Infrastructure

Post-Tropical Cyclone Sandy made landfall at 8pm ET on October 29, 2012 about 5 miles southwest of Atlantic City, NJ, as seen in this NOAA GOES-13 satellite colorized infrared image from the same time.

Jail the Planners for Not Preventing Sandy!

Ed Blakely indicts the planning profession for failing to protect our communities from the threat of a changing climate. How can we plan places that serve as bulwarks from the worst physical traumas, while providing economic and social resiliency?

November 5, 2012 - Edward J. Blakely

Large banyan tree in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Growing Green: How Parks and Trees Shape Honolulu’s Future

Honolulu is expanding its urban tree canopy through community-driven park revitalization efforts, emphasizing the environmental, social, and cultural benefits of trees in creating a more resilient and equitable city.

February 23, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Aerial view of Cedar Viaduct under construction for California high-speed rail train in Fresno, California.

Federal Funding for California High-Speed Rail Under Review

USDOT says it will evaluate the funding currently committed to the construction of California’s high-speed rail project, which has run years behind schedule and billions over its projected budget.

February 21, 2025 - San Francisco Chronicle

Close-up of car dashboard with speedometer at 35 on roadway at night.

Has Progress on Travel Safety Run Off the Road?

Changing technology and rebuilding infrastructure to improve road safety are long-term strategies. How can enforcement and interventions that influence driver behavior make a difference in reducing traffic deaths sooner?

February 21, 2025 - Steven Polzin

Portland Oregon Old Town neon sign and blurred traffic at night.

Portland Transportation Bureau Faces ‘Existential’ Cuts

PBOT’s director says the agency’s impending budget shortfall could imperil even basic transportation and infrastructure services.

February 20, 2025 - Willamette Week

Firefighter in yellow uniform stands in grassy field monitoring wildfire in the Everglades, Florida.

Federal Funding Cuts Spark Concern Among Wildland Firefighters

Federal firefighting forces, already underresourced, are being slashed even as wildfires become a year-round problem.

February 19, 2025 - Pro Publica

Downtown Los Angeles viewed from Echo Park with lake with artesian fountain in foreground.

A Sustainable Future for LA: Updating the OurCounty Plan

Los Angeles County is updating its Sustainability Plan to refine its vision for climate action, environmental justice, and community well-being, with residents encouraged to participate by taking the OurCounty 2025 Update Community Survey.

February 19, 2025 - Los Angeles County Chief Sustainability Office

Painted bike lane with bike symbol and diamond on street in downtown Toronto, Ontario.

A Troubling Trend of Backlash to Bike Lanes

Some cities are going so far as to rip out protected bike infrastructure that took years of advocacy to build.

February 19, 2025 - Momentum Magazine

Close-up of "Bus Lanes - Photo Enforced" sign with camera logo on New York City street pole.

NYC Camera Program Captures 400,000 Bus Lane Violations

Bus speeds increased by as much as 25 percent on some routes after enforcement began last August.

February 19, 2025 - StreetsBlog NYC

Small trees on city sidewlak with glass buildings in background.

Urban Forestry as a Pathway to Equity and Opportunity

Urban forestry job training programs are creating economic opportunities for underrepresented individuals while addressing workforce shortages and advancing tree equity in communities most impacted by environmental disparities.

February 17, 2025 - American Forests

Wildfire recovery area with small trees growing in burn areas in Angeles National Forest in California.

Resilient Communities, Healthy Ecosystems: A Balanced Approach to Wildfires

Effective wildfire mitigation in California requires a holistic approach that goes beyond large-scale vegetation removal, emphasizing home hardening, defensible space, strategic planning, and reducing human-caused ignitions.

February 16, 2025 - UCLA Sustainable LA Grand Challenge

Two-way protected bike lane on wide street in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida with high-riise buildings in background.

St. Petersburg’s Bike Infrastructure Efforts Pay Off

New bike infrastructure is encouraging more people to take to the streets on two wheels, but advocates say safety challenges remain.

February 16, 2025 - The Crow's Nest

Los Angeles, California skyline against mountains at sunset.

Building Resilient Communities: Insights from the LA County Cities Summit

The Los Angeles County Cities Summit convened local leaders to share strategies for advancing sustainability, addressing climate resilience, extreme heat, and other pressing environmental challenges through policy and community-driven solutions.

February 14, 2025 - Los Angeles County Chief Sustainability Office

Outdoor dining patio with tables and boxes of flowers surrounding it on New York City sidewalk.

NYC Approves Only 40 of Over 1,300 of Outdoor Dining Applications

Restaurant owners say they’ve been in limbo for months as city departments point fingers at each other for delays in permit approvals.

February 14, 2025 - New York Magazine

Red spherical bollards lining city sidewalk.

Building Secure Yet Welcoming Public Spaces

Strategies for securing public spaces from vehicle attacks and other acts of terrorism without sacrificing accessible, vibrant urban places.

February 13, 2025 - Bloomberg CityLab

Small rural USPS post office in manufactured one-story grey building with American flag in front.

Delivering for America Plan Will Downgrade Mail Service in at Least 49.5 Percent of Zip Codes

Republican and Democrat lawmakers criticize the plan for its disproportionate negative impact on rural communities.

February 12, 2025 - Cowboy State Daily

Man sitting in chair along River Seine in Paris with fishing pole.

River Seine ‘Teeming’ With Life

Decades of restoration efforts are yielding positive results as dozens of species of fish return to the once-polluted waterway.

February 11, 2025 - Reasons to Be Cheerful

Close-up on blue and white "Electric vehicle charging station" sign with arrow pointing right on pole on city street.

New York State Finances $60M Loan for EV Charging Infrastructure

Gov. Hochul announced the investment just as a federal program for EV charging infrastructure was halted by administration officials.

February 11, 2025 - Wins Newsroom

Parking payment machine on street with blurred cars parked in background.

Donald Shoup Wasn't Just About Parking. He Was About The Economics Of Public Goods.

William Fulton provides a personal perspective on Prof. Shoup's life and work: “His mission was to help people understand the underlying economics of public goods and services. Parking was simply the vehicle, one might say, that he chose to do so.”

February 11, 2025 - California Planning & Development Report

Large bridge under construction.

From Grants to Growth: The Critical Role of Funding in Urban Transportation Projects

How cities are taking innovative approaches and adopting technology to develop sustainable, long-term funding sources for transportation infrastructure.

February 7, 2025 - Timothy Menard

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.