In this long-form article, G.M. Donley reminds us why walkable and diverse communities have become such a planning staple. In Cleveland, New Urbanism contends with a history of sprawl and decreasing population.
Though it has marvelous advantages, G.M. Donley observes that modern technology is often guilty of "isolating individuals physically from each other: each commuter traveling in his or her own car, every home a self-contained living and entertainment center, shopping trips carried out from the desktop, social interactions mediated through a little screen."
This can be a serious impediment to diversity: "People are comfortable living among like-minded people, and communication technology and transportation networks make that easier than ever before."
Throughout the article, Donley develops the context to examine how Cleveland—and other "rust belt" cities—might factor into the walkability debate.
- Cleveland has been a historical crossroads, astride key routes of transport but still independent from major centers—and by extension their major developers and inflated real estate prices.
- Walking is what we're meant to do: "humans evolved to walk a lot and our bodies and brains function best when we do that; our past century of not walking a lot has therefore begun to have serious consequences to health and well-being."
- "Efforts are already being made to equip key Cleveland neighborhoods with the fastest fiber-optic and wireless internet capability, to set the stage for future entrepreneurship and innovation. Those initiatives will be most fruitful if conceived around the priority of creating great environments for people on foot."
FULL STORY: Walking and Thinking: Technology and the New Navigation of Everyday Space
Oregon Passes Exemption to Urban Growth Boundary
Cities have a one-time chance to acquire new land for development in a bid to increase housing supply and affordability.
Where Urban Design Is Headed in 2024
A forecast of likely trends in urban design and architecture.
Savannah: A City of Planning Contrasts
From a human-scales, plaza-anchored grid to suburban sprawl, the oldest planned city in the United States has seen wildly different development patterns.
Washington Tribes Receive Resilience Funding
The 28 grants support projects including relocation efforts as coastal communities face the growing impacts of climate change.
Adaptive Reuse Bills Introduced in California Assembly
The legislation would expand eligibility for economic incentives and let cities loosen regulations to allow for more building conversions.
LA's Top Parks, Ranked
TimeOut just released its list of the top 26 parks in the L.A. area, which is home to some of the best green spaces around.
City of Rochester
Boston Harbor Now
City of Bellevue
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Birmingham, Alabama
City of Laramie, Wyoming
Colorado Department of Local Affairs
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.