Philadelphia is opening its first "parklet" -- a small public park space built on street parking spaces.
It's part of a larger trend in cities like New York and San Francisco to quickly and cheaply create new public spaces.
"Philadelphia has long been eager to get in on the act, but wasn't quite sure where to put a pilot parklet, said Rina Cutler, deputy mayor for transportation. The University City District solved the problem by volunteering this summer to serve as a guinea pig.
'We're hoping this parklet becomes an attraction and people will want to hang out there,' said Andrew Stober, who works for Cutler in the Mayor's Office of Transportation and Utilities. The parklet is across from a busy trolley stop.
Parklets are the newest tool in a kit of low-cost amenities that cities have been using to make urban living more pleasant and to encourage people to linger on the sidewalks. Like bike lanes and farmers' markets, they're cheap and easy to install. Philadelphia's parklet cost $10,000 and was financed entirely by the William Penn Foundation."
FULL STORY: Transforming parking spots to parklets: Philadelphia joins an urban trend
San Diego Swaps Parking Lane for Kid-Friendly Mini Park
The block-long greenway will feature interactive play equipment and landscaping.
The Economic Case for Converting Parking to Parklets
Emily Badger of The Washington Post Wonkblog writes about a new study showing the economic benefits of converting street spaces in front of storefronts to parklets. Other options for street spaces include bike lanes, bikeshare docks, and bus lanes.
Nine Ways to Use Curb Space That Aren’t Parking
California’s new daylighting law bans parking within 20 feet of crosswalks. How can cities best use this space?
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.
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.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie