulate matter emissions, we need fewer cars on the road—electric or otherwise, according to the findings of a recent report.

New York City Rolling Out First E-Scooters in the Spring
After years of outright banning them, New York City is finally giving e-scooters a chance to operate on its streets.

The Link Between Smart Cities, Fleet Technology, and Economics
The theoretical planning of smart cities could help make city economies stronger as purchasing becomes more straightforward.

Bogotá Uses 7,000 Public Design Proposals to Redesign its Main Artery
To reimagine the city's most important artery, Bogotá sought community input via an innovative online platform.

Top Websites for Urban Planning – 2020
Planetizen's annual list of the best of the planning Internet in a year inextricably defined by the uncertainty and constraints of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Business Booming, Amazon Plans Big Real Estate Expansion
Amazon is moving more moving more products than ever, and the company is expanding its physical footprint to keep up with the trends.

Uber Bails on Autonomous Vehicles
One of the highest-profile, and most legally fraught, efforts to beat the competition into the autonomous vehicles market is now defunct.

Friday Fun: Touring 12 Famous Museums from Home
Most museums are closed during the pandemic, but you can still visit them virtually from the comfort of your home thanks to Google Arts & Culture.

An Atlas of E-Scooter Policies
Introducing the Micromobility Policy Atlas.

Town Building Game Offers Moments of Pandemic Zen
Townscraper, a new "casual town building" game earned good reviews among early adopters this summer.
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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.
Ascent Environmental
Borough of Carlisle
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
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Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service