Pete Saunders compares the disparate experiences of two Chicago suburbs, Naperville and Joliet, who took different approaches to legacy.
"There is a totally undervalued consideration when looking at the past, present and future of cities. We can't discount the importance of legacy -- the quality of past decisions, what's been given to us, and what we do with it," writes Saunders. When comparing Naperville and Joliet, Saunders finds that "[one] city thought it lacked a legacy, until it found one that enabled it to take its growth to the next level; the other allowed much of its legacy to fritter away and its residents chose to flee from it."
Starting from 1950, when Joliet was a small industrial city of 52,000 people and Naperville was a small farming community of 7,000, "only Naperville was able to grow, using the suburban development growth model." Why? "Because Naperville was unburdened with legacy. Naperville was surrounded by farmlands that were suitable for new single family home construction. The extension of the interstate highway network allowed Naperville to make highway access an attractive amenity to potential residents, and allowed the development of office complexes on the city's northern fringes."
"Naperville hit the suburban trifecta -- greenfields for residential development, highways and commter [sic] rail access to move people, and office parks to employ workers."
The policies of the two cities shifted in the 1990s, producing a legacy of land use decisions that are still influencing the growth of each cities today.
FULL STORY: Tale of Two Suburbs: Legacy, And What We Do With It
Cities in the South and West Keep Sprawling
New suburbs continue to expand into previously undeveloped areas, putting strain on local resources.
To Build More Housing, Cities Must Be Smarter in How They Use Land
How strategic land use policy decisions can alleviate the housing crisis and limit unsustainable sprawl.
Converting Golf Courses to Housing Never as Easy as the Market Would Like
Thousands of golf courses have closed in recent years, but the obvious redevelopment opportunity represented by many defunct courses isn’t always easy to realize.
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