District of Columbia

Height Restrictions Mean High Prices in DC

Responding to a report by the Washington Post that office rents have now topped those in Manhattan, Matt Yglesias says the district's austere zoning is to blame.

October 20, 2010 - Think Progress

Washinton D.C. Becomes Latest City To Launch Bike Share

Washington D.C. became the latest city to launch a bike share scheme Monday. "Like bees tumbling from the nest, scores of riders on ruby-red bicycles swarmed from a lot near Nationals Park to establish Capital Bikeshare," writes Ashley Halsey.

September 25, 2010 - The Washington Post

New Carrollton: Come and Get It

With three transit stations nearby and ready-made commuters, this DC/Maryland suburb is ripe for development.

September 20, 2010 - New Urban Network

Dulles Metro Link to Run Nearly $4 Billion

The second phase of a project to connect Washington D.C.'s Metro system to Dulles International Airport will cost nearly $4 billion.

September 18, 2010 - The Washington Post

Virginia Speed Bump Leads to Neighborhood Activist's Murder

A Virginia man who rallied to have a traffic-calming speed bump installed on his street became the source of so much local controversy that a neighbor recently shot and killed him.

September 17, 2010 - The Washington Post

Sound Assault on Mall Loafers

Mall officials in Washington D.C. are fighting back against young people accused of causing a ruckus outside shopping areas by installing a device that emits an annoying high-pitched frequency only audible to young people.

September 15, 2010 - The Washington Post

Meet the Geeks Re-Shaping D.C.

Planning nerd bloggers like David Alpert of Greater Greater Washington are finding that they can have significant influence in the world of D.C. planning and development.

September 2, 2010 - Washington City Paper

Bikesharing Coming Soon to D.C.

Capitol Bikeshare will launch in September with over a thousand bikes. ReadsetDC goes behind the scenes to see the bikes and infrastructure as it is assembled.

September 1, 2010 - ReadysetDC

Score One For Livability

Senator Dodd's Livable Communities Act passed a milestone on August 3 by passing the Banking Committee on a party line vote: 12-10. Known as a "smart growth planning" bill, it would integrate transportation with housing and economic planning.

August 9, 2010 - Mobilizing the Region

Performance Parking

In this radio interview, KQED-FM reporter Kitty Felde interviews UCLA professor and parking guru Don Shoup on what he now calls "performance parking", a form of smart parking that includes congestion pricing used in D.C., SF, and soon LA.

July 28, 2010 - KQED: California Report

The Transformation Of DOT Under LaHood

Few expected this Republican in the Obama cabinet to cause such a stir. Yet, from his high speed rail advocacy to campaigning for road safety ("just say no to texting") to pushing livable communities, 64-year-old Ray LaHood has changed D.O.T.

July 1, 2010 - The Washington Post: Breaking News Blog

Do You Want a 9-Story Neighbor?

Misleading flyers are being circulated to drum up opposition to a mixed-use, transit-oriented development in the East Falls Church area of Arlington, VA., says Michael Perkins. His answer to the flyer's question? Yes.

June 10, 2010 - Greater Greater Washington

Changing Behaviors with Bike to Work Day

Cong. Earl Blumenauer and Mayor Adrian Fenty both turned out in biking gear at Bike to Work Day in Washington, D.C., along with 900 riders who committed to bike commuting on that day.

June 6, 2010 - Vimeo

Washington D.C. is the Healthiest City in the U.S.?

A new study by the American College of Sports Medicine says so, due to low rates of diabetes, obesity and several other factors. Oklahoma City is not OK, however; it's at the bottom of the list.

June 4, 2010 - Health News

In Reusing Infrastructure, D.C. Should Look to NYC

Columnist Roger K. Lewis says Washington D.C. has a lot to learn from New York City in terms of reusing old and outdated infrastructure.

May 27, 2010 - The Washington Post

Funding for Washington DC H Street Streetcar Line Pulled at 11th Hour

The Washington DC City Council voted Wednesday to approve a FY2011 budget which strips nearly all the funding to complete the H Street-Benning Road streetcar line. The line is partially complete, and several streetcars have already been purchased.

May 26, 2010 - Greater Greater Washington

Blind Eyes on the Street

Philip Kennicott decries the growing number of "windows" in new buildings that are covered from the beginning with advertisements, eliminating their usefulness as "eyes on the street."

May 25, 2010 - The Washington Post

Nearby Commercial Interests May Be Asked to Fund D.C. Streetcar System

Washington D.C.'s planned 37-mile streetcar system will be a boon to nearby businesses, according to a recent report. As a result, the mayor is pushing a plan that would ask commercial property owners to help fund the system.

May 20, 2010 - The Washington Post

Concern for Properties Beyond Tysons Corner Metro Villages

Plans to build dense urban villages around the new Metro stations in Tysons Corner have some landowners on the fringes feeling left out.

April 27, 2010 - The Washington Post

Relax, Smart Growth is Your Friend

Roger K. Lewis of The Washington Post paints a reassuring picture for suburban homeowners frightened of smart growth. Home values will go up, and you'll be able to walk to get a cup of coffee, says Lewis.

April 25, 2010 - The Washington Post

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.