Urban planning sets the stage for improving communities

In this episode of The Future Built Smarter, host Joe Payne welcomes Susan Van Benskoten, IMEG's Director of Urban Design, Planning, and Engagement, to discuss the transformative role of urban planning in shaping resilient, equitable, and sustainable communities. With over 40 years of experience, Susan shares how her firm’s multidisciplinary approach—spanning transportation planning, environmental resiliency, community engagement, and landscape architecture—enables early-stage problem-solving that integrates data, vision, and engineering feasibility. She emphasizes the importance of listening to communities and using technology to broaden participation, especially among younger generations. A standout example is the West Hartford Vision Zero project, which led to safety improvements after a tragic fatality, reinforcing the life-saving mission of urban planning. Susan envisions expanding this planning mindset across IMEG’s national network to make the firm more holistic and impactful. The episode underscores that effective urban planning is not just about infrastructure, but about mobility as a human right—ensuring access to jobs, food, and family regardless of socioeconomic status. By embedding planning early in projects and fostering collaboration between planners, engineers, and communities, IMEG aims to create long-term, constructible solutions that improve quality of life. The conversation closes with a forward-looking vision: scaling the planning practice to empower communities nationwide while staying true to the core mission of building safer, smarter, and more inclusive environments.