While they're often treated as mere assets to be maintained or abandoned for other uses, public spaces can be an active part of cities' plans for equitable revitalization.

"In an era when people are more isolated than ever and distrust in government runs high, it's imperative that we reimagine public spaces as more than just physical assets to maintain but as platforms for equity and neighborhood revitalization," writes Akron, Ohio's mayor Dan Horrigan.
Horrigan maintains that cities should invest in the public spaces they have, rather than walk the "seductive but hollow path" of abandoning public spaces that no longer seem worth maintaining. In Akron, he writes, "we have prioritized our public spaces because the investments we make in them have a protective function in our neighborhoods."
He discusses Akron Civic Commons, a project drawing on philanthropic funds to revitalize a three-mile stretch of trail with equity and diversity in mind. According to Horrigan, "early data is showing more income diversity utilizing improved spaces, stronger belief that the neighborhood is changing for the better, and a higher percentage who feel safe in their community."
FULL STORY: Why Public Spaces Are Critical Social Infrastructure

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
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