Technology

Power lines and towers at a substation

California's Energy Reality Check

Is California ready for an all-electric future? The California energy grid barely withstood its biggest test during last week's heat wave as residents cranked up their air conditioners. CalMatters columnist Dan Walters questions if the grid is ready.

September 14, 2022 - CALmatters

Subway riders in Bangkok wear masks during the pandemic.

A Sustainable Future Requires Smart, Data-Driven Public Transport Networks

Devin de Vries, CEO of WhereIsMyTransport, makes the case for new and improved mobility as a tool for sustainability and equitable economic development.

September 14, 2022 - Devin de Vries

Self-Driving Cars

Skepticism for an Auto-Dependent Future

A new book makes the case that the promises of the transportation technology industry will fall short of the needs of cities and the planet.

September 11, 2022 - Vox

Electric Bus

$1.66 Billion in Federal Infrastructure Funding Awarded to U.S. Bus Systems

The Federal Transit Administration announced the winners in the Bus and Bus Facilities and Low or No Emission Vehicle (Low-No Program) programs in August.

September 6, 2022 - Federal Transit Administration

Car Graveyard

The Beginning of the End of the Internal Combustion Engine Vehicle?

The California Air Resources Board voted unanimously on August 25 to begin a phased ban on the sale of passenger vehicles powered by gasoline or diesel beginning in 2026 when over a third of new vehicles sold in California must be zero-emissions.

August 29, 2022 - The New York Times

Chicago Commuter Rail

Alternative Railroad Electrification

Rather than building costly overhead electrification infrastructure to convert a Chicago-area commuter rail line from polluting diesel power to emission-free electricity, the Metra Board of Directors chose a far less expensive and quicker route.

August 28, 2022 - Metra

Woman accessing bike at bike share station

Shared Mobility Ridership on the Rebound

Ridership on shared bike and scooter fleets showed numbers higher than before the pandemic in the second part of 2021, according to a new report.

August 26, 2022 - Smart Cities Dive

New York transportation carbon footprint map

CoolClimate Policy Tools

The CoolClimate Network's Interactive Policy Tools calculate and compare the GHG reductions provided by various emission reduction policies. These tools can help households, businesses and communities identify the best emission reduction strategies.

August 25, 2022 - CoolClimate Network Smart Tools for a Cooler Planet

A pair of electric cars plugged into charge at facilities in the corner of a shopping center parking lot.

Electric Driving Is the Future; Now Is the Time to Price It

EVs are great, but they’re not perfect. Let’s end their free ride.

August 24, 2022 - Adam Millard-Ball and Michael Manville

"25mph unless otherwise posted" speed limit sign in New York City

New York City To Test Speed Limiting Tech on City Vehicles

Advocates hope the city’s plan to install speed governors on part of its municipal fleet will prompt other cities and government agencies to follow suit.

August 23, 2022 - Bloomberg CityLab

Crosswalk button with illustration of visually impaired pedestrian

The Sound of Silence: Designing Electric Vehicles for Safety

Near-silent electric vehicles pose a danger to people with visual impairments, so engineers are studying ways to make the vehicles audible while maintaining the benefits of quieter streets.

August 17, 2022 - The New Yorker

Close-up of two people pointing at a printed city map with pencils with a laptop in the background

Digital Tool ‘Gamifies’ Planning Decisions

Interactive platforms help stakeholders visualize and understand the challenges faced by planners in distributing new housing construction, building infrastructure, and other projects.

August 14, 2022 - Bloomberg

Portland Transit

'Intersections + Identities: A Radical Rethinking of Our Transportation Experiences'

The American Planning Association's free "State of Transportation Planning Report" includes more than two dozen interesting and entertaining chapters by diverse authors on the subjects of planning resilience, equity, technology and mobility.

August 10, 2022 - Intersections + Identities A Radical Rethinking of Our Transportation Experiences

Group of bicyclists on a city street

Missing From the Climate-Energy Legislation: Bikes!

Missing from the Democrats' Inflation Reduction Act, the significant climate legislation which passed the Senate on a 51-50 party-line vote on Sunday with Vice President Harris casting the tie-breaking vote, is any mention of bikes.

August 9, 2022 - The Washington Post

Climate Change

'Inflation Reduction Act' a Mixed Bag for Climate Action, Planning Innovation

A roundup of all the emerging news and commentary regarding the Inflation Reduction Act, which last week broke through a Congressional roadblock to resuscitate some, but not nearly all, of the Build Back Better legislation that failed in 2021.

August 1, 2022 - James Brasuell

D.C. Land Use Map

What Is GIS?

GIS software, which combines location information with data about a range of other attributes, has become an indispensable tool for mapping and spatial analysis in urban planning and dozens of other fields.

July 31, 2022 - Diana Ionescu

Tesla's chief deisnger easily smashes the window of the cybertruck in a demonstration gone wrong.

Opinion: Stop Trusting Elon Musk—on Tunnels, on Teslas, on Everything

Musk has leveraged social media intrigue and a hot streak on the market to become the standard bearer for autonomous vehicle technology. Trust Tesla at public peril, argues James Brasuell in this opinion piece.

July 18, 2022 - James Brasuell

Storefront window for Gorillas fast-delivery store in New York City "Store to door in 10 min!"

New York Councilmembers Seek Action Against Cashless ‘Fast-Delivery’ Stores

After the city instituted a ban on cashless businesses, calling the model discriminatory against poor New Yorkers who rely on cash transactions, a study found that more than 80 percent of new fast-delivery stores don’t accept cash.

July 13, 2022 - Gothamist

Rendering of proposed Love Park, Toronto.

Quayside 2.0 Rejects the ‘Smart City’

In a reversal from Sidewalk Labs’ now-defunct tech-heavy proposal, Toronto’s new plan for the waterfront development known as Quayside emphasizes greenery and nature.

July 1, 2022 - Technology Review

Aerial view of crosswalk with digital 'smart' crosswalk concept

Behind the Allure of the ‘Smart City’

The glamour of digital technology can obscure the hard work of building healthy, sustainable cities.

June 28, 2022 - Technology Review

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.