Curbed LA takes an amusing look at the urban planning proposals that bubbled up in L.A. throughout 2009.
This look back at 2009 covers proposed projects not yet realized and plans actually put in place.
"Many of the renderings we saw this year envisioned a better Los Angeles where cars and bicycles coexisted peacefully and mass transit flowed freely over the chaos above and below. These may actually occur in our children's lifetime, but in ours? Questionable."
Also covered are L.A.'s NIMBY-laden attempts to expand its rail system, the explosive growth of medical marijuana dispensaries, and the new pocket parks squeezing their way into the city.
FULL STORY: Urban Planning a Messy City: Billboards, Blight, Parks and Traffic
LA Denies Basic Services to Unhoused Residents
The city has repeatedly failed to respond to requests for trash pickup at encampment sites, and eliminated a program that provided mobile showers and toilets.
LA Transit Ridership Plummets Amidst ICE Raids
LA Metro’s bus and rail lines are seeing up to 15 percent lower ridership in the wake of violent immigration arrests.
Southern Californians Survey Trees for Destructive Oak Pest
Hundreds of volunteers across five counties participated in the first Goldspotted Oak Borer Blitz, surveying oak trees for signs of the invasive beetle and contributing valuable data to help protect Southern California’s native woodlands.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.
Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.
Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.
MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.
Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
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