Pennsylvania

Center City Construction

Forget Parking: Billions in Development Investments for Philly's Central City

Billions of development dollars have found their way to Philadelphia's Center City since the beginning of 2018, but parking is no longer a profitable proposition.

September 26, 2019 - WHYY

Car-Free Public Space

New Car-Free Public Space Remains a Challenge to Create

A new study from Drexel University's Lindy Institute for Urban Innovation surveys the obstacles and challenges making it more difficult to build car-free public spaces, like plazas and parklets, in Philadelphia.

September 23, 2019 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

Philadelphia Waterfront

Iconic Remnants of Failed Tram on the Philly Waterfront to Be Demolished

It's the end of an era that never was.

September 20, 2019 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

Amtrak ACS-64

Increasing Passenger Rail Service from Pittsburgh Would Be Costly, Studies Show

Transportation advocates are calling for expanded rail service to the east, but studies indicate the needed infrastructure improvements would be pricey.

September 17, 2019 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Port Authority of Allegheny County

Fewer Bus Stops in Pittsburgh

The Port Authority of Allegheny County is slowly but surely removing a significant number of bus stops from 98 routes in the system. Two routes are under review right now.

September 14, 2019 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Horse and Buggy

Batteries Replacing Horses in the Carriage Industry

A growing number of cities around the world, and around the United States, have banned horse-drawn carriages out of concern for the health and welfare of the horses.

September 14, 2019 - WHYY

Presidential Blvd Road Diet

A New Form-Based Zoning Code and the 'Conflicted Soul' of the Suburbs

The new form-based zoning code under consideration in the affluent Philadelphia suburb of Lower Merion "has something to teach Philadelphia and other big cities about how to organize density smartly," according to Inga Saffron.

September 9, 2019 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

Elfreth's Alley

Philadelphia Planning Commission Approves ADU Bill

The commission recommended a trio of bills focused on historic preservation, including one that would permit accessory dwelling units on historic properties.

August 27, 2019 - PlanPhilly

Corporate High Rise

Striking New Towers Coming to Philadelphia's Schuylkill Yards

Brandywine Realty Trust is making a statement with this contemporary take on the corporate high rise.

August 25, 2019 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

Parking Garage

Editorial: Pittsburgh Fails to Provide Adequate Parking Around Downtown

New development coming to Downtown Pittsburgh lacks sufficient parking, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

August 19, 2019 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Interstate 80

High Cost of Maintenance Prompts Wyoming Legislators to Consider Tolling I-80

Over the objections of the oil and trucking industries, an interim committee voted to allow the Wyoming legislature to determine whether to toll all lanes on Interstate 80 due to a shortfall in the state transportation budget.

August 18, 2019 - Buffalo Bulletin

Sports and Entertainment District

Casino Developer Wants Out of Expressway On-Ramp Plan in Philadelphia

There is a lot of development and planning intrigue about a casino developer and the extremely challenging plan to add an on-ramp to the Schuylkill Expressway in South Philadelphia.

August 13, 2019 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

SEPTA Bus

Climate Change and Public Transit

A recent round of thunderstorms brought public transit operations in Philadelphia to a screeching halt.

August 11, 2019 - WHYY

Rua Goncalo de Carvalho

Debunking Anti-Tree Myths

Most of the reasons street trees are sometimes unpopular with residents are either untrue or can be mitigated.

August 8, 2019 - PlanPhilly

Environmentalism

Climate Mayors Make Their Case to Climate Senators at their First Hearing

Five "climate mayors" addressed the Senate Democrats’ Special Committee on the Climate Crisis at their fist hearing on July 17, titled, “A Blueprint for Success: U.S. Climate Action at the Local Level.” Transportation was a major issue.

August 2, 2019 - Curbed

Philadelphia Homeless

Hepatitis A Outbreak in Philadelphia Leaves City Scrambling

Philadelphia isn't the first city to deal with a Hepatitis A outbreak after wavering on the question of whether to deploy public bathrooms and hygiene stations

August 2, 2019 - PlanPhilly

Effort to Rid Apartments of Lead Poisoning Risk Pushes Forward in Philadelphia

It’s been a tough slog for a bill designed to force landlords to remove lead from all buildings before they can charge tenants for rent.

August 1, 2019 - PlanPhilly

Port Authority of Allegheny County

Electric Bus Rapid Transit Between Pittsburgh and Oakland Takes Crucial Steps Forward

The Port Authority of Allegheny County will lead the remainder of a project to deliver major transportation improvements between Downtown Pittsburgh and Oakland.

July 31, 2019 - The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Port Authority of Allegheny County

Systemwide Evaluation of Bus Stops Underway in the Pittsburgh Region

The Port Authority of Allegheny County is evaluating how to make improvements at

July 24, 2019 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Street Closure

Rethinking Downtown Streets in a Revitalizing Pittsburgh

With $5.2 billion of investment in the past 10 years, and another $3.5 billion in the development pipeline, Pittsburgh planning organizations are considering ways to rethink the streets of the city's downtown.

July 23, 2019 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

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.