United States

Transit Riders Want An Improved Experience Post-Pandemic, Survey Says
A survey of public transit users indicates riders want to see more tech features that improve their experience, such as trip planning and improved payment platforms.

Study: Uber and Lyft Trips Cost the Planet More Than Trips in Personal Vehicles
The cost of 'deadheading'–the time ride-hailing drivers spend looking for fares–offsets any environmental benefits created by the industry, despite early claims that the apps would reduce congestion and air pollution.

The Role of Play in Public Space Design
'Playable' public spaces can be a powerful tool for creating vibrant, communal, and equitable cities.

Americans Walk More Than Ever
An analysis of searches for walking directions shows dramatic increases in walking in cities across the country.

With Little Government Assistance, Intercity Bus Services Struggle to Regain Footing
Although intercity buses provide a crucial service to millions of Americans, the industry has been shut out of recent pandemic assistance programs while riders continue to experience dismal facilities and shrinking service options.

Boosters and Breakthroughs in Vermont
The most vaccinated state in the U.S. may tell us where the future of the country is headed in the war against the coronavirus. Could it become a 'pandemic of the vaccinated'?

Bloomberg Philanthropies Announces New Round of Asphalt Art Initiative Grants
Bloomberg Philanthropies is funding projects that take an artistic approach to traffic safety.

Retail Openings Outpace Closures in 2021
An estimated 20 percent of the stores to open so far in 2021 are Dollar Generals.

Outdated State and Federal Road Design Rules Hinder Freeway Removal
Although some cities are in favor of removing or reducing urban freeways in favor of more walkable spaces, guidelines like the 11-year-old MUTCD still encourage a 'throughput at all costs' mentality.

Don't Call it a Comeback: Big Cities Are Outlasting Predictions of Demise
As the new world order of working from home and vaccine hesitancy settles in, it's time to reevaluate assumptions from early in the pandemic about the effect of the public health on the economic health of large cities.

More Insight Into the Effects of the Pandemic for Rental Property Landlords
A pair of recent surveys attempt to shed light on the changing business and property management practices of landlords during the pandemic.

U.S. Housing Prices Continue Record-Breaking Pace
July marked four straight months of record-breaking increases for housing prices nationwide, according to the latest housing market data.

A State-by-State Wish List for Federal Infrastructure Funding
States have a laundry list of major projects they'd like to see funded if the trillion-dollar infrastructure package passes.

NPR: HUD Sells Flood-Prone Homes Without Disclosing Risks
The troubling trend is particularly pronounced in lower-income communities, where experts worry households are being inadvertently set up for big financial losses.

New Research Reexamines HOLC's Role in Redlining
New Deal agencies did engage in discriminatory lending practices–but not quite in the way we think.

The 2010s: The Decade of the Suburban Rental
Census data reveal a growing number of suburbs are home to a majority of renters. The data challenges the "very definition of suburban living," according to this article.

Census Delays Release of 2020 American Community Survey Data
Due to the challenges faced by data collectors during the pandemic, the Census Bureau will not be releasing 2020 ACS data in September as usual.

Alaska Activates Crisis Standards of Care
Daily new COVID cases per capita in Alaska are the nation's highest. The crisis standards enable overwhelmed hospitals to ration care. Gov. Mike Dunleavy recognized the crisis yet saw no need to take steps to reduce coronavirus transmission.

How the AI Economy is Shaping Cities
Like other technologies, artificial intelligence tech seems to be clustering in a small group of cities, prompting questions about its uneven deployment.

Opinion: Car-Centric Cities Hurt Kids
Designing neighborhoods with children in mind could reduce traffic fatalities and improve the health and well-being of kids.
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