Infrastructure

How Urban Design Can Benefit Parents and Kids
Designing thoughtful, child-friendly public spaces can ease the burdens of modern parenting and offer safe spaces for children to learn self-reliance and resilience.

Save Lives on Our Roads Using the Safe System Approach
Prioritizing safety and committing to the SSA framework can make a big impact in the effort to reduce traffic fatalities.

Upcoming Conference Spotlights California's Orphan Wells
The 2025 Orphan & Idle Wells California Conference will address the environmental, economic, and public health challenges of abandoned oil and gas wells, focusing on remediation strategies, regulatory frameworks, and community-centered solutions.

$2.1 Billion Secured for Maui Wildfire Recovery and Resilience
Congress has approved federal funding to support Maui’s wildfire recovery, including housing, economic development, and infrastructure improvements while fostering long-term community resilience and preparedness.

One Year Into Brazil’s ‘Hostile Architecture’ Ban
A recent law prohibits ‘defensive’ architecture designed to keep people away from buildings or public spaces.

Reclaiming Oil Wells for Renewable Energy in Rural Colorado
A company is seeking to repurpose abandoned oil wells in Pierce, Colorado, to create a cost-effective geothermal energy system that could heat and cool local buildings, reduce emissions, and serve as a model for sustainable energy nationwide.

National Brownfields Training Conference: Driving Sustainable Redevelopment
The conference will bring together diverse stakeholders to share knowledge, strategies, and resources for the remediation and sustainable redevelopment of contaminated properties, fostering economic growth and environmental restoration.

Maui's Deadly Firestorm: Investigating the Tragedy and Lessons for the Future
FRONTLINE's Maui’s Deadly Firestorm investigates the 2023 Lahaina wildfire, uncovering critical failures in preparedness and response while examining the tragedy’s causes, impact, and lessons for future disaster prevention.

Storms and Sea Levels: The Growing Threat to California’s Piers
California’s aging piers face growing threats from climate change, with intensifying storms, rising repair costs, and structural vulnerabilities forcing tough decisions about their future preservation.

New Orleans Seeks Consultants for $8M Tree Planting Initiative
The city seeks consultancy firms to help implement an $8 million USDA Urban and Community Forestry Grant, advancing its goal of planting 40,000 trees by 2030 and strengthening urban sustainability and resilience.

New York Law Addresses Extreme Heat in Schools
The law calls for heat mitigation measures when temperatures exceed 88 degrees.

Mexico City Raises Mobility, Public Works Budget Ahead of World Cup
The Mexican capital plans to improve mobility to its major sports venues and invest in public works and infrastructure.

Presidential Transportation Innovations
A detailed list of each U.S. president’s contributions to transportation.

North Texas Transportation Council Advocates for Road Safety, Rail Projects
The North Texas Regional Transportation Council issued a series of recommendations for state legislators that include more support for road safety projects and high-speed rail.

How to Make Greenways Better
Adding amenities such as public restrooms and shade trees can make greenways like Detroit’s Joe Louis Greenway more inviting and comfortable for their users.

Los Angeles County Secures Funding for Beach Protection
L.A. County is getting a $1 million grant from the California Ocean Protection Council to develop a Regional Coastal Strategic Adaptation Plan to protect its beaches from climate change impacts while prioritizing equitable access and sustainability.

How US Cities Can Prepare for Climate Disasters
Resilience, encompassing infrastructure, governance, economic strength, and social cohesion, is critical for cities to mitigate rising climate risks like flooding, wildfires, and heat, ensuring long-term recovery and adaptability.

Planetizen’s Top Posts of 2024
The most-read articles on Planetizen in 2024.

Oakland Adopts Urban Forest Plan to Foster Equity and Environmental Justice
The Oakland City Council has adopted its first Urban Forest Plan, a 50-year roadmap focused on equitable tree care, canopy preservation, and environmental justice to benefit underserved communities.

USDOT Issues Accessibility Guidelines for Transit Stations
A new rule aims to clarify accessibility requirements to help state and local DOTs upgrade their facilities more quickly to meet ADA standards.
Pagination
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.
EMC Planning Group, Inc.
Planetizen
Planetizen
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service