Michigan

Brick buildings on small town street with red awnings on first floor businesses.

Research: Walkability Linked to Improved Public Health

A study reveals that the density of city blocks is a significant factor in communities’ walkability and, subsequently, improved public health outcomes for residents.

March 26, 2025 - Great Lakes Echo

Green Detroit Department of Transportation bus on city street.

Detroit Transit Agency Requests $20M Budget Increase

The Detroit Department of Transportation wants to boost ridership by hiring more drivers, buying new buses, and enhancing station infrastructure.

March 19, 2025 - Detroit Free Press

Green Detroit public transit electric bus with high-rise modenr building in background.

Analysis: Just 5 Percent of Detroit Bus Stops Have Shelters

The city’s thousands of bus stops are sorely lacking in seating and shelters to protect riders from rain, snow, and sun.

March 12, 2025 - Bridge Detroit

Canadian flag in foreground with blurred Canadian Parliament building in background in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Has President Trump Met His Match?

Doug Ford, the no-nonsense premier of Canada's most populous province, Ontario, is taking on Trump where it hurts — making American energy more expensive.

March 11, 2025 - Toronto Star

Large mature oak trees with sun filtering through.

Oak Survival in the Great Lakes: Adapting to a Changing World

Climate change is endangering oaks in the Great Lakes region by increasing their vulnerability to pests, diseases, and extreme weather, threatening their vital ecological role.

January 1, 2025 - Planet Detroit

Detroit Skyline

Electric Car Share Comes to Detroit’s Eastside

The program is operated by the Eastside Community Network and funded through the U.S. Department of Energy.

December 4, 2024 - Next City

Michigan state capitol dome in Lansing, Michigan.

Michigan Lawmakers Urged to Pass Housing Laws

A raft of proposed bills would protect renters from steep rent increases and ban discrimination based on criminal record and source of income, but the legislature only has a short amount of time to pass them.

November 19, 2024 - Michigan Live

Vacant two-story red brick home in Detroit with missing windows.

Checking in on Detroit’s Housing Renaissance

Efforts by the city and residents have generated 17,000 new housing units in the last five years.

October 23, 2024 - Strong Towns

A factory smoke stack billows out black smoke into a blue sky.

‘Ground-Breaking’ Settlement Reached in Detroit Environmental Justice Case

Civil rights activists celebrate a legal settlement that will require the state of Michigan to prevent hazardous waste and other industrial facilities from disproportionately polluting lower income and predominantly Black and brown communities.

September 2, 2024 - Detroit Metro Times

Aerial view of large barns and a massive manure lagoon.

Michigan Court Green-Lights State Regulation of Livestock Manure

A recent court decision has granted Michigan regulators full authority to hold animal agriculture accountable for manure runoff into waterways.

August 28, 2024 - Great Lakes Now

Photos of modest gravesites surrounded by a lush, green forest.

Judge Overturns Township’s Ban on Cemeteries

Brooks Township in Michigan ran afoul of the state constitution when it instituted a blanket cemetery ban with the intent to block a green cemetery.

August 27, 2024 - Wood News 8

Teal Detroit public bus

Michigan Transit Systems Awarded Federal Grants for Clean Vehicles

Federal grants are helping to ease the transition to electric and hybrid buses.

July 10, 2024 - Michigan Public Radio

Detroit Public Transit

Michigan Lawmakers Consider $2B Transit Bill

The bill would tie transit funding to business subsidies as part of a broader economic development program.

June 10, 2024 - Bridge Detroit

Data center with Google sign in front of black fence in The Dalles, Oregon.

Michigan Proposal to Attract Data Centers Garners Criticism

The state legislature is poised to pass a law that would bring more data centers to the state, but critics say the move would threaten the state’s climate goals.

June 4, 2024 - The Guardian

Green highway signs on Highway 23 for Ann Arbor and Flint, Michigan.

Michigan DOT Nixes Ann Arbor Highway Expansion

In response to public feedback, the Michigan Department of Transportation is no longer considering options to widen U.S. 23 on Ann Arbor’s east side.

May 28, 2024 - MLive

Close up of a road map showing major roadways around Ann Arbor Michigan

Michigan Considers Mileage-Based Road Usage Fee Pilot Program

Exploring alternative road funding options is a priority for Michigan legislators to make up the state’s road funding gap.

May 8, 2024 - Bridge Michigan

Freeay with Detroit skyline in background.

Detroit Metro Testing ‘Smart Road’ Tech

Sensors installed along a segment of Interstate 94 could help improve safety, limit speeding, and alert officials to potholes and debris.

May 7, 2024 - GovTech

Flint River with blue sign on post in winter.

Lead Pipes Make Up Nearly One Tenth of US Water Service Lines

A decade after the Flint crisis captured national attention, tens of thousands of US water transmission lines can still leach dangerous chemicals.

April 30, 2024 - NPR

Grand Rapids Passes Zoning Reform Package

The new rules aim to make it easier to build small multifamily housing developments.

April 25, 2024 - M Live

Green highway signs on Highway 23 for Ann Arbor and Flint, Michigan.

Ann Arbor Calls for Highway Bus Service

The city council voted unanimously in support of a plan to build more transit and park-and-ride options rather than expand a highway with more car lanes.

March 27, 2024 - M Live

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.