Scooter opponents in Alexandria, Virginia, claim the devices threaten the historic character of the city, but supporters say the argument is nonsense.
Joanne Tang writes about the dockless scooter debate in Alexandria, Virginia, where a nine-month pilot program started in January. One argument against scooters is that they threaten the historic character of the city, an assertion Tang says residents have used numerous times in the past to oppose outdoor seating, bike lanes, and food trucks.
"Residents who reject scooters because they don’t fit with their perception of the correct look and feel for Old Town, but clamor for parking rights for their cars, are not engaging in a conversation about what is good for the public. Using 'historic nature' as a blanket excuse to oppose new things is arguing in bad faith," says Tang.
She says scooters are a useful mode to encourage walking and tourism in the area without increasing road congestion. The city, Tang believes, can address scooter issues by educating riders, putting in infrastructure to support the devices, and ensuring that operators follow regulations. "But until there are 'Save Historic Alexandria' [stickers] for the cars and SUVs in Old Town, it doesn’t make sense to single out scooters as being anathema to Old Town’s historic charm."
FULL STORY: Why does “save historic Alexandria” mean stopping scooters but not curbing cars?
Oregon Passes Exemption to Urban Growth Boundary
Cities have a one-time chance to acquire new land for development in a bid to increase housing supply and affordability.
Where Urban Design Is Headed in 2024
A forecast of likely trends in urban design and architecture.
Savannah: A City of Planning Contrasts
From a human-scales, plaza-anchored grid to suburban sprawl, the oldest planned city in the United States has seen wildly different development patterns.
Washington Tribes Receive Resilience Funding
The 28 grants support projects including relocation efforts as coastal communities face the growing impacts of climate change.
Adaptive Reuse Bills Introduced in California Assembly
The legislation would expand eligibility for economic incentives and let cities loosen regulations to allow for more building conversions.
LA's Top Parks, Ranked
TimeOut just released its list of the top 26 parks in the L.A. area, which is home to some of the best green spaces around.
City of Rochester
Boston Harbor Now
City of Bellevue
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Birmingham, Alabama
City of Laramie, Wyoming
Colorado Department of Local Affairs
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.