Project For Public Spaces

Gary Toth considers the damage to the quality of our streets and urban environments caused by the use of travel projection models and Levels of Service (LOS) as performance metrics.

Getting transportation professionals to think about including pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit users is a key first step in creating great places and livable communities. Thank “complete streets” movement, which has taken the U.S. by storm.

Creating livable streets starts at the grassroots level by gathering support from the community. Better Blocks Philly was a project that created temporary changes to streets, promoting the concept of the "complete street" for the residents.

Houston is leading the way in creating new public spaces. This article from The Project for Public Spaces looks at a few of the city's efforts.

In a post at Project for Public Spaces a politician from Spokane, WA is quoted as saying the way municipal governments could spur job growth is by building public spaces where people want to live, work, shop and invest.

The city of Baltimore has a new open space plan it thinks will lead the city to future growth that is smarter, more vibrant, and better overall for its residents.

Birmingham, Alabama is creating a new system of open markets that will bring fresh foods as well as more social space for the city's residents.

Newcastle, Australia's downtown business district lacked street life and was littered with empty buildings. A "Renew Newcastle" campaign brought new life and new residents. PPS talks with the man behind the plan.

Roundabouts, usually considered a quirky European development, can reduce delays at intersections by 20%, according to studies by Kansas State University.

The Project for Public Spaces has released a summary of the top ten trends shaping the future of America's communities -- from public markets to community-based transportation planning.

According to Philip Myrick, communities that will fare the best economically are the ones that think locally and employ placemaking strategies.

The Project for Public Spaces has released its list of the five best neighborhoods in North America.

Getting neighbors together for community events does more than prevent crime, according to the Project for Public Spaces.

As public libraries take on more roles in their communities -- including acting as key public spaces -- librarians are adopting "placemaking" into their facility and service planning.

PPS offers striking images of great places (and a few not-so-great) from around the world. [Includes photos.]

Steve Davies argues that public markets are making a comeback and that America's future may be small vendors as much as big boxes.

From Amsterdam, to Brazil, to St. Louis, the Project for Public Spaces adds 10 urban locations to its list of Great Public Places.

The Project For Public Spaces envisions a world where urban areas are pedestrian destinations and neighborhoods are planned with living -- not traffic -- in mind.

Vehicles stage massive park-ins and protests across the nation against aggressive pedestrians.

Project for Public Spaces selects the best spots to live, work, and hang out.