A recent study discovered that towns and cities around the country had removed the pavement on thousands of roads in the last five years.
Aarian Marshall reports on a trend among cash-strapped towns: un-paving roads. According to Marshall, "rural areas all over the country are embracing this kind of strategic retreat." In fact, "Transportation agencies in at least 27 states have unpaved roads, according to a new report from the National Highway Cooperative Highway Research program."
Marshall's exploration of the trend centers on the city of Montpellier, Vermont, which is at the leading edge of the ongoing transportation budget experiment. The results of the experiment are still playing themselves out. For instance, unintended consequences of un-paving might include drivers switching from fuel-efficient cars, like a Prius, to a more durable sports utility vehicle.
However, the experiment is taking a scientific approach. "There are serious engineers and scientists—entire academic institutes, even—who study how to un-pave in smart ways. Crews can even tamp down dust problems by regularly applying water-absorbing calcium chloride, organic petroleum, and vegetable oils and animal fats," reports Marshall.
Read the full story: Cash-Strapped Towns Are Un-Paving Roads They Can’t Afford to Fix
Omaha Stripped Away Pavement from Residential Streets, Controversy Ensues
Decades ago, developers installed sub-standard asphalt on residential streets in Omaha, with the understanding that residents, not the city, would maintain them.
Pennsylvania 12-year transportation plan commits $13B for transit
The state's new mid-range transportation strategy includes nearly $17 billion for roads and bridges and $367 million for multimodal projects.
Study: Pavement covers 40% of Phoenix
A new study reveals how ultrafine particles emitted by pavement worsen air quality.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Amtrak, CN end decades-long dispute with eight-year agreement
The new operating agreement establishes an updated framework for the companies to work together, including processes to resolve disputes.
Judges permit Denver to divert 77,000 acre feet from the Colorado River for reservoir expansion
Overuse and climate change have caused the Colorado River’s water levels to plummet.
Idaho may see an 18% drop in federal surface transit funding — the largest estimated cut in the US
Transit systems in rural communities are much more reliant on federal funding to provide their services.
How ‘post-disaster gentrification’ alters neighborhoods after natural calamities
After hurricanes, fires or other calamities, the original residents of a community are often replaced by younger, wealthier residents.
Maryland local governments examine if they should have more power to raise property taxes
Maryland’s housing market is out of reach for the majority of moderate-income residents.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
KFH Group Inc.
Greater Baltimore Committee
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello