As the city continues to make little progress on planned bike lanes, cyclists are turning to the courts for relief.
Bike advocates in Philadelphia hope that a private lawsuit could pressure the city to improve bike infrastructure, Jim Saksa reports for PlanPhilly.
Supported by the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, the suit accuses a hotel contractor of operating a valet service in a bike lane. In hopes of reaching a settlement, the company has agreed to protect the bike lane with plastic posts to prevent further violations—provided they can get a permit from the city.
Before taking office in 2015, Mayor Jim Kenney promised to build 30 miles of protected bike lanes; so far, the city has achieved 3.5. "If this works, cycling advocates may have discovered a way around their long-blocked efforts to improve Philly’s bike infrastructure: litigation," Saksa writes.
Read the full story: Frustrated by Philly politicians’ failure to upgrade bike lanes, cyclists turn to the courts
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour
If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.
Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River
Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.
NYC bus network redesign speeds up Queens buses
Rush routes have seen a 4.6% speed increase after the redesign.
California High-Speed Rail Authority picks trainset manufacturer
The California High-Speed Rail Authority aims to start servicing passengers by 2033.
LA may place emergency ban on karaoke room permits
If Councilwoman Heather Hutt’s proposal passes, the moratorium would last between 45 days and one year.
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.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority