Urban and Community Planner Urban and community planners work to make cities pleasant and attractive places in which to live and work, taking into account zoning, traffic patterns, building density, recreational facilities, and the management of waste materials and water. They try to organize streets and the flow of traffic to avoid congestion. They try to plan for recreation so that everyone will have access to parks and open spaces. Planners work closely with builders to make sure that cities develop within the limits of the master plan. They need lots of geographical information to do all this.
Most planners have bachelor's or higher degrees, and some have to pass a national exam.
Urban and regional planning programs are available at some universities. Often, students take courses in public administration or public finance, as well as geography. Transportation Planner Transportation has become a major problem in every large urban area in the world. Typically, commuters head into the middle of the city in the morning and back to the outskirts at the end of the day. This puts an enormous strain on transportation systems and creates the need for careful planning.