Urban Planning
News on cities, suburbs, and how we design the places we live
Homebuying in the Philly area is more expensive than last year. Here’s why
The news is particularly challenging for first-time homebuyers daunted by overvalued sale prices and high mortgage rates.
Billy Penn
Could self-driving SEPTA buses be coming to Philly?
State Rep. Ben Waxman’s proposal to restrict autonomous transit vehicles stirs debate over AI, cost-savings and jobs.
5 days ago
SEPTA’s 11th Street Station will close Sept. 5 to add elevators; project could take more than a year
The $44 million accessibility project will add elevators to both platforms, making the station ADA-compliant.
6 days ago
Listen 1:14
Billy Penn
Philly’s smart loading zones are a boon or a plague, depending on who you ask
Double-parking by delivery trucks is down, traffic speeds are up, and the PPA has collected $5 million in fines.
1 week ago
Why Philly’s public housing costs an average of $315,000 per unit
PHA’s $6.3 billion plan would remake its aging housing portfolio. Its per-unit estimate, which rivals the value of many Philadelphia homes, doesn’t tell the full story.
2 weeks ago
Listen 1:59
Billy Penn
Washington Avenue’s revamped route to the Delaware River offers a wide sidewalk and new bike path
The new “connector street” project is the largest of several aiming to encourage use of the Delaware River Trail and the waterfront.
2 weeks ago
North10 is helping contractors and households pay to dispose of waste legally, diverting thousands of pounds of trash from illegal dumpsites.
2 weeks ago
Listen 0:59
The grant was awarded to Milford Housing Development Corporation, a nonprofit developer that assists low-income families in building their own homes.
2 weeks ago
Listen 0:59
Big Fix: Solutions to the housing crisis
In this month's Big Fix episode: the housing crisis. Flexible zoning, more vouchers, accessory dwelling units, YIMBYISM and more.
Air Date: July 29, 2026 12:00 pm
Listen 51:53
Sussex County considers regulations to preserve Delaware forests in the face of development
The law would protect a percentage of trees on a given property from being cleared. Some residents support adopting the law, with a few reservations.
3 weeks ago
Listen 1:03
The investment would help improve pedestrian and cyclist safety in the Philadelphia area with more protected bike lanes and trail expansion.
3 weeks ago
Listen 1:09
After SEPTA’s summer success, riders fear momentum could stall
Is SEPTA getting there? At a West Philadelphia performance event, advocates celebrated the transit system while warning that another funding crisis looms.
3 weeks ago
Cobbs Creek movie palace may join Philadelphia’s historic register
The Ambassador Theatre in Southwest Philadelphia is one of the few remaining buildings in the city that once housed a neighborhood theater. It could now become a landmark.
3 weeks ago
Listen 0:50With sewers, streets and skyscrapers, modern cities are complex systems, and it takes a huge amount of design, planning, and maintenance to keep them moving. From transportation news on SEPTA and the PPA to real estate reporting on the 10-year tax abatement and neighborhood gentrification, WHYY and PlanPhilly cover the people, organizations, and policies that affect city life in Philadelphia and across the Delaware Valley.