Oklahoma

Downtown Oklahoma City

Oklahoma Turnpike Expansion Project Challenged by Lawsuits

A recent court ruling could turn the tide against a roadway expansion plan that threatens to displace homes and businesses and that locals say was pushed through with little transparency or community input.

January 18, 2023 - Strong Towns

Nighttime view of Oklahoma City skyline

Oklahoma City Begins Work on its First Bus Rapid Transit System

The BRT line has been in the works since 2005, when the city created a plan to focus on regional transit solutions.

July 3, 2022 - Mass Transit

An intersection with bike lanes in Tulsa, Oklahoma

Business Owners Force Removal of New Tulsa Bike Lanes

Local politics is still an obstacle for street reconfigurations that make space for people on bikes.

October 12, 2021 - KTUL

Back to School September 2020

Biden Administration Targets Five States that Ban School Mask Mandates

President Biden asked his education secretary to see what could be done about states that prohibit school districts from enacting CDC public health recommendations. Miguel Cardona responded by empowering his Office of Civil Rights to investigate.

September 7, 2021 - The New York Times

Missouri

Pandemic Geography: Missouri Outbreak Driven by Delta Variant

With 65.4% of the nation's adult population at least partially vaccinated, daily new COVID cases have dropped to the lowest level since late March 2020. However, cases are increasing in some states, none more than Missouri.

June 21, 2021 - St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Black Wall Street

Black Wall Street's Second Destruction

After the Tulsa Race Massacre, Greenwood rebuilt strong. Then came "urban renewal."

June 1, 2021 - Next City

George Floyd

Oklahoma House Approves Protections for Drivers Who Hit Protestors

A heated debate and a party line vote in Oklahoma.

March 12, 2021 - The Oklahoman

Ambulance

Hospitals and Healthcare Workers Brace for Influx of COVID Patients

Coronavirus infections, while at record-high levels, have decreased during the past week, unlike hospitalizations, which are still surging. Public health experts expect it to get a lot worse due to the Thanksgiving holiday travel.

December 3, 2020 - Bloomberg News

Coronavirus COVID-19

The Changing Geography of the Pandemic

During the pandemic's first phase in March and April, the Northeast was devastated by COVID-19. After Memorial Day, the surge was in the South and West. As cases decrease nationwide, they are now spiking in the Midwest, particularly North Dakota.

August 27, 2020 - The Washington Post

New York City

Design Collective Using Black-Centered Approaches to Transform Cities

BlackSpace seeks to empower Black practitioners and change the way planning and design happens in and affects Black communities.

August 25, 2020 - Fast Company

2016 Presidential Election

Floridians File Lawsuit to Protect Jacksonville from the GOP

A public nuisance lawsuit filed July 8 aims to ensure that an unsafe indoor mass gathering like President Trump held in Tulsa last month, which reportedly led to coronavirus infections, does not occur during the Republican National Convention.

July 13, 2020 - WJCT News

Rural Bus

Rural Transit Agencies Provide a Lifeline During the Pandemic

More evidence of the essential benefits of public transit, but this time the source of the evidence is found in rural communities all over the United States, like Hugo, Oklahoma.

May 3, 2020 - Motherboard

Coronavirus COVID-19

States to Train Public Health Armies to Move Beyond Mitigation to Containment

As some governors open nonessential businesses, subjecting workers and customers to potential viral infection, others move beyond social distancing to the next steps, boxing in the coronavirus with testing, contact tracing, isolation, and quarantine.

April 27, 2020 - The Washington Post

Wisconsin

Will the Coronavirus Spare Rural America?

Many counties throughout the nation have recorded no deaths from COVID-19. A perception exists that population density is responsible for the massive death toll in New York and New Jersey and that exurban and rural counties may be spared.

April 13, 2020 - The New York Times

Greensboro Station on Metro's Silver line near Tyson's Corner

5 Transit Projects to Watch in the D.C. Region in 2020

Light rail, bus rapid transit, subway cell service, and more.

December 26, 2019 - WAMU

Dollar Store

In Tulsa, Pushing Back on the Dollar Store Incursion

Restrictions in North Tulsa are part of a backlash against the dollar stores flooding communities that are food deserts in need of real grocery stores.

November 23, 2019 - The New York Times

Oil Rigs

Just What the Planet Needs: More Oil Production

A surge of oil from four countries—Norway, Guyana, Canada and Brazil—will more than compensate for slowing growth of U.S. oil production. The new sources might cause oil prices to dip to $50 a barrel and slow the transition to electric vehicles.

November 6, 2019 - The New York Times

Methane

Big Oil Not Happy With Methane Regulation Rollback

The Trump administration's rollback on August 29 of an Obama-era regulation to reduce methane emissions in the production and distribution of oil and natural gas did not sit well with large oil and gas companies who see value in reducing emissions.

September 3, 2019 - The New York Times

Downtown Tulsa Bus Sation

Free Bus Rides in Tulsa

The Metropolitan Tulsa Transit Authority (Tulsa Transit) is launching a redesigned bus system this September. Tulsa Transit is offering free rides to boost the new service.

August 5, 2019 - Public Radio Tulsa

OKC Streetcar

Regional Transportation Authority of Central Oklahoma Formed

Officials in six Oklahoma cities are hoping to add public transit connections throughout the region.

February 26, 2019 - Oklahoma's News 4

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.