The hottest Urban planning Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Technology Topics

Issue 14: A peasant surprise

The Works in Progress Newsletter • 8 implied HN points • 16 Feb 24
💾 History Urban planning
  1. The 14th issue of Works in Progress talks about Russia's historical reforms to dismantle serfdom, with lessons for current reform efforts today.
  2. Proposing new approaches to organ donation incentives may be more effective than defaults, as shown by research by Duncan McClements and Jason Hausenloy.
  3. Reviving the cut and cover method for building underground railway networks could be a cost-effective solution for many cities, as explored by Brian Potter.

Mini Exasperation #5

Exasperated Infrastructures • 2 implied HN points • 21 Feb 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Urban planning
  1. Island Press is having a sale on e-books for just $4.99, making it a great time to support a small publisher and read more about planning and urbanism.
  2. Austin has made it illegal to park in bike lanes, with fines between $50 and $300, which aims to improve safety for cyclists.
  3. A new study shows that many people prefer ride-hailing services like Uber or Lyft over public transit, highlighting a need for changes in how we think about transportation options.

Henry Grabar's "Paved Paradise" is a Masterpiece

Exasperated Infrastructures • 9 implied HN points • 02 May 23
🎭️ Culture Urban planning
  1. Henry Grabar's book 'Paved Paradise' is likened to important urban planning works and sheds light on the impacts of parking policies.
  2. The book discusses the significant role of parking in shaping urban landscapes and the conflicts it has spurred.
  3. Through vivid storytelling and real-life characters, 'Paved Paradise' explores the complexities of parking policies and advocates for safer streets.

Daily Exasperation #9

Exasperated Infrastructures • 7 implied HN points • 14 Aug 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Urban planning
  1. The author discusses the lack of efficient travel options between cities in the US compared to Europe.
  2. There is a call for a change in legislative approaches to prioritize people's interests over moneyed ones.
  3. The article emphasizes the need for a clearer vision for New York City's future to address current and potential issues.
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

Norman Garrick on the Past, Present, and Future of Transportation

Exasperated Infrastructures • 7 implied HN points • 03 Apr 23
🎭️ Culture Urban planning
  1. Norman Garrick highlights the need for cities that prioritize people on foot over vehicles going at high speeds.
  2. He discusses the challenges of car dependency, especially in countries like Jamaica, and emphasizes the importance of transit, bike, and pedestrian planning.
  3. Garrick advocates for creating car-light cities that are free from the dangers, noise, pollution, and costs associated with cars, focusing on designing for people's quality of life and low-carbon urban environments.

A Grand Theft: Auto Industry Stole Our Streets And Our Future

As If We Were Staying • 1 implied HN point • 09 Feb 25
🎭️ Culture Urban planning
  1. The automobile industry changed the design of our cities, taking away spaces that were once meant for people. Streets used to be safe places for everyone, but cars changed that, leading to rises in accidents and fatalities.
  2. Big companies shaped public perceptions about cars being essential for modern life. They promoted the idea that owning a car was necessary, while at the same time, they bought and destroyed public transport systems to make way for more cars.
  3. We need to imagine a new future for our cities away from car dependency. It’s important for everyone to contribute ideas for a better urban design that prioritizes people, nature, and community, instead of serving corporate interests.

So what makes a city more walkable?

intellectualinting • 1 HN point • 21 Feb 24
🏝 Travel Urban planning
  1. Walkability in a city is about the ability for a random citizen to live happily without a car or reliance on private transport services.
  2. Factors like density, localized distribution of resources, proper infrastructure, public transportation, connectedness, and climate/play a vital role in determining a city's walkability.
  3. The idea of walkability may differ among individuals, with personal preferences affected by lifestyle, wealth, and cultural norms.

The real problem with California Forever

Urben Field Notes • 1 HN point • 18 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Urban planning
  1. The new city California Forever lacks regional transit planning, which is a significant flaw.
  2. The city focuses on good urban design, such as mixed-use buildings, bike lanes, and bus-rapid transit corridors.
  3. Despite thoughtful transportation planning within the city, the project neglects regional transportation solutions, missing opportunities for better transit connectivity.

Systems Thinking, Objects and Networks

Divergent Futures • 0 implied HN points • 08 Oct 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Urban planning
  1. Complex problems like climate change need complex thinking. We can't just look at individual parts; we must see the whole system and how it all connects.
  2. When people want to change things but can't, it's often because of poor communication and coordination between different groups. Both developers and planners might have good intentions, but they need to work together to make real progress.
  3. To really solve problems, we should focus on the bigger picture and the relationships around the issue. By understanding the system we are in, we can find better ways to create meaningful change.

Don't Hesitate to Buy a 4.4-meter Car

Kartick’s Blog • 0 implied HN points • 29 Dec 24
💼 Business Urban planning
  1. 4-meter cars are more spacious than smaller cars, offering better legroom for passengers and more boot space for luggage.
  2. Many people believe that 4.4-meter cars are bad for city driving, but they actually perform just as well as smaller cars in traffic.
  3. When buying a car, focus on the comfort and space it provides rather than just the length, as 4.4 meters is considered the sweet spot for most needs.

Fighting for Ghost Traffic

Kathy PM • 0 implied HN points • 27 Apr 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Urban planning
  1. Traffic in San Francisco is actually down since the pandemic, not worse. Many streets have seen a big drop in vehicle numbers compared to 2019.
  2. The feeling that traffic is worse is tied to emotions around loss and change. People miss the way things used to be and feel frustrated by new street designs.
  3. Instead of trying to return to pre-pandemic traffic patterns, the city should focus on making space for people and adapting to current needs for movement and community.

June 2025 Residential Construction

Erdmann Housing Tracker • 0 implied HN points • 18 Jul 25
💼 Business Urban planning
  1. Multifamily construction is back to pre-Covid levels, showing that building times are normalizing again. This means we might see fewer new projects coming soon.
  2. Single-family construction is taking longer than usual, with a delay of about a month compared to normal times. This could impact how quickly homes are available.
  3. Municipal regulations are likely slowing down construction, making it harder for builders to move forward quickly. This could lead to a longer wait for new housing developments.

20251207

Curious futures (KGhosh) • 0 implied HN points • 07 Dec 25
🌞 Climate & Environment Urban planning
  1. Governments and communities are turning large parking lots into solar farms, making local renewable power more common and cheaper, and inspiring grassroots projects to build shared solar spaces.
  2. Algorithms and AI are increasingly shaping real lives—clearing records, enabling face-scanning for police, changing jobs and hiring—and that raises big ethical and accountability questions.
  3. Rapid tech and political shifts (from electric aircraft to crypto pardons) are creating strange, mixed realities, so neighborhood-level cooperation and everyday friendships become important ways people adapt and make useful change.

Melbourne's missing Central Park?

Wheel’s Substack • 0 implied HN points • 22 Apr 23
🏝 Travel Urban planning
  1. Royal Park in Melbourne has design flaws and areas that feel unwelcoming to the public
  2. Improvements suggested include adding housing, pedestrianizing roads, repurposing spaces, and creating more public amenities
  3. The vision is to transform Royal Park into a more accessible, green, and inviting space similar to Central Park in New York

Steelmanning Reauthorization: Way More Than You Wanted to Know II

Exasperated Infrastructures • 0 implied HN points • 20 Mar 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Urban planning
  1. ISTEA put regional planning front and center by empowering MPOs and shifting attention away from just interstate highways toward the places where most trips actually happen.
  2. The law moved policy beyond highway silos toward intermodal, multimodal thinking and smarter transportation systems, elevating transit and integration across surface, air, and maritime modes.
  3. It made funding and planning more flexible and complex to match real travel patterns and regional needs, but money still flowed mainly through state DOTs and political earmarks and high‑priority corridors remained important.

Daily Exasperation #8

Exasperated Infrastructures • 0 implied HN points • 11 Aug 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Urban planning
  1. The statement from the Governor's spokesperson about combating climate change lacks substance and may not effectively reduce emissions.
  2. Focusing on highway-widening projects might not be the most beneficial use of funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
  3. Empty, vague statements can lead to costly projects that might not benefit those in need.

