Walkability

A Sea of Infrastructure

An ex-pat American returns home to Milwaukee, and is overwhelmed by the extensive auto-oriented infrastructure needed to support the U.S. lifestyle, very different from his life in Almeria, Spain.

November 9, 2009 - Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

Walkscore to Get Bus Points

Transit stops are now included on Walkscore, the map-mashup website that scores neighborhoods based on their accessibility and walkability.

November 7, 2009 - NRDC Switchboard

Halloween Costumes for Urban Planners - 2nd Edition

The second edition list of the best urban planning costume ideas.

October 26, 2009 - Nate Berg

Sidewalk Design Vehicle

A few days ago I posted a blog that discussed the concept of Universal Design (transportation facilities designed to accommodate all possible users, including those with disabilities and other special needs) and the value it provides to individuals and communities. One way to approach this issue is to define the design vehicle for pedestrian facilities.

October 15, 2009 - Todd Litman

El Paso to Walk the Walk

Citing a recent study that demonstrates higher home values in walkable neighborhoods, officials in El Paso say it's time to change the way their city grows.

October 14, 2009 - El Paso Times

Study Shows TND Encourages Walking

Orenco Station in Portland, OR shows that traditional neighborhood development (TND) can decrease car use and encourage walking, according to a new study.

September 16, 2009 - New Urban News

Residential Infill, 70's-Style

  In 1979, the City of San Diego launched a plan to steer new development into the craftsman-lined neighborhoods close to downtown.   The idea was sound:  scatter higher density housing throughout existing smart growth communities. 

August 25, 2009 - Diana DeRubertis

Can Local Stores Have An Impact on Global Warming?

A revival of small, neighborhood retailers could be an important strategy for countering climate change, enticing people to run errands without driving their cars.

August 22, 2009 - Grist Magazine

Houston To Require Better Walkability Around Transit Stations

City officials in Houston have unanimously approved zoning and policy changes that will encourage walkable development around the city's expanding light rail network.

August 21, 2009 - The Houston Chronicle

Better Walkability, Higher Value

A recent study finds a correlation between a neighborhood's walkability and its home values.

August 18, 2009 - Inman News

Recasting the Station as the Neighborhood Nucleus

Zoning changes around the train station in New Carrollton, Maryland seek to redefine the city into a more vibrant, walkable area. The changes have received preliminary approval.

August 18, 2009 - The Washington Post

Can "Walkable" and "Bucolic" Go Hand in Hand?

There is controversy over new sidewalk laws in Washington, DC.

August 12, 2009 - The Washington Post

Pedestrian Traffic Discouraged in Oklahoma City

Not only is walking in Oklahoma City not encouraged, it's actually discouraged with public policy, says an urban design consultant.

June 12, 2009 - News OK

Shopping: An ‘Obnoxious Industrial Activity’?

  As James Howard Kunstler points out in Home From Nowhere, one of the tragedies of single-use zoning is that it branded shopping as an “obnoxious industrial activity that must be kept separate from houses”.  Ironically, the places where most Americans shop today come pretty close to “obnoxious” and “industrial”. 

May 30, 2009 - Diana DeRubertis

Comparing the Fates of Two Exurbs

Reporter Ben Adler travels to Leesburg, VA without a car and reports on the difficulties he experiences getting around. In comparison, Ben walks with ease around Kentlands, a New Urbanist development in Maryland.

May 6, 2009 - The American Prospect

Should Fuel Taxes Pay For Alternative Transportation?

Planetizen has teamed up with National Journal, a weekly politics and policy magazine, to explore transportation issues. As part of National Journal's Transportation Experts blog, we've asked Planetizen Interchange bloggers and National Journal's Transportation Experts whether money from the Highway Trust Fund should be used for non-highway projects like bike lanes and pedestrian walkways.

May 4, 2009 - Planetizen

Amenities Key to Walking, Fitness

People who live within walking distance of amenities like stores, transit stops, and parks are twice as likely to be fit as those who don't, according to a new study conducted by researchers at San Diego State University.

April 20, 2009 - Gant Daily

Inside a 20-Minute City

This piece from Worldchanging looks at the Seattle-area city of Ballard. It's a "20-minute city", where people can get to practically everything they'd want or need to within a 20-minute walk.

April 14, 2009 - WorldChanging

OK City Not OK for Walking

Jeff Speck takes a walk in Oklahoma City and finds too-wide streets, too-low density and too much danger for pedestrians.

March 24, 2009 - The Oklahoman

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.