Public Health
![Dallas Freeways](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/shutterstock_754784011.jpg.webp?itok=IS4ULLYq)
How Car-Oriented Infrastructure Harms Public Health
A new documentary shows the ways that infrastructure designed for cars and not people is making us ill.
![Marcellus shale gas-drilling site with tall white tower against green hills along PA Route 87, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/Oil%20drillin%20gPennsylvania.jpg.webp?itok=oMCfn3yS)
The Effort to Plug Pennsylvania’s Abandoned Oil Wells
Hundreds of thousands of defunct oil wells litter the state, leaking dangerous substances and often hidden under parking lots, buildings, or covered over by vegetation.
![Close-up of hand holding up decibel meter with blurred highway with traffic in background](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/AdobeStock_211824312.jpeg.webp?itok=HV3j_0x3)
The Case Against Noise Pollution
A detailed description of how noise impacts health and wellbeing.
![Close-up of lead water pipe with mineral crusts](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/AdobeStock_366548962.jpeg.webp?itok=kvCVwtMM)
An Equity Approach to Lead Pipe Replacement
A former Chicago health commissioner calls on governments to prioritize the most marginalized and historically disinvested communities when distributing funding to replace lead pipes, which have taken the highest toll on the health of disadvantaged c
![Nighttime view of U.S. Capitol and blurred traffic on Pennsylvania Avenue](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/AdobeStock_205296951.jpeg.webp?itok=MS5M5sXm)
D.C. Residents Fight Light Pollution
New LED lighting has raised concerns about the health and environmental impacts of excessive or harsh lighting.
![Road sign with EXTREME HEAT ALERT surrounded by orange traffic cones](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/AdobeStock_284014372.jpeg.webp?itok=Le3YW436)
How Hot is Too Hot?
While they may not sound extreme, temperatures over 90 degrees can easily pose fatal risks and could have long-term impacts on public health.
![Monotone photo of man waiting on subway platform with blurry train passing by and other passengers walking by](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/AdobeStock_254442080.jpeg.webp?itok=M1LrAjmn)
How Can Urban Planning Address the ‘Loneliness Epidemic’?
The U.S. Surgeon General is sounding the alarm about the health effects of isolation. Planners have a role to play in rebuilding our “social infrastructure.”
![Close-up of pedestrian crossing button at a crosswalk in Los Angeles](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/shutterstock_2128216616.jpg.webp?itok=QvTu50xC)
Report: Racial Gap in Traffic Deaths Persists
Communities of color have significantly higher rates of traffic fatalities, according to federal research.
![View from back of young man sitting on concrete bench overlooking blurred city at sunrise or sunset](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/shutterstock_321921797.jpg.webp?itok=BKFIt6zg)
New Report on Loneliness and Isolation
A new advisory from the Surgeon General declares that there is an epidemic of loneliness in the United States and that lacking connection can increase the risk for premature death to levels comparable to smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
![Blur image of patients in a hospital waiting area.](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/shutterstock_1934811245.jpg.webp?itok=Gu0mGUQ8)
Report: Poor Access to Transportation Linked to Missed Healthcare
One in five Americans with limited access to transit and no vehicle have to forego medical appointments.
![Playground with yellow shade sails and blue equipment in Los Angeles, California](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/MagicJohnsonPark_0.jpg.webp?itok=zuKxU85T)
Community Building Through Park Activation
Los Angeles County's popular and award-winning Parks After Dark program returns for the spring, providing opportunities for residents to come together in safe and welcoming spaces where they can access quality programming and a variety of services.
![Aerial view of green trees over residential neighborhood with Austin, Texas skyline in the background](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/shutterstock_1366820927.jpg.webp?itok=5HoDBt0a)
Street Trees as Climate Resilience
An Austin-based urban designer explains how protecting and encouraging the planting of street trees will make the city more resilient to increasingly common extreme heat events, among many other benefits.
![Aerial view of traffic on road and buildings in the Bronx, New York City](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/shutterstock_1660324648.jpg.webp?itok=gvbsFZq0)
MTA Proposes Pollution Mitigation Spending for the Bronx
Acknowledging the impact the city’s proposed congestion pricing program could have on underserved neighborhoods, the agency plans to spend over $130 million in revenue from the program on air filtration, trees, and other pollution reduction measures.
![People walking on the Camino de Santiago trail in Spain](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/shutterstock_630570752.jpg.webp?itok=InQ29BN4)
The Joy of Walking
An essay meditating on the simple pleasures of a good walk.
![Aerial view of small town of Beacon, New York in the Hudson Valley](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/shutterstock_415512232.jpg.webp?itok=uLfFa9A-)
Hudson Valley City Bans Fossil Fuels in New Construction
Beacon will require all-electric appliances in new buildings starting next year.
![Pedestrian stoplight with green 'walk' silhouette lit up and blurry city buildings in background](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/shutterstock_485832529.jpg.webp?itok=4K_ZCPr8)
Historically Redlined Neighborhoods Have Higher Rates of Pedestrian Deaths, Study Says
The consequences of historic redlining continue to have consequences in the present day United States. Add another example to the list.
![A homeless encampment is set up outside a transit station, next to bike share stations and a ticket dispenser.](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/LA-Transit-Homeless.jpg.webp?itok=gKrv501C)
The Deepening Transit Crisis: L.A. Times Reports Drug Use on Transit
An article by the L.A. Times earlier this week has raised the temperature of the debate about drug users and crime on rail transit. Concerns about public safety on transit are a common symptom of post-pandemic transit around the country.
![Dirt walking trail with blue ocean on one side and green hillside on the other in Rancho Palos Verdes, California](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/shutterstock_643445401.jpg.webp?itok=UgRKcGSJ)
Los Angeles County Parks Department Releases Five-Year Strategic Plan
The L.A. County Department of Parks and Recreation recently completed a strategic plan which details goals, strategies, and actions that reflect the agency's commitment to advancing equity.
![View down a Los Angeles street with cars and tall palm trees on both sides](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/shutterstock_712395238.jpg.webp?itok=c0krl9KF)
Study: L.A.’s Wealthier Residents ‘Export’ Air Pollution to Poorer Neighborhoods
Residents of Los Angeles who drive less are exposed to higher rates of air pollution due to policies that have encouraged commuting through low-income neighborhoods.
![Bus stop in downtown Los Angeles with billboard and no bench or shelter](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/shutterstock_1191235372.jpg.webp?itok=gzKE3JJK)
Study: One-Quarter of L.A. County Bus Stops Equipped With Shelters
Bus riders in Los Angeles frequently lack protection from sun and extreme heat, with bus stops in some of the county’s hottest areas having the worst amenities.
Pagination
Placer County
City of Morganton
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Dongguan Binhaiwan Bay Area Management Committee
City of Waukesha, WI
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Indiana Borough
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.