Not all streets are created equal: Some have sidewalks and some don't.
Stephen Fesler shares a map of Seattle streets that lack sidewalks—a hot button issue in Seattle where residents of some neighborhoods are "infuriated that they still don't have access to walking facilities in their neighborhoods."
The map reveals that streets north of 85th Street as well as streets in the Industrial District, West Seattle, and Southeast Seattle are lacking sidewalks.
"For a bit of perspective though, it's worth noting that Seattle has over 2,000 miles of sidewalks, which collectively cover 72% of city blocks. The City of Seattle estimates that replacement cost of this existing infrastructure is somewhere around $1.5 billion. But that still leaves some 900 miles (28% of city blocks) without any sidewalks; adding those to the pedestrian network would cost at least another $675 million."
The post goes on to explain how some of the neighborhoods without sidewalks got that way (hint: late incorporation) as well as how excuses and promises are sometimes what residents get instead of action regarding the state of pedestrian infrastructure in their neighborhoods.
FULL STORY: MAP OF THE WEEK: LACK OF SIDEWALKS IN SEATTLE
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.
New York Transit Agency Launches Performance Dashboard
The tool increases transparency about the agency’s performance on a variety of metrics.
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.
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.