United States

A speedometer showing Generation Z, Millennials, Generation X, and Baby Boomers

Generation Z Is Driving Less, But History Indicates It Won’t Last

Think Generation Z will usher in the long-awaited post-car future of transit advocates’ dreams? Think again (about the example set by the Millennials).

March 2, 2023 - Bloomberg CityLab

Crosswalk with pedestrians in front of four-story red brick buildings in New Haven, Connecticut

There is Nothing Illiberal About Walkability

Despite recent claims to the contrary, the concept of the 15-minute city promotes freedom of mobility and universal access to a city’s resources and amenities.

March 2, 2023 - The Washington Post

Vacant vintage Streamline Moderne blue and white Greyhound station in Jackson, Tennessee

Intercity Buses Face Station Closures and Labor Shortage

The closure of many former Greyhound bus terminals is making intercity bus travel more inconvenient for the riders who depend on it.

March 2, 2023 - Smart Cities Dive

Los Angeles Protest

Quiz: How Well Do You Understand the Homelessness Crisis?

An online questionnaire illuminates the root causes of homelessness, debunking some common myths about unhoused people in America.

March 2, 2023 - Housing Matters

Pedestrians and cyclists in busy city crosswalk with blurred motion

Report: Pedestrian Deaths Rose Again in Early 2022

New data shows continued growth in pedestrian road deaths in most U.S. states.

March 1, 2023 - Governors Highway Safety Association

Close-up view of empty bus from behind seat. Seats have blue upholstery

Public Transit’s Existential Crisis

U.S. transit systems are still scrambling to find alternate funding sources and adjust their service to new needs as ridership remains below pre-pandemic levels.

March 1, 2023 - Governing

View from overpass of highway with one truck and green median with Baltimore city in the background

USDOT Awards Reconnecting Communities Grants

The first $185 million in grants were awarded to projects that aim to improve mobility and reconnect neighborhoods isolated by highways and other infrastructure projects.

February 28, 2023 - U.S. Department Of Transportation

Smiling mother and child on busy public bus wearing Covid-19 protective masks

Making Transit More Family-Friendly

Public transit can often be inconvenient or unsafe for people with children in strollers and riders traveling for purposes other than commuting. Agencies are working on ways to fix that.

February 28, 2023 - Next City

Elderly woman with short gray hair wearing blue surgical mask looks out window with wooden frame, a potted purple orchid on the windowsill

Study: Many American Seniors Can’t Afford to ‘Age in Place’

A lack of affordable housing and access to services and amenities make it difficult for many seniors to remain in their long-term homes or communities.

February 28, 2023 - Harvard Magazine

Highway Construction

FHWA Rescinds Guidance Discouraging Road Expansions

A decision from the Government Accountability Office spurred by Republican pushback led the agency to issue a new memo abandoning its previous stance, which ‘gently’ promoted maintenance work over new road construction.

February 28, 2023 - Politico

Rendering of California high-speed rail train viaduct with arches

How Consultants Drive Up Transit Construction Costs

A new report suggests that an overreliance on external consultants by U.S. transit agencies and other government entities is hollowing out the public sector and raising the costs of transit projects.

February 27, 2023 - Slate

Aerial overhead view of single-family neighborhood with some houses under construction

How Single-Family Zoning Became Unaffordable for Families

Zoning regulations designed to boost the housing supply for families have contributed to a housing crisis that makes housing costs a major burden for many American families.

February 27, 2023 - Discourse Magazine

Greenwich Village street with red brick buildings with green awnings and businesses on first floor

Livable Streets, Revisited

The updated version of Donald Appleyard’s 1982 book Livable Streets, written by Appleyard's son, dives even deeper into the ‘ecology of the street,’ proposing actionable solutions for the conflicts and problems facing urban environments today.

February 26, 2023 - Bruce Appleyard

Homeless Encampment

Federal Report Calls Encampment ‘Sweeps’ Ineffective and Costly

Weeks after federal officials evicted unhoused people from a Washington, D.C. park, research indicates that similar actions, which usually come at a high cost to cities, have little impact on homelessness in the long term.

February 23, 2023 - Smart Cities Dive

Washington Square Park, New York City

Reshaping Cities for Present-Day Populations

The demographic changes of the last few years give city planners and urban designers an opportunity to reimagine how public spaces can most effectively promote public health, wellbeing, and equity.

February 23, 2023 - Douglas C. Smith

Aerial view of dense single-family homes in neighborhood still under construction

Report: How States Can Incentivize Housing Production

With many cities and local jurisdictions using zoning codes to slow housing development, policymakers at the state level are taking action to increase the housing supply.

February 23, 2023 - Urban Institute

Texas Apartment Construction

Analysis: Build It (Housing) and They Will Come

Some of the fastest-growing metro areas in the country are also the ones building the most new housing.

February 22, 2023 - Bloomberg CityLab

Denver Union STation TOD

New Federal Grant Program Supports Transit-Oriented Housing

Local governments can apply for part of a $5 million program aimed at helping them identify appropriate sites, preserve affordable housing, and build more housing near transit.

February 21, 2023 - Route Fifty

A button to start a car reads “2023 Start”

Planning Trends to Watch in 2023

The days and weeks since the arrival of Covid-19 have been filled with so much noise about the future, it’s been difficult to distinguish between big stories and frivolous distractions. Planetizen is here to help.

February 21, 2023 - James Brasuell

Cars on highway in Colorado with snow-capped mountains in background

How Vehicle Ownership Impacts Roadway Design

New research assesses the potential implications of reduced car ownership on the design of roads and communities.

February 21, 2023 - 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.