Urban design, land use, and transportation policy can all affect the overall physical and mental health of communities. Planners impact public health through decisions that affect air quality, housing density, transportation options, land use, access to parks and green space, and more. Understanding public health can help planners make more equitable decisions that improve the lives of families and the sustainability of urban communities.
All Public Health Courses
Measuring Neighborhood Segregation and Diversity
Instructor: Emily Talen
This course reviews the various ways to measure both segregation and diversity at the neighborhood scale.
Calculating the Benefits of Parks, Trails, and Open Space
Instructor: Todd J. Poole
This course provides examples of how to calculate market and non-market values of parks, trails, and open space, as well as how to identify potential revenue-generating opportunities for long-term maintenance and operation.
Urban Design for Planners 8: Parking and Traffic
Instructor: Emily Talen
The final course in the Urban Design for Planners series addresses the automobile as part of the urban fabric. The storage of cars and high levels of congestion can be very detrimental to neighborhoods, but good design can mitigate those negative effects.