North America

To Reduce Carbon Emissions, Focus on Existing Buildings
Architects are uniquely positioned to reduce global warming, argues the CEO of Urban Green Council—but first they need to rethink their role.

L.A.'s Strategy for 'Universal Basic Mobility'
Los Angeles Department of Transportation General Manager Seleta Reynolds emphasizes the importance of riders' perspective on access when redesigning the transit system.

Learning from Manhattan's Urban Imperfections
New York is a great city that breaks many rules of urban planning. Here's what its imperfections can teach us about city building.

Kayaking, Canvassing, and Cooking Classes: Cities Experiment With Climate Outreach
As cities across the U.S. commit to ambitious climate actions, they're seeking effective ways to engage with local communities.

'Destination Crenshaw' Showcases South L.A.'s Strategic Advantage—Black Culture
Los Angeles City Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson outlines Destination Crenshaw and highlights the economic development and community investment opportunities it brings to South L.A.

'Cars Are Death Machines'
Not one, not two, but three articles in the past week paint dire portraits of the world that cars have created.

L.A.'s Strategy for 'Safe, Mobile, and Sustainable' Streets
Streets LA General Manager Adel Hagekhalil lays out his priorities and plans for transforming Los Angeles into a system of world-class streets.

Three Studies That Show Density Doesn't Determine Car Travel
Thirty years after a seminal study attempted to connect increased density with decreased automobile use, several new studies are raising doubts about that central assumption of contemporary planning.

Your County May Not be Very Good at Accessing Community Development Funding
New research shows that some U.S. communities are much better than others at attracting grants and financing for community development—even after adjusting for relative need. The numbers are clear, but the reasons for the disparity may not be.

Dodger Stadium as Civic Space with a New Front Door
Janet Marie Smith, famous for helping plan Camden Yards in Baltimore, discusses how Dodger Stadium's 'new front door' will optimize transit and pedestrian access while preserving the field's historic character and sweeping 'postcard views.'

The Free Public Transit Debate
The pros and cons of fare-free transit involve a range of issues, from operations logistics and outcomes to costs and fiscal priorities.

Zoning for the Missing Middle in Cartoon Form, With Wizards
The city of Ottawa, Canada has produced another goofy animated video. This one explains its efforts to encourage more Missing Middle multi-unit urban housing.

Report Makes Business Case for Vancouver-to-Portland High Speed Rail
Washington State released a report detailing the business case for connecting Seattle to Portland and Vancouver by high-speed rail.

Congestion Pricing: An Expat View
Writing from London in an Op-Ed for Seattle’s Crosscut, Chuck Wolfe argues for a contextual approach to a much-touted search for transportation equity.

When Rideshare Serves as Transit, Success Brings Risks
Innisfil, Ontario, decided to use Uber instead of starting bus service. The program took off but so have the costs, and now cutbacks need to be made.

Street Design Principles by Sidewalk Labs
Sidewalk Labs, a smart cities shop within the Alphabet corporate structure, is working to revolutionize technology's role in city planning. Sidewalk Labs recently released the street design principles it's using to guide that effort.

2019 Smart Cities Readiness Challenge Winners Announced
The awards from the Smart Cities Council will support communities as they pursue smart technologies initiatives.

Cities Win the Water Reallocation Game, Study Shows
A new study says that huge amounts of water are moved from rural areas to cities to support rapidly growing urban populations.

Trump Signs Two Executive Orders Limiting States' Authority Over Energy Pipelines
The Trump administration's "energy dominance" agenda depends, in part, on growing the energy distribution network, namely pipelines, rail facilities, and ports. However, states can use the Clean Water Act to block pipelines and coal terminals.

What President Trump's Border Wall Can't Stop
William H. Frey, a demographer with Brookings, argues that racial diversity is a good thing for the country by many measures. Trump's wall would make it harder to benefit from demographic changes, but changes is still coming.
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