United States

Visualizing the Western Drought
Lower-than-average rainfall and reduced snowpacks have led to one of the driest and most dangerous fire seasons in history.

U.S. Traffic Fatalities Increased Most for Black Americans During the Pandemic
Two new reports confirm the racial disparities of traffic violence in the United States, revealing more proof about who stayed home during the pandemic, and who was forced to navigate the risks of the pandemic in public.

Senate Democrats Consider $6 Trillion Infrastructure Package
In contrast to the $1.2 trillion Senate bipartisan infrastructure proposal, Senate Democrats are discussing a massive package that is more of a budget resolution than an infrastructure bill, designed to pass with 51 votes on reconciliation.

Why Pedestrian Deaths Are Rising
Jarrett Walker offers insights into "Right of Way," a book written last year by Angie Schmitt that is influencing the traffic safety conversation and pushing the fields of planning and engineering in new directions.

Pandemic Geography: Missouri Outbreak Driven by Delta Variant
With 65.4% of the nation's adult population at least partially vaccinated, daily new COVID cases have dropped to the lowest level since late March 2020. However, cases are increasing in some states, none more than Missouri.

$75 Billion 'Connect US' Plan Would Expand Amtrak Service All Over the Country
New attention for a plan to greatly expand Amtrak service in dozens of cities and regions around the United States.

Cities Must Act to Curb Delivery Van Congestion
With more and more products available for doorstep delivery, Janette Sadik-Khan argues that policymakers have to proactively face the imminent "delivery deadlock" and take control of curb management.

White House Marks Juneteenth by Pushing for Zoning Reforms
On a holiday that commemorates the end of slavery in the United States, the White House marked the occasion by discussion exclusionary zoning.

Sunday Fun: The Bicycle Powered Car
Mounting a tandem bike to the front of a Honda to generate the power to operate the car has never looked so fun.

How the Built Environment Impacts Public Health
New research sheds light on how the brain responds to urban environments and architecture.

A New Transit Equity Dashboard
New data technology has made it possible to measure transit equity in ways that were impossible before. TransitCenter is making good use of the new capabilities.

The Big Taboo of the Senate's Bipartisan Infrastructure Proposal
Ten bipartisan senators have proposed a nearly $1 trillion infrastructure deal with no new taxes, but it does include indexing the current gas tax of 18.4 cents per gallon, unchanged in 28 years, to inflation, thus potentially increasing gas prices.

Report: The Pandemic Tells a Tale of Two Housing Markets
The differences between the haves and the have-nots, already apparent in the U.S. housing market before the pandemic, is more apparent than ever after more than a year of economic and demographic upheaval.

The Consequences of Urban Population Decline for American Cities
Big cities saw the sharpest population declines during the pandemic. Is the trend here to stay?

The Changing Risks of Coastal Communities
An excerpt from "A Blueprint for Coastal Adaptation: Uniting Design, Economics, and Policy," published in May by Island Press.

Return of the National Parks
After more than a year of COVID-19-related restrictions and limited travel, rising attendance figures across national parks show Americans are eager to explore the great outdoors.

Leveraging Church Properties to Build Affordable Housing
As owners of valuable urban real estate, some churches are taking up the mandate to serve their community by using their vacant properties to provide housing for people being priced out of their homes.

When It Comes to Ending Homelessness, What Does 'Functional Zero' Really Mean?
"The idea of the word ‘functional’ in front of ‘zero’ is a reaction to the misperception that ending homelessness means no one ever experiences homelessness again."

Are We in a Housing Bubble?
As the pandemic shifts housing priorities and costs continue to soar, experts assess the potential for a crash similar to 2008's Great Recession.

Can Pandemic-Era Changes Ease Painful Rush Hours?
If even a small fraction of workers continue to work remotely or have more flexible hours, the resulting reduction in rush hour travelers could have a significant impact on peak hour congestion.
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