District of Columbia

Streetscape in Chinatown, Washington, D.C.

How Historic Inequity Shapes D.C.’s Transit-Oriented Development

A series of articles traces the history and policies behind Washington, D.C.’s efforts to promote equitable transit-oriented development.

June 19, 2022 - Greater Greater Washington

A row of white pickup trucks at a car dealership.

Want to Drive a Big Pickup Truck in D.C.? It’s About to Get (Even More) Expensive

D.C. is considering a $500 vehicle license fee for private vehicles over 6,000 pounds.

May 27, 2022 - Bloomberg

Adams Morgan pedestrian zone during COVID-19 pandemic

D.C. Plans for Street Safety Improvements in Adams Morgan

While residents differ on how to allocate the neighborhood’s street space, many want to see safer infrastructure for pedestrians and people on bikes.

May 26, 2022 - Greater Greater Washington

Man with visual impairment boarding public bus

New App Helps People With Visual Impairments Navigate Transit

The Waymap app offers precise instructions to give blind pedestrians more options for safe travel.

May 25, 2022 - Reuters

Austin Bus

Austin’s Transit CEO Moving to D.C.

After overseeing a major system redesign and plans for its largest-ever expansion, the head of Capital Metro will take over Washington, D.C.’s transit agency.

May 17, 2022 - KUT

Washington, D.C.

Six-Story Parking Lot Nixed From D.C. Union Station Renovation Plans

The Federal Railroad Administration has removed a six-story parking facility included in a 2020 draft Environmental Impact Statement for a $10 billion renovation of Union Station in Washington, D.C.

May 16, 2022 - The Washington Post

Governor Hogan Signs Agreement With U.S. DOT for the Purple Line by Steve Kwak at 4800 Veterans Pkwy. Hyattsville MD 20784

Suburban Light Rail To Resume Construction in Maryland

After its first contractor quit more than a year ago, Maryland’s Purple Line project will resume construction with a new team and a projected opening date of 2026.

May 11, 2022 - The Washington Post

Congestion

The New Normal: Less Transit, More Congestion

With transit systems still far below historic levels, and congestion not budging, the worst effects of an automobile dependent nation fall on the environment and low-income households.

May 8, 2022 - Brookings

walkable street

Walkability Scores Don’t Tell the Whole Story

A new report concludes that common ‘walkability’ measures don’t account for many barriers faced by pedestrians, such as environmental factors and policing.

May 4, 2022 - Streetsblog USA

View of Capitol building on Pennsylvania Avenue

Three Concepts for a Pennsylvania Avenue Makeover

The Pennsylvania Avenue Initiative seeks to redesign the capital’s most famous thoroughfare to include more park space and pedestrian amenities.

April 29, 2022 - WTOP

FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland

Maryland Proposes $400 Million Redevelopment Around Commanders Stadium

The state is offering to make a massive investment in revitalizing the neighborhood surrounding FedEx Field, but offering no direct incentives to the NFL team.

April 13, 2022 - The Washington Post

Apartment complex in Maryland

Why Inclusionary Zoning Alone Won't Solve the Housing Crisis

Building enough affordable housing to meet current shortages will take more concerted effort from policymakers.

April 11, 2022 - Greater Greater Washington

Waterfront Metro station, southwest Washington, D.C.

D.C. Metro Plans To Boost Transit-Oriented Development

The agency is seeking to execute joint development agreements to support more density near transit stations and boost affordable housing production.

April 10, 2022 - WTOP

Washington D.C.

D.C. Could Expand Traffic Camera Program

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser wants to add hundreds of new traffic enforcement cameras to stem the city's rising rate of traffic fatalities.

March 25, 2022 - The Washington Post

A long exposure of Interstate 395 through downtown Washington D.C. on a busy night.

Car Commutes and Congestion Are Back in D.C.

Low transit ridership and a more dispersed daytime workforce are creating new headaches for car commuters in the D.C. area—in a story likely to be repeated all over the country as work returns to the office.

March 23, 2022 - The Washington Post

Apartment Construction

No Evictions for Less Than $600, Says New D.C. Law

As part of a bill that made many COVID-era tenant protections permanent, the District voted to ban eviction filings for households owing less than $600 in back rent.

March 3, 2022 - DCist

Washington D.C.

D.C.'s Ambitious Bike Infrastructure Plans

The District of Columbia plans to install ten miles of protected bike lanes this year, among other improvements including additional bike parking and more e-bikes for the Capital Bikeshare fleet.

February 7, 2022 - The Washington Post

An image of a sign asking people to wear masks during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Omicron Breaks Another Pandemic Record: Hospitalizations

The highly infectious Omicron variant is contributing to a record number of COVID-19 hospitalizations in the U.S. The record set in last winter's surge fell on Tuesday as hospitals suffer from massive labor shortages caused by the variant.

January 16, 2022 - The Washington Post

Washington DC Metro

What Transit Systems Can Learn From D.C. Metro

The nation's second-largest transit system—and one of its newest—persists in the face of a host of challenges exacerbated by the pandemic.

January 12, 2022 - Governing

D.C. Metro Bus

In D.C., Employers Will Refund Workers Who Leave the Car at Home

D.C. has passed a "parking cash-out" law that goes further than a few preexisting examples to reward commuters who leave their cars at home.

January 10, 2022 - Streetsblog USA

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.