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Podcast - The Planetizen News Brief

15 March 2007 - 7:00am

The Planetizen News Brief is a weekly rundown of some of the most interesting and important news and issues of the past week.

This week, we look at the Philadelphia riverfront redevelopment effort's highway woes, the effect of census trends on the real estate market, and a controversial addition to one of the world's natural wonders.

The Planetizen News Brief airs every week on the nationally-syndicated radio program "Smart City", which is broadcast in cities across the U.S. Learn more about Smart City and listen to archived shows.

Full Transcript

The city of Philadelphia has been trying hard to revive its waterfront in recent years, but there’s always been something in the way. Interstate 95 is literally a hurdle, with a portion running directly along the Delaware River waterfront, cutting it off from the rest of the city. A recent gathering of planners, designers and architects spent three days brainstorming ways to develop the waterfront and keep the interstate, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. In the end, their proposal is basically for a Philadelphia version of Boston’s Big Dig – the massive and lengthy project to build platforms over the city’s freeways. Many hope capping I-95 will improve access to the soon-to-be-redeveloped riverfront, but basing Philadelphia’s project on Boston’s problem-stricken Big Dig is giving many locals a reason to be skeptical.

And while officials in Philadelphia are looking for ways to bring people to the city core, census data have revealed that urban areas may not be where people want to be.

Many demographers are estimating that the majority of the world’s people now live in urban areas, but a new real estate trend shows many people moving back to the countryside. From Chicago to New York to Los Angeles, Census figures show that 18 of the United States’ 25 largest metropolitan areas experienced a net out-migration. Many real estate experts say the trend is a result of more investors looking for new land to buy, according to ABC News. Others attribute the urban exodus to a new ease of living afforded by the internet age, which allows rural residents to connect to urban workplaces, and to access many of the goods and services not readily available in rural settings.

Meanwhile, in hopes of bringing more people out to one of the country’s most picturesque sites, developers in Arizona have begun construction on a controversial addition to the Grand Canyon. A horseshoe-shaped walkway now hangs 70 feet out over the south rim of the canyon, and will be open to tourists by the end of the month, according to the Arizona Republic. Dubbed the Grand Canyon Skywalk, this new million-pound steel walkway offers tourists the opportunity to walk on top of clear glass jutting out into the canyon’s void, and look straight down more than 4,000 feet. Many environmentalists and conservationists are concerned about what they see as a gimmicky and incompatible use of space in the national park. But for members of the Hualapai Nation, developers of the skywalk, the new tourist attraction and the anticipated high visitation are expected to greatly improve their quality of life.

Stories discussed in this week's Planetizen News Brief

Philadelphia's Big Dig?

The Rural Real Estate Boom

Glass Skywalk Extended Over Grand Canyon

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The impact of community design and amenities on community engagement is substantial. Respondents with a lower overall grade for their communities were also found to be less engaged in their communities, as measured by participation in social activities, relationships with neighbors, volunteer work, and civic participation such as voting.
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