Startup builds a “car-free neighborhood” with a parking lot and techbro networking events

Reinventing the Bus • 0 implied HN points • 25 Sep 23
💼 Business Urban planning
  1. Culdesac, a startup, attempted to create a car-free neighborhood but ended up providing parking lots and car-related amenities.
  2. The focus on building parking lots ahead of residences in the project raised questions about priorities and sustainability.
  3. The project's approach reflects a trend in startup culture to prioritize networking and grand visions over practicality and community integration.

Barb Chamberlain on the Past, Present, and Future of Transportation

Exasperated Infrastructures • 0 implied HN points • 16 Feb 24
💼 Business Urban planning
  1. Barb Chamberlain emphasizes the importance of active transportation and the need for active listener polish in transportation leadership roles
  2. She discusses the shift needed in how transportation policies are approached, highlighting the unintended consequences of certain decisions in the past
  3. Barb Chamberlain advocates for deep listening, relationship building, and prioritizing community engagement to transform transportation infrastructure for the betterment of all

Sitting In Traffic Is A Problem Worth Solving

Cornerstone • 0 implied HN points • 10 Aug 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Urban planning
  1. Sitting in traffic is a significant problem that needs addressing, especially in areas like Northern Virginia.
  2. Congestion pricing could be an effective policy solution to address traffic congestion by pricing the externality of time wasted in traffic.
  3. Dependency on cars for transportation poses risks like accidents and contributes to a sedentary lifestyle, emphasizing the need for better transit options.

The one attribute that makes a decision strategic

Ruben Ugarte's Growth Needle™ • 0 implied HN points • 17 Oct 23
💼 Business Urban planning
  1. Strategic decisions set boundaries that influence future choices. Once you make a decision, it limits what you can do next.
  2. Cities like Miami show how infrastructure can force people into particular behaviors, such as driving instead of walking. This lack of options highlights how decisions create constraints.
  3. Understanding the constraints created by choices can help you navigate decision-making better. It’s important to consider how one decision impacts future opportunities.

Shifting Gears: From Car Culture to the Freedom of Choice — My Journey Beyond Society’s Default

Phil’s Substack • 0 implied HN points • 23 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Urban planning
  1. Car culture can be very addictive, making it hard for people to see the downsides of always relying on cars. It’s important to recognize that there are other, healthier ways to get around.
  2. Living in cities with good public transport and bike-sharing options can change your perspective on mobility. Choices like cycling can lead to a happier and more sustainable lifestyle.
  3. Choosing the right tool for your transportation needs is more important than having a fancy car. Enjoying simple things, like riding a bike, can bring more joy and satisfaction.

Bridges of the Ship Canal: Part 1

Street Smart Naturalist: Explorations of the Urban Kind • 0 implied HN points • 09 Sep 21
🎭️ Culture Urban planning
  1. The Great Northern Railroad Bridge, opened in 1914, uses a big counterweight to lift its span. It's an important structure in the area.
  2. The Ballard Bridge, built in 1917, had a wooden deck that was later replaced with steel due to safety concerns. It remains a significant and busy bridge today.
  3. Several bridges have existed over Salmon Bay, including the Northern Pacific high Bridge, which was demolished in 1976. These bridges tell a rich history of transportation in the region.

China: First Impressions

Logos • 0 implied HN points • 30 Sep 18
🎭️ Culture Urban planning
  1. Beijing is a really big city, and its size can feel overwhelming with wide streets and tall buildings. It's much larger than most cities in the UK.
  2. The pollution is not as bad as expected; sometimes it smells a bit chemical, but it doesn't always impact being outside. However, it can get annoying over time.
  3. There are many parks and greenery in Beijing, which is surprising. Seeing familiar Western restaurants also feels surprisingly comforting, even if you don't plan to eat there.

This is the future that we saw coming but chose not to stop.

The Climate Historian • 0 implied HN points • 08 Feb 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Urban planning
  1. Hurricanes are getting stronger. Scientists suggest adding a new category to the hurricane scale to better warn people about this risk.
  2. Wildfires in places like Chile are getting worse, resulting in loss of life and homes. Climate change is making these fires bigger and more dangerous.
  3. Cities are taking steps to reduce pollution, like Paris tripling parking costs for SUVs. This shows a trend towards less car use and encourages greener transportation.