Austin scooter traffic is rising, so why not make room for them?
Construction of a new Hilton hotel in Austin has shrunk West 6th Street. The resulting street configuration means slower traffic, faster pedestrian crossings, and space formerly reserved for parking no used by people on scooters.
Dan Keshet argues that the city could inexpensively make the change permanent. If the lane were converted to a bike lane, it could accommodate rising scooter traffic and make the street narrower and safer for pedestrians to cross. "Are we a city that values safe, convenient streets for walking, biking, and scooting, as well as driving, or are we a city that can’t wait the additional two minutes to get on Mopac?" Keshet writes in Austin on Your Feet.
FULL STORY: How West 6th Was Accidentally Fixed for the Age of Scooters (and How to Keep it Fixed)
Report: Vision Zero Saving Lives in Austin
Safety improvements at major intersections led to a 22 percent reduction in deaths and severe injuries and saved the city over $28 million.
Car2Go Pulls Out of Five North American Cities
As the company plans to cease operations in a number of markets, carsharing’s future in the rapidly shifting world of mobility is unclear.
Bus-Bike Partnership Helps Austin Move Beyond Cars
Leave it up to Austin to show Texas how to reduce its auto-oriented infrastructure. A project to replace on-street parking and traffic lanes with dedicated bus and bike lanes is the result of a partnership between bike and transit planners.
Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking
Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?
King County Supportive Housing Program Offers Hope for Unhoused Residents
The county is taking a ‘Housing First’ approach that prioritizes getting people into housing, then offering wraparound supportive services.
Researchers Use AI to Get Clearer Picture of US Housing
Analysts are using artificial intelligence to supercharge their research by allowing them to comb through data faster. Though these AI tools can be error prone, they save time and housing researchers are optimistic about the future.
Making Shared Micromobility More Inclusive
Cities and shared mobility system operators can do more to include people with disabilities in planning and operations, per a new report.
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.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie