A new world is emerging midway between Orlando and Tampa along Interstate 4. Some say as soon as 10 years, others, in 20 years, strawberry fields and pastures will be paved over and Tampa to Orlando will be one big metropolitan area.
Ten years ago, surrounded by old orange groves, Kermit Weeks built an aviation themed history attraction and planted a sign along Interstate 4: Future Site of Downtown Orlampa. The notion of a metro corridor linking the two cities is now no longer a dream. University of Florida researchers say that Polk County, which sits between the two cities, could gain as many as 240,000 people in the next 25 years -- the equivalent of relocating Jersey City, N.J. into the county.
For many moving to the region, the draw is a chance to buy a bigger house -- or any house at all, as prices in Tampa and Orlando soar beyond the reach of teachers, police officers, social workers and retirees. For some, it's one of the rare places a person can still buy a rural life - acreage for a horse and barn, something unheard of in urban Orange County and Orlando, 40 miles away. And for others, the lure is jobs.
How long it will take for the I-4 corridor to build out remains a guess. The University of Pennsylvania Urban Design Studio is creating models of alternative futures within the corridor -- the PennDesign Central Florida Alternatives Future study -- and these show Polk County developing about 335 more square miles by 2050. Plan results will be released in January.
Thanks to Sheryl Stolzenberg
FULL STORY: Middle of somewhere
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
Planning for Accessibility: Proximity is More Important than Mobility
Accessibility-based planning minimizes the distance that people must travel to reach desired services and activities. Measured this way, increased density can provide more total benefits than increased speeds.
Fair Housing Cannot Take a Back Seat to ‘Build, Baby, Build’
If we overlook fair housing principles in the plan to build US housing back better, we risk ending up right back where we started.
LA Metro Board Approves New 710 Freeway Plan
The newest plan for the 710 corridor claims it will not displace any residents.
Austin’s Proposed EV Charging Rules Regulate Station Locations, Size
City planners say the new rules would ensure an efficient distribution of charging infrastructure across the city and prevent an overconcentration in residential areas.
Making California State Parks More Climate-Resilient
A recently released report offers recommendations for keeping state parks healthy and robust, including acquiring additional land for conservation and recreation.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Tufts University, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy & Planning
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
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.
